JCRC-NY 2023 Spring Gala Program

Spring Gala2023

Monday, June 12, 2023

New-York Historical Society

Program

WELCOME

OPENING VIDEO

GREETINGS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND AWARDS CEREMONY

BLUMBERG FAMILY YOUNG LEADERSHIP AWARD

FOUNDER AND PRESENTER

PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD

PRESENTER

COMMUNITY BUILDER AWARD

PRESENTER

CLOSING

Bennett W. Golub

President, JCRC-NY

Hon. Israel Nitzan

Acting Consul General of Israel in New York

Hon. Charles E. Schumer

Majority Leader, United States Senate

Hon. Kirsten Gillibrand

United States Senator

Hon. Eric L. Adams

Mayor, City of New York

Amy A. B. Bressman

President, UJA-Federation of New York

Cheryl Fishbein Chair of the Board, JCRC-NY

Gene Rachmansky

Vice President, JCRC-NY

Co-Founder & Co-CEO, STYR Trade

Thomas A. Blumberg

Board Member, JCRC-NY

Hon. William C. Thompson, Jr.

Partner and Chief Administrative Officer, Siebert Williams Shank & Co., LLC

Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, The City University of New York

Michael S. Miller

CEO Emeritus, JCRC-NY

Jeffrey Gural

Chairman, GFP Real Estate LLC

Ethan Gural

Gideon Taylor

Executive Vice President and CEO, JCRC-NY

Officers & Board of Directors

Officers

PRESIDENT

Bennett W. Golub

CHAIR OF THE BOARD

Cheryl Fishbein

VICE PRESIDENTS

Sanford Antignas

Josh Moskowitz

Gene Rachmansky**

Craig S. Unterberg

SECRETARY

Robyn Polansky Morrison**

TREASURER

Michael P. Lustig ***

Board of Directors

Jonathan Adelsberg

Karen R. Adler

Marissa Alter-Nelson****

George Arzt

Sharri A. Berg

Abraham Biderman***

Thomas A. Blumberg***

Charles R. Borrok

Jacques E. Brand

W. Stewart Cahn

Brian M. Cohen

Steven D. Cohn***

Suzanne R. Davidowitz

Suzanne W. Doft

Camille Dunst

Jennifer E. Falk

David A. Fine

Stuart Finkelstein

Adam Fleishman****

Hon. Rachel “Ruchie” Freier

EXECUTIVE VP & CEO

Gideon Taylor

CEO EMERITUS

Michael S. Miller

FOUNDING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Malcolm Hoenlein

Past Presidents

Martin S. Begun*

Kenneth J. Bialkin*

Cheryl Fishbein

Judah Gribetz

Gedale B. Horowitz*

Alan S. Jaffe

Ezra G. Levin*

*Deceased

Matthew J. Maryles

Lester Pollack*

Richard Ravitch

Janice W. Shorenstein

Charles S. Temel*

Laurence A. Tisch*

Peggy Tishman*

Ronald G. Weiner

Honorary President

Jack D. Weiler*

Honorary Officers

George Klein

Rabbi Israel Miller*

Daniel Shapiro*

Ezra Friedlander

David J. Friedman

Zoya Raynes Friedman

Ester R. Fuchs

Ruth Golan

Jonathan Greenspun

Jessica Haller

Jay Hershenson

Matthew J. Hiltzik

Suzanne Denbo Jaffe***

Richard I. Janvey

Karen Spar Kasner***

Judy Kaufthal

Bradley Korn***

Alisa F. Levin***

Jerry Levin****

Jeffrey E. Levine***

Max J. Levine

Richard S. Linhart

Gustave K. Lipman

Jason D. Mack

Joel R. Marcus

Mendy Mirocznik

Shira Nadel

Michael Nussbaum

Shelley Lieff Parker

Simon “Shimi” Pelman

Joseph Rafalowicz

Andrew Rechtschaffen***

Eric Rechtschaffen

Anna Propp Riesenberg

Eugene Schneur

David Schwartz****

M. Ronen Schwartzman***

Marissa J. Shorenstein

Adam Shpeen****

Rada Sumareva***

Richard M. Weinberg

Steven Wils

Jacob J. Worenklein

JUNE 12, 2023

Dear Friends,

It is our pleasure to welcome everyone to the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York’s 2023 Spring Gala. The core mission of JCRC-NY is to protect and enhance the quality of life of the New York Jewish community and of all New Yorkers. To accomplish its goals, JCRC-NY has always devoted a significant portion of its resources to security concerns and community-bridging programs - emphasizing the values and interests that unite all New Yorkers, Jews and non-Jews alike.

As we celebrate our achievements this evening, we are pleased to pay tribute to Jeffrey Gural, recipient of the Community Builder Award; Gene Rachmansky, recipient of the Blumberg Family Young Leadership Award; and Hon. William C. Thompson, Jr., recipient of the Public Service Award. We are privileged to recognize these exceptional individuals for their commitment, dedication, and leadership.

We want to extend a special thank you to our Spring Gala Sponsors; Gene Rachmansky’s Development Co-Chair, Robyn Polansky Morrison; and the Development Committee. The tremendous support we have received from them and everyone gathered here this evening is a testament to JCRC-NY’s extraordinary achievements. Your faith in our mission and goals will ensure that our outstanding Officers, Board of Directors, and staff can continue to serve all the people of the New York metropolitan area for many years to come.

Thank you, and please enjoy the evening.

Sincerely,

Bennett W. Golub President

Cheryl Fishbein Chair of the Board

Gideon Taylor Executive Vice President and CEO

JCRC-NY REPRESENTS ALL OF JEWISH NEW YORK.

As the voice of the mainstream Jewish community at the tables where the critical issues of the day are being discussed, we build bridges of dialogue and understanding with every segment of the city’s population.

For almost 50 years, JCRC-NY has been the primary community relations organization representing and advocating for the needs of the 1.4 million Jews in New York City, Long Island, and Westchester. A collaborative network of over 50 member organizations, we foster relationships with the

WHAT WE DO:

• Create a more connected New York Jewish community

• Nurture relationships with the broader New York community to address critical issues and build a shared society

WHO WE WORK WITH:

government and close to 200 faith-based and ethnic groups in our area. Our Board of Directors reflects the broad cultural, political, ethnic, geographic, and denominational spectrum of New York Jewry.

New York needs JCRC-NY now more than ever. Our advocacy work on behalf of the Jewish community is essential. Our expertise, our relationships, and our reach make us the most effective organization working to ensure a strong, vibrant, secure New York Jewish community.

• Keep the Jewish community safe and secure

• Strengthen support for Israel among New Yorkers

• Speak out on important issues affecting the Jewish community, New York, and Israel

Our partners within and outside the Jewish community include:

• Ethnic and racial communities

• Faith communities

• Public officials

• Jewish leaders from all streams

• Non-profits

WHERE WE WORK:

• Our reach extends throughout the five boroughs, Long Island, Westchester, and Israel.

THE JCRC-NY APPROACH:

• We are a common table for New York Jews.

• We cultivate relationships with all city leaders, finding common ground and supporting the issues that are important to them.

• We show up to represent New York’s Jewish community, building relationships and supporting dialogue between Jewish and nonJewish groups. We care about all New Yorkers and cultivate mutual understanding, supporting issues that matter to other communities.

• In partnership with UJA-Federation of New York, through our community security initiative

• Law enforcement

• The labor, progressive, and conservative movements

• Education systems

• Our impact reaches far beyond New York, as we share best practices and consult regularly with Jewish nonprofits across the country.

(CSI), we have significantly upgraded the physical security of approximately 2,000 Jewish institutions in the New York area so that people of all faiths can feel welcome and secure in our communal spaces.

• We educate the educators, exposing them to different narratives and voices from Israel. We’re helping to educate our children about the Jewish community and other communities, to dispel myths and encourage mutual respect and tolerance.

www.jcrcny.org

COMMUNITY BUILDER AWARD

Jeffrey Gural

Chairman, GFP Real Estate LLC

Jeffrey Gural, known as Jeff, is Chairman of GFP Real Estate LLC. GFP Real Estate LLC has an ownership interest in 41 properties, almost all of which are located in Manhattan. Jeff, along with his son, Eric Gural, and nephew, Brian Steinwurtzel, are responsible for all future acquisitions and the managing and leasing of the 10 million square feet that they have an ownership interest in.

Jeff joined Newmark Knight Frank in 1972, and served as Chairman until 2017, after which he became Chairman Emeritus. Prior to that, Jeff was a member of the staff of Diesel Construction Co. for approximately six years, where he was responsible for the supervision and construction of more than one million square feet of new office space in notable buildings such as 437 Madison Avenue and 645 Madison Avenue.

Jeff is a member of the Executive Committee of The Real Estate Board of New York; Former President of the enCourage Kids Foundation; Chairman of “I Have a Dream Foundation –NY” and Co-Sponsor of the Chelsea-Elliot “I Have a Dream” Project; former Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Times Square Alliance; member of the Board of Trustees of The New School; Chair of the Board of Governors for Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts at The New School; Former Chairman of the Board of Directors for Alliance of Resident Theatres/New York; Vice President of The Broadway Association; member of the Board of Directors of the Museum at Eldridge Street; member of the Board of Directors of the Statue

of Liberty Foundation; member of the Board of the Settlement Housing Fund; member of the Board of Directors of New York City Outward Bound Schools; member of the NYC Board of Directors for the March of Dimes; President of The Realty Foundation of New York; and a member of the Executive Committee of UJAFederation of New York. Both Jeff and his father, Aaron Gural, were honored at UJA’s 1995 Annual Luncheon.

As a sideline, Jeff is a major owner and breeder of Standardbred racehorses and has two farms in Upstate New York and Northern Pennsylvania. Jeff owns a casino in Upstate New York, Tioga Downs, and a racino at Vernon Downs. Jeff is also Managing Partner of New Meadowlands Racetrack LLC, which is the current lessee and operator of the New Meadowlands Racetrack. The Meadowlands recently opened a $120 Million grandstand, which is a state of the art facility.

Jeff is a graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, with a degree in Civil Engineering. He is married, has three grown children and five grandchildren, and resides in Manhattan.

BLUMBERG FAMILY YOUNG LEADERSHIP AWARD

Gene Rachmansky

Vice President, JCRC-NY Co-Founder & Co-CEO, STYR Trade

Gene is proud to be a JCRC-NY Vice President and member of its Executive Committee. Since his involvement with JCRC-NY began in 2012, he has served on and chaired various committees addressing strategy, organizational planning, and development.

Gene was born in Israel to Ukrainian émigré parents, and after living in Italy and Canada, came to the United States in 1980.

He began his communal involvement as a legal intern at NYANA, working on political asylum applications for refugees, which fostered an appreciation for the breadth and reach of Jewish communal organizations. As a young professional, Gene was one of the founders of the Young Russian Division and Emerging Leaders and Philanthropists (ELP) at UJA-Federation of New York. Subsequently, he had the privilege of serving on UJA’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee. He also held leadership roles on several UJA committees working to strengthen Jewish identity and renewal, including a focus on engaging Russian-speaking Jews in established and new Jewish communal institutions globally.

Gene started his professional journey as an attorney at Weil, Gotshal & Manges, LLP and later was a principal at a private asset manager specializing in financial futures and commodity option trading. Together with his son, Gene recently co-founded and is Co-CEO of STYR Trade, a sneaker and collectibles digital trading platform.

Gene received a BA in International Politics from New York University and a JD from the Fordham University School of Law, where he was a member of the Law Review and recipient of the Fordham Law School Prize. Gene and his wife, Anna, live in downtown Manhattan; they have two kids, Oscar and Vivienne, and a shaggy dog named Luna.

PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD

Hon. William C. Thompson, Jr. Partner and Chief Administrative Officer, Siebert Williams Shank & Co., LLC Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, The City University of New York

Hon. William C. Thompson, Jr., known as Bill, a dedicated advocate for innovation, diversity, and progress in the public and private sectors, was appointed Chairperson of the Board of Trustees at The City University of New York (CUNY) in June 2016.

CUNY is the nation’s largest urban public university, a transformative engine of social mobility that is a critical component of the lifeblood of New York City. The University’s historic mission continues to this day: provide a first-rate public education to all students, regardless of means or background. Under Bill’s leadership, the CUNY Board of Trustees passed a sweeping package of reforms of the University’s governance and administrative policies, creating greater transparency and accountability and putting CUNY in the vanguard of reform efforts in higher education.

Bill is a Partner and Chief Administrative Officer of Siebert Williams Shank, a leading national Women and Minority Owned investment banking firm.

Bill served two consecutive four-year terms as the Comptroller of the City of New York. He served five terms as the President of the New York City Board of Education, with oversight of the nation’s largest school system. Bill currently serves on the Board of the Mount Sinai Health System, the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, the Regional Plan Association, and has previously served on the boards of many museums, schools, libraries, and other organizations.

A lifelong New York City resident and a product of its public schools, Bill graduated from Tufts University with a BA in Political Science. He is a Trustee Emeritus of Tufts University.

2023 Spring Gala Sponsors

As of June 4, 2023

Presenting Sponsor

GFP Real Estate LLC

Cindy and Bennett W. Golub Benefactor

The Blumberg Family

Citi

Goulston & Storrs

Brian M. Cohen

Cheryl Fishbein and Philip Schatten

Patron

Ambassador Randi Charno, Jeffrey E. Levine and Family Douglaston Development

Mastercard

Vicki and Ronald G. Weiner

Partner

Geller & Company/The Geller Family Foundation

Karen and Jay Kasner and Family

Rachel R. Brody, Michael P. Lustig and Family

Mount Sinai Health Systems

Newmark

Siebert Williams Shank & Co., LLC

Chai

Suzanne and Jacob Doft

The Litwin Foundation

Jason Mack

Anna and Gene Rachmansky

Kim and Eric Rechtschaffen

David Reis

Diana and Ira Riklis

Anna and Gene Schneur

The Temel Family

2023 Spring Gala Sponsors (Continued)

As of June 4, 2023

Advocate

Anita Sibony de Adelsberg and Jonathan Adelsberg

Andrew W. Albstein

Goldberg Weprin Finkel Goldstein LLP

American Triple I

Blavatnik Family Foundation

Maria and Jacques Brand

Buchbinder & Warren LLC and Buchbinder & Warren Realty Group LLC

Sandy and Stewart Cahn

Clairvest Group Inc.

Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York

Rabbi Joshua M. Davidson

Jaimie and Stuart Finkelstein

HUB International NE

Suzanne Denbo Jaffe

George Klein

Leora and Richard Linhart

Gustave K. Lipman

L’Oreal

Marcus & Pollack LLC

Mitzi & Warren Eisenberg Family Foundation

Haley and David Schwartz

Janice and Stuart Shorenstein

Hon. William C. Thompson, Jr.

Times Square Alliance

Whitestar Consulting & Contracting Inc.

2023 Spring Gala Sponsors (Continued)

As of June 4, 2023

Contributor

Sanford Antignas

Ark Restaurants Corp.

Sarah and Abraham Biderman

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Jana and Steven D. Cohn

Suzanne R. Davidowitz

Feil Family Foundation

Martine and Stanley Fleishman

The Golan Family

Jessica and Chad Haller

Edward J. Hart

Howard L. Zimmerman Architects & Engineers, D.P.C.

The Katz Foundation

Judy and Uri Kaufthal

KeyBank Real Estate Capital

John J. Manginelli, President

Hudson Valley/Metro New York

Kirsh Foundation

Erica Temel and Max J. Levine

Gladys and Matthew J. Maryles

Meadowlands Racing and Entertainment

Robyn Polansky Morrison Jewish Women INVEST

Alisa F. Levin and Charles Nathan

Dale and Michael Nussbaum

Shelley and Jeffrey Parker

Arnold S. Penner

Phase 3 Interiors

Karen and Joseph Rafalowicz

Realty Foundation of New York

Vincent Ribortone

Area Builders Corp

Anna and Gedaliah Riesenberg

SL Green Realty Corp.

M. Ronen Schwartzman

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood

Linda and Jerry Spitzer

Tioga Downs Casino Resort

Walter T. Gorman, P.E., P.C.

Madelyn and Steven Wils Family

Anonymous

George Arzt

Karen and Jeffrey Bank

Lois Kohn-Claar and Gary Claar

Falcon Rappaport & Berkman LLP

David J. Friedman

Zoya Raynes Friedman and Naftali Friedman

Angelo J. Genova, Esq.

Genova Burns LLC

Edward Geyman

The Kandell Fund/Digby Management Co., LLC

Julie Blinbaum and Ethan Marcovici

Marcum LLP

Fred Berk

The Moinian Group

Josh Moskowitz

Georgette Bennett and Leonard Polonsky

Peter Quinn

Deem Plumbing Inc.

Richard Ravitch

Evelyn Kenvin and Art Rosenbloom

Vertical Transportation Consulting, Inc.

2023 Spring Gala Sponsors (Continued)

As of June 4, 2023

Friend

AWR Group, Inc.

Kenneth Adams

LaGuardia Community College/CUNY

Brooklyn College President

Michelle J. Anderson

Bay City Metering Co. Inc.

Camille Dunst

Rivkie Feiner

Feiner Grant Strategies

Gregory Floyd and Executive Board of Teamsters, Local 237

Brian Geller

Business Development Director, Alexander Wolf & Son, Inc.

Robert M. Kaufman

Young Leadership

Dmitriy Berman

Merrill Lynch

Adam Shpeen

Supporter

American Fire Restoration LLC

COJO Flatbush

Goldfarb & Fleece LLP

Jonathan Greenspun

Saundra and John Harrington

Harrington Construction Inc.

Haynes and Boone

Peter Lehrer

Richard Liskov

N&A General Construction Corp.

PAC Electric Corp.

Avi Piontnica & Dentons

Charles Rosenberg

Rosemark Management

Lee S. Saltzman

Bette and Richard Saltzman

Shira Nadel and Jason Schifrien

Harvey Schulweis

Faith and Bob Sterling

Harriet and Marc Suvall

Richard Weinberg

Hon. Rebecca Seawright Hershenson and Jay Hershenson

The Jewish Education Project

Lynn and Jules Kroll

Mendy Mirocznik

Sarene Shanus and Harold Treiber

JCRC-NY Staff & Consultants

Gideon Taylor

Michael S. Miller

Adam Berish

Robyn Berman

Emily Bogdan

Mary Britt

Terry Byrne

Ethan Erlich

Liron Filiby

Marcy A. Fishman

Noam Gilboord

Jennifer Glick

Seth Goodstein

Susan Green

William Hayes

Dov Horwitz

Tara Isler

Sharon Jacker

Rabbi Bob Kaplan

David Kerner

Daniela Kogan

Peter Kohlmann

Karen Lander Lafferty

Rachel Lissy

Jamie Matos

Jill Mendelson

Tiffany Moreno

Gabriella Negrin

Karen Ostrove

Jeremy Paulson

Mindy Perlmutter

Howard Pollack

David Pollock

Patrick Regan

Shahar Sadeh

Jackie Shapiro

Tzipporah Shapiro

Halle Shumate

Mitchell Silber

Marc Wolf