Our Boards

Board of Directors, Israel

Board of Directors, North America

Chair: Dammara Markowitz 
Treasurer: Nathaniel Jhirad
Secretary: Fern Reiss
Immediate Past Chair:Brad Grob

Alan Adler 
Mark S. Cohen
John H. Corre*
Michael Gillis*
Brian Glenville*
Hayim Herring
Morlie Levin*
Sherwin B. Pomerantz*
Audrey Kaplan Scher*
Jonathan Tassoff
Denis Weil
* Past Chair

Founder: Michael Swirsky
Legal Advisor: Richard Aron

Chair: Mark S. Freedman (see bio below)
Vice Chair: Michael Gordon
Treasurer: Bryan Kocen
Secretary: Karen Rivo
Immediate Past Chair: Deborah Shapira*

Thomas K. Barad
Deborah Denenberg
Jessica Fain
Rabbi David Gedzelman
Elaine Hochberg
Daniel Krasner
Jason Kravitz
David Kuney
Mark Levenfus*
Suzanne Wachsstock
Libby Werthan*
Melissa Werthan
* Past Chair

Dammara Markowitz  - Chair, Israel

Mark Freedman - Chair, North America

Dammara Markowitz is a dynamic leader and educator originally from Canada, with deep expertise in Jewish education and a passion for cultivating pride in Jewish heritage and knowledge. She serves as Israel Board Chair of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, bringing her strategic vision and deep commitment to Jewish learning to the role.

A Wexner Heritage Fellow and a member of JFNA’s National Young Leadership Cabinet, Dammara also sits on the boards of The Jewish Education Project and Mem Global, and serves on UJA-NY’s Jewish and Israeli Committee. In 2023, she was celebrated as Board Honouree at The Jewish Education Project’s Spring Gala for her leadership and contributions to Jewish education.

Dammara earned a Master’s in Jewish Education from Hebrew College and completed the Pardes Day School Educators Program, receiving an Advanced Certificate in Jewish Studies. She previously served as Head of Elementary Jewish Studies in Manhattan and has been recognized as one of The Jewish Week’s “36 Under 36” and a recipient of The Jewish Education Project’s Robert M. Sherman Young Pioneers Award.

Blending educational leadership, governance, and experiential design, Dammara has created initiatives that reimagine Jewish learning in modern contexts. She founded Jewish Cocktails, an innovative project that connects Torah and heritage through mixology, and is launching a fragrance gallery and workshop space in Israel dedicated to exploring scent in Jewish history, ritual, and identity.

Based in Israel and New York, Dammara continues to lead at the intersection of Jewish education, governance, and innovation, ensuring Jewish learning remains dynamic and relevant, and empowering future generations to carry Jewish heritage forward with confidence

Mark is a Pardes alumnus, having participated in four Pardes Learning Seminars. He has served as a lay leader since joining the North American board in 2018. Mark was appointed Vice-Chair of the board in 2020, is Chair of the Capital Campaign Management Committee, and was appointed Board Chair in 2021. He also helped to establish, with fellow Board member Moshe Werthan, In-Person, and Virtual Pardes Seminars in Nashville, TN.

Mark has held a variety of professional leadership posts with Jewish non-profits over his 37-year career, serving as the Executive Director of Jewish federations in San Antonio, Texas, and Nashville, Tennessee. Most recently he served as the Interim President and Chief Executive Officer of the Jewish Federation of Broward County, FL.

Mark is no stranger to the Jewish non-profit world in South Florida, having worked as the Assistant Director of Communications of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation; Executive Director of the Southeast Region of the American Jewish Congress; and Vice President of the Southeast Region of the American Friends of Tel Aviv University. Mark first moved to Broward County in 1992 and currently resides in Parkland with his wife, Leslie J. Klein.

Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement and Activation

Start date: ASAP

We are seeking a charismatic, creative, and action-oriented Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement and Activation to lead this initiative. This individual will play a key role in bridging the gap between the immersive Jerusalem-based Pardes experience and the ongoing life-long learning opportunities we offer in North America.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Implement and Iterate Alumni Engagement Strategies:
    • Enhance the current “menu” of opportunities for Pardes alumni to both “give” to
      and “receive” from, Pardes.
      • Give: Empower alumni to take action, create initiatives, and leverage
        Pardes as a platform for leadership and innovation.
      • Receive: Encourage alumni to engage in continued learning through
        classes, retreats, Shabbatonim, cohorts, and other programs.
    •  Ongoing internal evaluation of efficacy of strategies and implementing iterative
      updates to enhance outcomes.
  • Program Development and Management:
    • In collaboration with the wider team, develop and implement ideas for online and in person classes, including holiday programs, one-off shiurim, and limited series.
    • Oversee the execution of programs including but not limited to: email
      correspondence and registration, coordinating with marketing, Zoom production,
      and post-program evaluation.
    • Ensuring cross-departmental collaboration specifically with the engagement and
      development teams
    •  Serve as the project manager for select alumni cohort learning programs,
      ensuring smooth operations and successful outcomes.
  • Community Building and Leadership:
    • Foster strong, relational connections with alumni, encouraging their active
      involvement in the Pardes community.
    • Identify and cultivate connections with key alumni leaders. Lead efforts to inspire alumni to take on leadership roles within their communities, promoting Pardes’ values and educational mission.
    • Cultivate and steward and existing external partnerships with organizations and
      initiatives as it relates to our Pardesnik engagement and activation work
  • Alumni Coaching and Mentorship:
    • Provide coaching and mentorship to alumni interested in developing initiatives, such as micro-grants or local events, and support them in realizing their ideas. This may include group coaching within cohorts.
  • Targeted Recruitment and Outreach:
    • Engage in focused recruitment and outreach efforts to involve specific alumni in relevant Pardes offerings.
    • Collaborate with the wider team to manage recruitment for various programs,
      including necessary follow-up and evaluation.

Qualifications:

  •  Proven experience in alumni relations, community engagement, or a related field.
  • Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a talent for building and maintaining relationships.
  • Creativity and initiative in developing new programs and strategies to engage alumni.
  • Passion for Jewish learning and a deep connection to the mission of Pardes.
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team.
  • Willingness to travel as needed to engage with alumni across North America.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Pardes alumna
  • Experience working in Jewish education or community leadership.
  • Familiarity with the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies and its programs.
  • Based in New York City

Benefits:

  • Competitive salary commensurate with experience: $70,000-$85,000
    100% health insurance coverage for the employee (dependent coverage available)
  • 403b retirement plan with Nationwide with up to 5% contribution by employer
  • Paid time off & Paid holidays (Jewish and secular)
  • FSA
  • Group Life and Personal Accident Insurance
  • Parental leave
  • Remote and hybrid working option and flexible hours
  • Opportunities to travel domestically and to Israel to collaborate across the team
  • Opportunity to contribute to a dynamic and growing organization with a meaningful mission.

How to Apply:
Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter detailing their qualifications and passion for this role. All applications should be sent to Assistant Director of Programs at Monica at monica@pardes.org.

Cover letters should answer the following questions

  • What makes you passionate about this role and work?
  • What concrete professional or personal experiences have prepared you best for this role?
  • What is one project, strategy or initiative that this job description stimulates in you?
  • How do you ensure great teamwork and successful collaboration?
    PLEASE NOTE:

Applications are due by October 8th and interviews will be the week of October 28th. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.

Pardes North America provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants in all organizational facilities without regard to race, color, religious creed, sex, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, pregnancy, childbirth, (or related medical conditions, including, but not limited to lactation), physical disability, mental and/or intellectual disability, age, military status or status as a Vietnam-era or special disabled veteran, marital status, registered domestic partner or civil union status, gender (including sex stereotyping and gender identity or expression), medical condition (including, but not limited to, cancer-related or HIV/AIDS-related), genetic information, or sexual orientation in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws.

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