Philadelphia

Philadelphia’s Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council is known as “Circle of Friends” (COF). Founded in 2016, the group was designed to foster relationships between Muslim and Jewish leaders from the Philadelphia/Southern NJ region and highlight opportunities to work together on common causes. Founding co-chairs chairs are Dr. Amid Ismail and Tom Tropp. Current co-chairs are Mohamed Bakry and Michael Fabius.

The COF group meets every other month and is hosted for dinner alternately by a Muslim and Jewish member. Together, the group has celebrated Muslim and Jewish holidays, including an annual Iftar program and meal; commemorated International Holocaust Remembrance Day at City Hall with City Council Members; been briefed by elected officials and think tank experts; heard from a survivor and a liberator of Dachau; and advocated for strengthened hates crime legislation in Harrisburg, and D.C.; among other activities and initiatives.

Leadership and Council Members

Amid Ismail
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Amid Ismail

Amid Ismail, BDS, MPH, MBA, Dr.PH, is Dean and the Laura H. Carnell Professor at the Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry at Temple University. Before joining Temple University, Dr. Ismail was Professor and Director of the Detroit Center for Research on Oral Health Disparities and Director of the Detroit Oral Cancer Prevention Project at the School of Dentistry, University of Michigan. In 2017, Dr. Ismail was the first Muslim to receive the Alpha Omega Jewish International Dental Fraternity Achievement Award. Ismail is also a key part of the Alliance for Oral Health Across Borders, which brings together students from The Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Dental Medicine in Israel and the Palestinian Al-Quds University School of Dentistry.

Dr. Ismail received his dental training at the College of Dentistry, Baghdad University. He completed a Master and Doctorate of Public Health at the University of Michigan, also receiving his MBA from the University’s Ross School of Business.

Tom Tropp
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Tom Tropp

Mr. Tropp has served as President and Chairman of AJC Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey, and currently sits on the board. In addition to practicing law for 43 years, Mr. Tropp has been active in politics, serving as township commissioner, holding candidacy for county council, and being elected in his congressional district as a delegate to the 1980 Democratic National Convention. Mr. Tropp was a Board member of Philadelphia’s Middle East Forum and Foreign Policy Research Institute. He also belongs to the Union League of Philadelphia.
Mr. Tropp earned his B.A. from Johns Hopkins University and his J.D. from Georgetown Law School.

Mohamed Bakry
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Mohamed Bakry

Named as one of 2015, 2016, and 2017 Super Lawyers' Rising Stars, Mr. Bakry currently works with Marshall Dennhey Warner Coleman & Goggin. His areas of practice are with the defense of product manufacturers, suppliers, and property owners. Having previously worked for the non-profit Defender Association of Philadelphia, Mr. Bakry also represents clients facing criminal charges. An active member of the volunteer community, Mr. Bakry serves as the Board Chair on the executive committee for the Nationalities Service Center Board of Trustees, a non-profit that provides social, educational, and legal services to immigrants and refugees in the Greater Philadelphia area.

Mr. Bakry graduated cum laude from Rutgers University with a dual degree in sociology and criminal justice. He obtained his J.D. from Temple University’s Beasley School of Law, earning distinguished honors in Temple's Trial Advocacy Program.

Mike Fabius
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Mike Fabius

Mr. Fabius practices administrative law at Ballard Spahr LLP, where he leads the firm’s Gaming Group and focuses his practice on advising clients in the highly-regulated gaming and racing industries, and in litigating claims in front of administrative agencies. Fabius was named as a “Lawyer on the Fast Track” by The Legal Intelligencer and was named as one of Philadelphia’s “Keepers”, an honor bestowed upon the city’s most promising young leaders by LEADERSHIP Philadelphia. He is an active member of the AJC Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey board.  In addition to volunteering with AJC, he frequently contributes his time to local community and civic initiatives, including prior roles on governmental transition committees, a city committeeperson, and on the Board for Young Involved Philadelphia.

Mr. Fabius earned his B.A. from Vassar College; his J.D. from the Emory Univ. School of Law.

Bechara Abboud
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Bechara Abboud

Dr. Abboud is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Temple University. His research includes the evaluation/selection and design of scour countermeasures for bridges, seismic evaluation of existing buildings, earthquake mitigation, and seismic design and performance of masonry and concrete structures.

Dr. Abboud earned his B.S. from Roger Williams University, his M.S. in Structural Engineering/Civil Engineering from Drexel University, and his Ph.D. in Structural Mechanics & Structural Systems from Drexel University.

Majid Alsayegh
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Majid Alsayegh

Majid Alsayegh is a principal of Alta Management, LLC, which provides real estate development and project management services for large capital projects in both the public and private sectors. He chairs both the Board of Trustees of Delaware Valley University and the Board of Directors of the Dialogue Institute, which promotes intrareligious, interreligious, and intercultural dialogue and engagement around the world through the support of scholarship, training, and action.

Majid has an MS from the University of Pennsylvania Center for Energy and Environment, and BS in Civil Engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines.

Richard Berkman
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Richard Berkman

Mr. Berkman is a retired partner at Dechert LLP in Philadelphia, where he was particularly known for handling AIDS and Hepatitis C cases. He has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America for his mass tort class action litigation practice. Mr. Berkman has been an active member of AJC on a national level and is a member of its Board of Governors. He is a past president of AJC Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey. Mr. Berkman is also a member of the American Law Institute and is former president of Congregation Rodeph Shalom in Philadelphia.

Mr. Berkman earned his B.A. from Harvard University and his J.D. from Harvard Law School.

Kenneth Blank
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Kenneth Blank

Dr. Blank is Senior Vice President for Health Sciences at Rowan University. He is the recipient of the Leukemia Society of America Scholar award, a fellow of the Philadelphia College of Physicians, and a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors. He currently serves as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of the University City Science Center in Philadelphia and is a member of the New Jersey Council on Innovation. In addition to holding 3 patents, Dr. Blank has received numerous grants and contracts from the National Institutes of Health.

Dr. Blank earned his B.A. in Biology from New York University and his Ph.D. in Genetics from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University.

Max Cooper
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Max Cooper

Mr. Cooper is the Director of Acquisitions at Real Estate Capital Management LLC. He has been involved with Operation Understanding, a group dedicated to fostering connections between African-American and Jewish high school students, as well as other cross-cultural dialogue initiatives. Mr. Cooper also teaches the United States citizenship exam to prospective citizens at the Nationalities Service Center in Philadelphia.

Mr. Cooper earned his B.A. in Urban Studies from Columbia University and an M.B.A. in Finance from New York University’s Stern School of Business.

Jason Dawkins
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Jason Dawkins

Representative Dawkins represents District 179 in the Pennsylvania State Senate. In addition to being the first American-African to be inducted into the Philadelphia Latino Partnership Initiative (LPI), he was elected president of the organization in 2010. He is also active on several boards and executive committees, including the Northeast Neighborhood Advisory Committee, the Frankford Parks Friends Group, Northeast EPIC Stakeholders Group, the Boys & Girls United Council, the Frankford Chargers Advisory Council, and Mastery-Smedley Charter School Turnaround team.

State Representative Dawkins is currently studying international business through a dual admission program with Community College of Philadelphia and Temple University.

Renee Fennel Dempsy
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Renee Fennel Dempsy

Dr. Dempsy runs her practice in West Philadelphia. She is a Diversity Officer adjunct professor at Kornberg school of Dentistry at Temple University. Further, Dr. Dempsy is the president of the Philadelphia county Dental Society and serves on the board for Mom & PA, a foundation that provides free dental care to underprivileged Pennsylvanians. She also is a member of the National Dental Association and was a past president of the New Era Dental Society.

Dr. Dempsy earned her B.S. in Applied Sciences at Philadelphia University. She received her D.M.D at Temple University’s Kornberg school of Dentistry.

Morris Gocial
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Morris Gocial

Mr. Gocial is the former President of the AJC Philadelphia/SNJ Region Board. He is a founding member of the consulting firm MDG LLC, where he still directs the local office. Mr. Gocial serves on the Board of Directors of the Philadelphia-Israel Chamber of Commerce. He has previously held leadership positions at the Abramson Center for Jewish Life, ORT America, the Jefferson University Kimmel Cancer Center, and the Pennsylvania Legislative Audit Advisory Commission.

Mr. Gocial earned his B.B.A. in Accounting from Temple University.

Noura Hassan
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Noura Hassan

Currently working in HSBC as a premier mortgage consultant, Hassan is an expert in a holistic approach to banking and specializes in complex banking transactions. Proficient in Arabid, she has also served a variety of public figures from both domestic and international organizations.

Ms. Hassan graduated Wagner College with a B.A. in Economics. Currently, she is pursuing an MBA in Finance and Strategy at NYU`s Stern School of business.

Bart Hertzbach
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Bart Hertzbach

Mr. Bart Hertzbach has had a long and continuing involvement with the Jewish community. He is a longtime board member and past chair of the Jewish Community Relations Council, served as the first chair of the Pennsylvania Jewish Coalition, and is a board member of the Institute for Jewish-Catholic Relations at St. Joseph’s University. In addition to being chair of the Holocaust Education and Remembrance Committee and a member of the Consortium of Holocaust educators of Greater Philadelphia, he participates in numerous interfaith dialogue initiatives such as AJC’s partnership with the Bucks County Christian Coalition. Mr. Hertzbach and his wife, Tammy, were recently honored by AJC Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey with its annual Human Relations Award. He was a Special Assistant to U.S. Senator Hugh Scott and an Assistant U.S. Attorney before entering the private practice of law.  He retired in 2015.

Mr. Hertzbach earned his B.A. at the University of Pennsylvania and his J.D. from the Georgetown University Law School.

Batame (Tammy) Hertzbach
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Batame (Tammy) Hertzbach

Tammy Hertzbach is a retired Philadelphia public school teacher and current teacher of Yiddish at Gratz Hebrew High School.  She is on the Executive Committee of AJC and is its Vice President of International Affairs. Ms. Hertzbach is the former Chair of Holocaust Programming for Philadelphia Jewish Federation. She is a board member of the Jewish Catholic Institute at St. Joseph’s University, and the Philadelphia Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC). She is a member of the Holocaust Education and Remembrance Committee and the Consortium of Holocaust Educators. She is past president of the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) and was Chair of the first International Symposium on Lithuanian Jewish Heritage.

Ms. Hertzbach holds a BS degree from Temple University and has completed Master-level courses at Trenton State (now College of New Jersey).

Ali Houshmand
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Ali Houshmand

Dr. Houshmand, president of Rowan University since 2012, has led the University through a period of unprecedented growth and change. In addition to focusing on finding ways to keep the cost of college down while increasing quality, Dr. Houshmand prides himself on promoting global citizenship and making Rowan a home away from home for all students. He previously held positions at Drexel University, the University of Cincinnati, and United Airlines.

Dr. Houshmand earned his Bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Essex, United Kingdom. He received his master’s and doctoral degrees in industrial and operations engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

David Hyman
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David Hyman

Currently a practicing attorney at Kleinbard LLC, Mr. Hyman has been practicing law in Philadelphia for more than 35 years. He is Practice Leader of the Government Relations Group and has served as a managing partner for the firm. Mr. Hyman advises a wide range of clients regarding their interests with municipal and state governments. Daily, he interacts with elected and appointed officials in Philadelphia, the surrounding region, and Harrisburg. In 2013, Mr. Hyman was the recipient of the George M. Ross Award for Distinguished Leadership & Service by Operation Understanding, an organization that worked to bring together Jewish and African-American community leaders.

Mr. Hyman earned a B.A. in Psychology and an M.S. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. He received a J.D. from the University of California-Davis Law School.

Rahim Islam
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Rahim Islam

A founding member of Universal Companies, Mr. Islam built a company that invests in basic community services to help serve the public good. A Philadelphia native, Islam has worked with various recreational programs, drug abuse prevention programs, and K-12 education programs. Under his leadership, Universal provides education to over 4500 students across 10 schooling facilities. Among these accomplishments, the company is one of the largest African-American led businesses in the Philadelphia with over 650 professionals on their team.

Mr. Islam is a graduate of LaSalle University, holding a dual degree in accounting and finance.

Curtis Jones, Jr.
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Curtis Jones, Jr.

The Honorable Councilman Curtis Jones represents the Fourth District on the Philadelphia City Council, in addition to serving as the Chair of Public Safety and Vice Chairman to the Committees of Park, Recreation & Cultural Affairs. Councilman Jones has served on numerous boards and executive committees, including the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority’s Minority Advisory Committee, Genesis II Board of Directors, Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau Minority Advisory Council, the Please Touch Museum, the Mann Music Center, and as a Philadelphia Gas Commissioner.

Councilman Jones attended the University of Pennsylvania’s Fels School of Government. He completed his studies in Boston University’s A.C.C.A. program, and later received a Master’s certificate in Contract Compliance from the University of Alabama.

Tarik Khan
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Tarik Khan

Mr. Khan is a family nurse practitioner with over a decade of nursing experience. He started his nursing career at Abington Memorial Hospital where he was awarded the prestigious Abington Ambassador Award in 2007. Mr. Khan is the President and co-founder of Enabling Minds, a non-profit that supports the education of 75 children with developmental disabilities in Haiti. He also currently serves as the chairperson for the Pennsylvania State Nurses Association’s Government Relations Committee. He is also an activist for quality, affordable healthcare, and has delivered numerous speeches with elected officials to advocate for a patient's right to access equitable care.

Mr. Khan earned his B.A. from Davidson College in English & Theater, his graduate nursing degree from the Roxborough Memorial Hospital School of Nursing, and his M.S.N. from La Salle University. He is currently pursuing his PhD at The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing.

Jonathan Krause
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Jonathan Krause

Mr. Krause is a partner at Klehr Harrison Harvey Branzburg LLP in Philadelphia, where he specializes in employment and labor law, with a particular expertise on discrimination/harassment, trade secret/non-compete, wage and hour, and whistleblower issues. Mr. Krause serves on the Advisory Board of the New Leaders Council, is a fellow at the Truman National Security Project, and is a board member of the Southeastern Pennsylvania chapter of the Anti-Defamation League.

Mr. Krause earned a B.A. in Political Science from Amherst College and a J.D. from the Duke University School of Law.

Peter Lelkes
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Peter Lelkes

Dr. Lelkes is the Laura H. Carnell Professor and Founding Chair of the Department of Bioengineering at Temple University. He also serves as the Inaugural Director of the Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Engineering (TIME) at Temple University’s School of Medicine. Dr. Lelkes has received numerous honors over the course of his career, including a visiting fellowship at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, an honorary professorship at the University of Applied Sciences in Germany, and professorship at the Changchun Institute of Polymer Chemistry and Physics.

Dr. Lelkes earned his M.Sc. and his Ph.D. from the Technical University (RWTH) in Aachen, Germany.

Leon Malmud
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Leon Malmud

Dr. Malmud is a Dean Emeritus and Professor of Radiology at the Temple University School of Medicine. He has also served as President and CEO of the Temple University Health System. A recipient of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service for the Armed Forces Epidemiology Board, Dr. Malmud has also received two Gold Medal Awards from the Society of Nuclear Medicine. He is a past president of AJC Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey and still serves on its board today.

Dr. Malmud earned his B.S. and his M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania.

Martyn J. Miller
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Martyn J. Miller

Dr. Miller is the assistant Vice President for international programing in the Office of International Affairs at Temple University. He manages global programming, Intensive English Language Program (IELP), international admissions, International Marketing and Recruiting, and International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS). During his time at Temple, Dr. Miller has helped manage these affairs while also coordinating with international universities to construct partnership agreements.

Dr. Miller attended the American University of Beirut, earning a Bachelor’s degree in English and a teaching diploma in English as a foreign language. He also holds doctoral and master’s degrees from the University of Georgia.

Aziz Nathoo
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Aziz Nathoo

Aziz Nathoo is a Muslim Interfaith and Peace activist hailing from East Africa with extensive experience as an educator, service volunteer, leader and preacher. He has presented on Islam and Interfaith Relations at multiple academic, civic, religious and interfaith forums. He has preached on Islam at various Churches, Synagogues and Temples. He is the founder and president of UMMA Charities and currently serves on the charitable arm of the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF). He is a member of the United Nations Association (UNA) and works with the United Nations, Refugee Relief Agencies, Amnesty International, Charter for Compassion, Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia, Habitat for Humanity, Sisterhood of Salam Shalom (SOSS), Dialogue Institute, United Religions Initiative (URI), WE The World,  AJC Circle of Friends Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council, Pathways to Peace, Institute for Religious Tolerance, Peace & Justice (IRTP&J), the Philadelphia Interfaith Walk for Peace, Brahma Kumaris Spiritual Movement, Chestnut Hill College and the Poor Peoples Campaign. Mr. Nathoo sits on the Advisory Boards of multiple interfaith, Peace and houses of worship and also works in Interfaith Mediation, Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation. By profession, he is a Cloud Technology Consultant and an Investor with several business interests.

Mr. Nathoo has an undergraduate degree from the University of Texas in Islamic Studies and pursued his MBA at Boston College.

Nicole Newman
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Nicole Newman

Mrs. Newman is a founding partner at Innovative Capital and Consulting group. She is also an author, with works providing advice to entrepreneurs and motivated young adults. Mrs. Newman is on the board of the SHARE Food Program which promotes healthy living by providing communities wholesome food options. She is also the co-chair with the Sisters of Salaam Shalom, fostering relations between Jewish and Muslim women.

Mrs. Newman earned her BBA (Honors) in Management Information systems at the Fox School of Business at Temple University. She then went on to receive her MBA in Finance at the University of Maryland.

Bethany R. Nikitenko
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Bethany R. Nikitenko

As an experienced personal injury attorney, Mrs. Nikitenko represents those who are victims of medical malpractice, auto accidents, sexual abuse, and various types of liability cases. Her dedication to the public is shown through volunteering to serve low income clients to help them receive justice. She has won various awards for her legal dedication including the PA Super Lawyers Rising Star from 2013-2017 and the Lawyer on Fast track 2017.

Mrs. Nikitenko earned her B.A. in Political Science from the University of Pittsburgh and received her J.D. at Temple University’s Beasley’s School of Law.

Jo Ann Nyquist
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Jo Ann Nyquist

As the associate Dean of Student Affairs and Director of post baccalaureate program at the Kornberg School of Dentistry, Mrs. Nyquist has shown exemplary dedication as an educator in the field of public health. Outside the Classroom, Mrs. Nyquist is known for making key contributions in the establishment of healthcare.

Nyquist has a Bachelor’s in Dental Hygiene and Master’s in Guidance and Counseling from the University of Detroit Mercy. She has also earned her education specialist degree in administration at Oakland University.

Mustafa Rashed
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Mustafa Rashed

Mr. Rashed is the President and CEO of Bellevue Strategies, a Philadelphia based, minority-owned government relations, advocacy and strategic communications firm. He serves on the Board of Directors of the African American Museum in Philadelphia, the Public Citizens for Children and Youth, the Dean’s Council at Temple University’s School of Tourism & Hospitality Management, and as a member of the National Urban League’s Philadelphia Chapter. Mr. Rashed is a veteran of the United States Navy who served with distinction in Operation Desert Storm in Iraq and Operation Restore Hope in Somalia.

Mr. Rashed earned a B.S. in Tourism & Hospitality Management from Temple University's Fox School of Business and Management.

Robert Reed
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Robert Reed

Rob has spent more than 37 years in government service in both the federal and state governments.  Appointed as an Assistant United States Attorney with the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Washington D.C. in 1980, Rob worked in the D.C. U.S. Attorney’s Office (1982-1987) and more recently in Philadelphia (1989-2017).  In 2010, he was appointed Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney and was responsible for expanding the office’s vision of criminal justice from solely relying on prosecution to include violence prevention, prisoner reentry and community outreach.  Rob created a number of coalitions to reduce firearms violence, hate crime, and discrimination including the Arab/ Muslim/ Sikh/ Hindu/ Asian Working Group; the LGBT Working Group; and Disability Rights Working Group. In addition, Rob also facilitated a number of conferences focused on civil rights/ hate crimes issues and also sponsored trainings for law enforcement on cultural and religious diversity.  In 2017, he was appointed Executive Deputy Attorney General in the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office (OAG) and now heads the Office of Special Initiatives.  He has spearheaded the creation of the Pennsylvania Reentry Council that brings together reentry stakeholders.  Rob is also speaking across the Commonwealth to law enforcement and criminal justice professionals about the impact of trauma and vicarious trauma on their wellness and careers, as well as the impact of trauma and mental illness on communities.

Mr. Reed has a Bachelor’s in Political Science and History from the University of Pennsylvania, as well as a Master’s degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a J.D. from Boston College Law school.

Jim Rosenstein
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Jim Rosenstein

Mr. Rosenstein is retired from practicing real estate law with Fineman Krekstein & Harris, P.C. and  Wolf, Block, Schorr & Solis-Cohen. He is a past president of the Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR) and has previously chaired the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section of the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA). For his exemplary service in the dispute resolution field he received the 2010 “Sir Francis Bacon Dispute Resolution Award” from the PBA, the 2007 Pennsylvania Council of Mediator’s “Peacemaker of the Year” award, and ACR’s “2007 Presidential Award.”  In addition to being the former president of AJC Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey, Mr. Rosenstein has also held leadership positions with the Hillel of Greater Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Jewish Community Relations Council, and the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. He currently serves on AJC Philadelphia/SNJ’s executive committee, where he chairs the campus committee.

Mr. Rosenstein is a graduate of Harvard College and the Harvard Law School.

Keya Sadeghipour
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Keya Sadeghipour

Dr. Sadeghipour is the Dean of Temple University’s College of Engineering. He has guided several research and industrial-type projects and has been involved in receiving over $8M funding from various private and public sources. At Temple, Dr. Sadeghipour received the Exceptional Research Award. He has also authored numerous papers and publications in national and international journals.

Dr. Sadeghipour earned his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology in United Kingdom.

Nicholas Saidel
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Nicholas Saidel

Mr. Saidel is the Associate Director of the Institute for Strategic Threat Analysis & Response (ISTAR). He is also an attorney at the Pennsylvania Treasury Department and consults with the federal government regarding national security issues.  He has contributed opinion pieces to publications including The Hill and the Jerusalem Post, and has an ongoing blogs column at the Times of Israel.

Mr. Saidel has his B.A. in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania, an M.A. in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and a J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center.

Momin Sheikh
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Momin Sheikh

Momin Sheikh is a Real Estate Developer in Philadelphia, PA. Along with his team at Frankel Management Company (FMC), he develops 100-200 new multi-family residential units and +100,000 sq.ft of commercial space annually. Mr. Sheikh started his career in Private Equity and Commercial Lending before going out on his own and starting a creative agency, MerakiCMO which provided innovative marketing solutions to multi-national brands across the Tri-State area. The company was successfully acquired by GraysonSky in 2018. Outside of the office, Momin loves to travel, collect art and is integrally involved with multiple non-profit organizations including CareLink Community Support Services where he is a Member on the Board of Directors, Big Brothers Big Sisters where he volunteers his time as a mentor and Friends for Good where is he a founding member. In 2015, Mr. Sheikh won the Philadelphia Business Journal’s Minority Business Leader Award for his efforts in advocating and supporting entrepreneurial endeavors by minority youth. He was also a recipient of the Philadelphia Business Journal’s 2019 40 Under 40 award.

Mr. Sheikh earned his B.S. in Finance & Economics from Rutgers University.

Morton (Mickey) J. Simon, Jr.
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Morton (Mickey) J. Simon, Jr.

Mr. Simon is senior counsel in the Business Department of the law firm Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads. He has held leadership positions with the Jewish Federation Cheltenham township’s board of commissioners, and Congregation Rodeph Shalom. Mr. Simon is an active member of AJC Philadelphia/SNJ’s executive committee and works with its campus committee and its Latino-Jewish Coalition.

Mr. Simon earned his B.A. at Brown University and his J.D. at Harvard University.

Sharif Street
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Sharif Street

State Senator Street represents the Third District of Philadelphia. In the wave of antisemitism nationwide he became the Primary Sponsor of Sacred Spaces Legislation aimed at protecting religious institutions against vandalism and desecration. He chairs the Banking & Insurance Committee and is responsible for allocating billions of dollars in spending for the state of Pennsylvania as a member of the Appropriations Committee.

Senator Street graduated cum laude from Morehouse College with a B.A. in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Fred Strober
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Fred Strober

Mr. Fred Strober is a partner in the Real Estate Department of Saul Ewing LLP. Mr. Strober has been named one of "America's Leading Lawyers in Real Estate" by Chambers USA and has been designated as one of the "Top 100 Pennsylvania and Philadelphia Super Lawyers.” He currently serves as Chairman of the AJC Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey board, is the former president of Congregation Rodeph Shalom, and worked with Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts. Mr. Strober also serves on the board of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia and the Central Philadelphia Development Corporation.

Mr. Strober earned his B.A. in American Civilization from the University of Pennsylvania, his M.Ed. in Educational Administration from Temple University, and his J.D. from Temple University’s Beasley School of Law.

Steven David Weinstein
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Steven David Weinstein

Mr. Weinstein is currently the Executive Vice President for Policy and External Relationships/Partnerships at Rowan University. Prior to that, he was in the private practice of law for 37 years, most of which as a partner at Blank Rome LLP. He has previously served as the Chair of the Rowan Board of Trustees, the Chair of the New Jersey Commission of Higher Education, the Chair of the West Jersey Health & Hospital Foundation, and was a founding member of the Policy Steering Council for the Center for Higher Education Strategic Information and Governance at the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. He is a board member for New Jersey Alliance for Action and vice chair of New Jersey Future.

Mr. Weinstein earned his B.A. from Rutgers University and his law degree from Rutgers-Camden Law School.

Harold Yaffe
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Harold Yaffe

Dr. Yaffe is a dentist at The Dental Spa, which is one of the longest-running dental practices in Philadelphia. He was appointed to the Mayor’s Commission for the City of Philadelphia Scholarship Fund by Mayors Rendell and Street, and was also appointed by Mayor Nutter to the Pennsylvania Authority of Industrial Development Board. A chair emeritus of AJC Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey, Dr. Yaffe’s other community service roles include: past board member of the Friends of Rittenhouse Square and Urban Youth Racing School (UYRC), Co-chair of Mayor Nutter’s Finance Committee, past board member of the Linda Creed Breast Cancer Foundation, and past board of trustees member of Bryn Mawr Rehabilitation Hospital. Dr. Yaffe currently serves on the Board of Directors of Global Philadelphia.

Dr. Yaffe earned a degree in Biology from Upsala College and his D.D.S. from the Temple University School of Dentistry.

Ami Yares
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Ami Yares

As the executive director of BuildaBridge international, Mr. Yares sought to use the arts to help develop communities and foster inter-community dialogue. By drawing from inspiration from English, Hebrew, and Arabic traditions, he has collaborated with audiences across the globe to promote conflict-resolution through music. Yares has collaborated with the US State Department on FocUS music, a program designed to teach civic engagement through American music.

Mr. Yares is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s social policy and planning department, holding a M.S. in social policy. He continues his relationship at Penn as a research fellow at the Slought Foundation.

Cemil Yesilsoy
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Cemil Yesilsoy

Dr. Yesilsoy is been a faculty member in the Endodontology department at Temple University. He is currently Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Endodontology. As a faculty member, Dr. Yesilsoy directs several courses in the department. He has authored numerous articles in endodontics and lectures to dental organizations here and abroad. He practices endodontics in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. He is from Turkey.

Dr. Yesilsoy received a D.D.S. degree from the Ankara School of Dentistry. He earned a D.M.D. from Temple University and completed his training in Endodontics at the University of Minnesota.

Mohamed Zerban
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Mohamed Zerban

Mr. Zerban is the Founder and CEO of Tern Water, which strives to create sustainable and modular products that increase access to clean and renewable water. Mr. Zerban has been a TEDx organizer of TED conferences, and previously worked at the Philadelphia Water Department.

Mr. Zerban earned a B.E. in Mechanical Engineering from Drexel University.

Elijah Dornstreich
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Elijah Dornstreich

Mr. Dornstreich is a Vice President in the Philadelphia office of Bernstein Private Wealth Management. He was recognized in the Philadelphia Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” in 2015 and is a member of the Philadelphia Association for Capital and Technologies and the Association for Corporate Growth. He is a Trustee of the National Museum of American Jewish History.

Mr. Dornstreich graduated in 1997 from the University of Pennsylvania.

Omar Woodard
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Omar Woodard

Mr. Woodard is the Executive Director of GreenLight Philadelphia, which provides the city with tools to identify and address the most urgent needs of low-income residents. He is also an adjunct professor in the Fox School of Business at Temple University. Mr. Woodard is active in the non-profit world, having involvements with organizations like the African American Chamber of Commerce of PA, the Girard College Foundation, the Maternity Care Coalition, and the Hispanic Heritage Foundation.

Mr. Woodard holds a B.A. in International Affairs as well as an M.A. in Nonprofit Management and Board Governance from The George Washington University. He also holds a certificate in nonprofit governance from Harvard Business School

Joe Zuritsky
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Joe Zuritsky

Mr. Zuritsky is the Chairman of the Parkway Corporation, which manages several parking facilities across the United States and Canada. He is also active in many community organizations, such as the Anti-Defamation League and the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. Mr. Zuritsky currently serves as a Vice Chair for the National Museum of American Jewish History and as the VP of Development on the AJC Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey’s executive committee. He was also recently honored by The Jaffa Institute, an Israeli organization that serves poverty-stricken neighborhoods in the Greater Tel Aviv area.

Mr. Zuritsky earned his B.S. in Business Administration and his J.D. from Temple University.

With gratitude to the Carol and Morton Siegler Family