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REBECCA VILKOMERSON, National Director Rebecca has over fifteen years of experience in community organizing, advocacy, program development and fundraising in the United States and Israel. In the U.S., she focused on economic justice issues, especially regarding women. She has been an active member of JVP since 2002, and lived in Israel with her family from 2006-2009. Most recently, Rebecca worked for a Palestinian Israel public policy center and a Bedouin-Jewish environmental and social justice organization, as well as continuing her work as an activist for a just peace in Palestine and Israel. Her study, Public Policy in Divided Societies: The Case for a Civil Rights Institution was published in July, 2008 by Dirasat, the Arab Center for Law and Policy. She is also currently an editor of Jewish Peace News. Rebecca is a graduate of Connecticut College and has a Master's Degree in Public Policy from Johns Hopkins University. Contact: 510-465-1777 rebecca-at-jvp.org CECILIE SURASKY, Deputy Director Cecilie joined JVP in 2003 as part of a Ford Foundation human rights fellowship, and brings extensive experience in social justice communications and advocacy. She is the grandaughter of Zionist Socialist activists, and her analyses of Israel-Palestine politics have appeared in numerous media outlets around the world. Cecilie graduated from Brown University with a BA in Religious Studies with special honors for her work in Modern Culture and Media. She is the founder of Muzzlewatch, JVP's acclaimed blog documenting efforts to silence open debate about Israel-Palestine policy. Contact: 510-465-1777 x 303 cell: 510-410-4202 cecilie-at-jvp.org SYDNEY LEVY, Director of Campaigns Sydney has worked for over 15 years in nonprofits advocating for LGBT human rights organizing for media justice, and assisting in the preparation of death row appeals. He is the son of Egyptian Jews who immigrated to Venezuela, where he was born. Sydney lived in Jerusalem for seven years, where he received his Masters degree in Jewish History from the Hebrew University. Sydney has been working with JVP--first as a volunteer, then as a staff member--since 2000. Contact: 510-465-1777 x 302 sydney-at-jvp.org JANE SUSKIN, Office Manager Jane is an old lefty, whose earliest activism stemmed from her public elementary school's policy prohibiting girls from wearing pants! Long active in justice, peace and feminist causes. After many years working at a semiconductor laboratory, she is thrilled and honored to be able to spend her work week offering administrative support to an organization and its members whose goals she shares. Contact: 510-465-1777 x 301 jane-at-jvp.org JVP National Board 2009 CINDY GREENBERG (Brooklyn) is a new JVP member but longtime JVP supporter who got deeply involved with JVP through the organization's Moving Forward Process in 2008-2009. She has over 20 years of experience working in the progressive and national Jewish communities and has traveled to Israel and Palestine twice. She is an independent consultant to non-profit organizations, specializing in organizational development, fundraising, and project management issues, and is proud to be the President of Kolot Chayeinu/Voices of Our Lives Congregation and a longtime member/leader of Jews for Racial & Economic Justice. DANA BERGEN, BOARD CHAIR (Bay Area) sees her work in Jewish Voice for Peace as an expression of her Jewish heritage of social justice activism. She has been active with JVP for seven years in a variety of roles, including developing literature, organizing educational events, coordinating outreach efforts, chairing the Chapter Coordinating Council, and serving on the Board during JVP's transition to a national organization. DAVID BASIOR (Philadelphia) got his JVP start in Seattle, after he returned from a year studying Torah at Machon Pardes in West Jerusalem, where he had also volunteered with Rabbis for Human Rights and Encounter. Now in Philadelphia, David is a rabbinical school student at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, class of 2014. David has worked with numerous Jewish organizations from Hillel and Taglit-birthright Israel to Genesis at Brandeis University and Save a Child's Heart. He is a New York native, a University of Florida alumnus, and a grandchild of Polish and Russian Jews who immigrated in the early 1900's. JEAN ENTINE (Boston) has been Executive Director of several social justice organizations, including Women for Economic Justice, Boston Women's Fund, and the Island Affordable Housing Fund. She has served on numerous local, state and national boards and is the recipient of awards for her leadership from the Cambridge Peace Commission, Cambridge YWCA and the Women's Funding Network as well as from several local community based organizations in Greater Boston. She served on the founding national board of JVP, where she was active on the Development Committee and where she briefly served as Interim Board Chair. Prior to her involvement with JVP Jean was involved in solidarity work in Central America, South Africa and Mozambique. JESSE BACON (Philadelphia) is a server and father. He has a Masters in teaching from Roosevelt University in Chicago. He is an observant progressive Jew, and is trying to be a good ally for Palestinians and all dispossessed peoples, while staying true to the best traditions in Judaism. He visited Israel and Palestine in 1996, 2001, and 2002. He served for three years on the local steering committee of Jewish Voice for Peace-Chicago, and one year on the board of Pursue the Peace Chicago. LYNN POLLACK (Chicago) spent most of her career working in advertising and television and became active in the pursuit of a just peace for Israelis and Palestinians about ten years ago. She served on the first national JVP Board and has spoken frequently about JVP to the media and to local peace groups, church groups and at conferences. Based in Chicago, she is active with the local JVP-Chicago chapter and fosters collaborative efforts with other local anti-occupation groups. She and her husband have been active members of the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation, known as the world's greenest synagogue, for more than thirty years. STEFANIE BRENDLER, SECRETARY (Seattle) is a 27 year old secular Ashkenazi Jew who grew up in a conservative Jewish community in the suburbs of Washington, DC. In addition to Jewish Voice for Peace, Stefanie works for peace & justice by teaching self-defense and playing the French horn in a brass band. STEPHANIE ROTH, TREASURER (Bay Area) served on JVP’s founding board for three years and rejoined in 2009. She is a consultant and trainer with nonprofit organizations, focusing on fundraising, board development and meeting facilitation. She lived on a kibbutz in Israel for 6 months in 1974, and it took another 25 years for her questions, then discomfort, and finally outrage, about the Occupation to move her to action. TOVA PERLMUTTER (Detroit) has over 20 years experience in administration, communications, fundraising and public education for nonprofit organizations. She also spent five years working to promote fair employment practices at a major corporation. Tova has been involved with many projects aimed at empowering people and attracting media attention to social justice efforts. Daughter and granddaughter of secular humanist Workmen's Circle Jews, she has conducted doctoral research on ethnic and racial politics in American cities. She spent half a year living in Jerusalem as a child. Her most recent inspiration in fighting for a better world has been Taylor Branch's book 'At Canaan's Edge: America in the King Years,' which shows how strategic and tactical thinking and coalition-building are as essential to social change as moral determination is. Contact JVP's Board at board-at-jewishvoiceforpeace.org |
