Director

Alissa Zuchman is a graduate of Solomon Schechter High School and a proud alumna of the University of Judaism in Los Angeles, where she pursued her studies in Bible and Rabbinic Literature. With an impressive career spanning over 25 years, Alissa has excelled as a Director of Life Long Learning and spearheaded one of the only “Family Schools” in the country. Her academic achievements include an M.A in Education from the University of Chicago and a Ph.D. from Northwestern University in Theology, Psychology, and Education, specializing in Art Therapy.

Alissa is thrilled to rejoin the Board of Jewish Education as its Director, a role that perfectly aligns with her passion for nurturing creativity and inspiring educators, parents, and students.

On a personal note, Alissa resides in Antioch, IL, with her partner Bob and cherishes her roles as a mother to Mimi, son-in-law Zach, and Yaya to granddaughter Zoe.

Rebecca Kushnir-Anisfeld

Director

Rebecca was born and raised in the Chicago area and has a deep understanding of our community and its unique needs. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Special Education from Bradley University, Rebecca has always been driven by a passion for education and a commitment to helping children thrive.
Currently, as the Early Childhood Director at BJE-ECC, Rebecca oversees development and implementation of BJE-ECC’s comprehensive program. She is dedicated to creating a welcoming and nurturing environment for all children, ensuring that each child’s developmental needs are met with care and expertise. Her leadership is marked by a deep commitment to fostering strong relationships with families, understanding their needs, and providing the necessary support to ensure their children’s success.

To learn more about the BJE-ECC bjeecc.org

Leslye Whittmam

Event Manager

Leslye Whittman has been with the Board of Jewish Education for 3 years as the Events Manager. With over 25 years of planning various events and Marketing for the non-profit and for profit communities, she has championed for causes such as Domestic Violence and AIDs, and has worked at many of the top technology firms in the country. Some of her favorite events have included Aretha Franklin and Jennifer Hudson, Steven Levitt of Freakonomics, and a croquet tournament. She enjoys working on a variety of things and can be found sitting at her kitchen table working with her dog Coco, the poodle/chihuahua. She enjoys traveling with her husband and 3 kids.

Rabbi Eric Zaff

Curriculum Director

Rabbi Zaff is a dedicated educator with a wealth of experience in formal and informal learning environments. He is committed to bringing joy and purpose to his students of all ages, from young children to retirees. As the director of curriculum for the Board of Jewish Education, he is devoted to creating and implementing effective curricula for diverse settings. With a strong educational background from the University of Chicago, where he received a BA in English Language and Literature; Machon Pardes and the Pardes Educators Program in Jerusalem, through which he earned an MA in Jewish Education from Hebrew University; and, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah in New York, where he received rabbinic ordination. Rabbi Zaff is passionate about passing on his love for Torah and the Red Sox to his own children

Dr. Alicia Gejman

Curriculum Specialist

Dr. Gejman is an educator with over 25 years of experience in many areas of Jewish and secular education. She is fluent in Hebrew, Spanish, and English. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education Counseling and Psychology from BarIlan University, Ramat-Gan, (1982), a Master’s Degree in Educational Psychology from the Hebrew University, Jerusalem (1990), an Education Specialist degree in Curriculum and Instruction from George Washington University (1992), and a doctoral degree in “Science in Jewish Studies” at the Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership (2016). Her areas of expertise include educational consultation, curriculum development, teacher training, mentoring, evaluation, and teaching foreign languages.She lives with her husband in Cambridge, MA, and has two children and three grandchild.

Renee Kaplan

Program Coordinator

Renee Kaplan has been on staff at the Board of Jewish Education in a variety of capacities since September 2014. As the Program Coordinator and Board of Director liaison she brings her expertise in communication to each division. Her career began in education working for several schools as a Financial Aid advisor. She is most proud of her work as the Director of Financial Aid for the Zarem/Golde ORT School in Chicago. Making it possible for new immigrants to learn English, receive skill training and then see them placed in jobs was extremely gratifying. A passion for helping others is fundamental to her character. Renee grew up in Skokie and holds a BA in telecommunications from Indiana University.

Bruce Duhan

Creative Director

“Good design is attention to small things, but good design is no small thing.” Bruce Duhan is Creative Director and Designer at the Board of Jewish Education. Bruce joined the team in March of 2018 after a successful career that included and still includes being President/Creative Director of DuhanCreative, his own creative consultancy. He was formerly EVP, Creative Director at Ogilvy Advertising. Prior to this Bruce was EVP, General Manager of the concepting think-tank of BEN Marketing Group, acquired by Ogilvy in 2002. As one of the founding partners of BEN, and Chief Creative Officer, Bruce led a creative team that produced award-winning design for some of the best known clients in the world, Coca-Cola, HBO, Holiday Inn, IBM, DuPont, and others. Bruce is a graduate of Pratt Institute and began his design career with Creative Playthings, designing toys and toy packaging.

Michael R. Halpern,MD

President

As I look to the future, I am excited to continue my active engagement with the Chicago Jewish community, where I have proudly held a leadership position since 1980. Growing up on Chicago’s South Side has shaped my deep appreciation for family life, shared with my spouse, two children, and four grandchildren, who consistently inspire me to contribute purposefully to our community.

In my role as Assistant Professor Emeritus of Obstetrics/Gynecology at Northwestern University and Northwestern Memorial Hospital, I was enthusiastic about mentoring the next generation of healthcare professionals and imparting my experiences. My service as a Captain in the United States Army Reserve from 1971 to 1973 instilled in me a strong sense of duty and commitment that I will carry forward into all my future endeavors.

From 1989 to 1999, I proudly chaired the JUF medical division at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. I started my journey as a Board Member at Congregation B’nai Tikvah and served as President of the Congregation from 1990 to 1997. I continue to hold my board position today. Additionally, I was an member of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism board from 1997 to 2000.

Roger Wolf

Executive Vice President

Roger Wolf serves as the President of FHC Marketing, a family-owned enterprise established by his grandfather in 1920. The company specializes in designing and manufacturing store fixtures for a variety of esteemed clients, including Kohler, Home Depot, Ashley Furniture, Ulta Beauty, and other national accounts.

In addition to his professional responsibilities, Roger is actively involved in his community. He currently holds the position of Executive Vice President of The Board of Jewish Education. His dedication to service is further demonstrated through his current roles as Co-Chair of the JUF Scholarship Committee and as the longest-serving member of the JUF Education Committee. His commitment to education and youth development is reflected in his past leadership as Chairman of the his synagogue School Committee and as Vice President of Youth and Education.

Norman Eckstein

Immediate Past President

Norman Eckstein has been a member of the BJE Chicago Board for 37 years and served as President 2016-2020. He currently oversees our JTeach division. Originally from New Jersey, he was Campaign Vice President of the Young Leadership Division of the Jewish Federation of Chicago in 1980-81. Since then, he has been on the boards of several organizations that deal with discrimination in the workforce and Jewish relations with other groups. He has also served on two synagogue boards, Anshe Emet and Am Yisrael.

Norm has been a management consultant for more than 40 years, most of which was with his own firm. A Certified Management Consultant, he is a Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants and served as Chairman of their National Board. Married for 54 years, he and Bridget have two children and four grandchildren.

Alan Brown

Vice President

Alan Brown  has been a prominent leader in the Chicago Jewish community since 1981. Originally from Baltimore, MD, he has two accomplished children, aged 35 and 33. He is the President of MIDCAP LTD, M&A (Mergers & Acquisition) Advisors, Northfield IL since 1993-present. President Chicago Federation Young Leadership Division, 1983-1985. UJA Young Leadership Cabinet 1982-1987 Midwest Region Chair, Executive Committee 1985-1987. BJE- Chicago Board since 1986 to present – President 1993-2000. Alan continues to serve as the leading board member of the Early Childhood and JTeach departments.

Alan has held the following board positions: Chicago Jewish Federation Board of Directors 1983-1992, Wexner Heritage Chicago 1 since 1987. Lay Leader Participant – BJE CEELI – Chicago Early Engagement Leadership Initiative 2014-2020.

Judy Jury

Vice President

Judy Jury is the Volunteer and Education Coordinator for The Ark. Judy is co-creator and co-leader of the 6-week forum “Moving Towards Better,” as well as the website WidowhoodRecovery.org, which both help widows and widowers recreate their lives after loss. Prior to working at The Ark, Judy served as an education director at Chicago area synagogues for decades and created an online Hebrew School, eJewcate Me. Judy was the Assistant Director for several years at the Conservative Movement’s Ramah Day Camp and worked for several years as the Director of Special Projects for Interfaith Family Chicago. Judy has been on the Board of Directors for the Board of Jewish Education of Metropolitan Chicago for over 20 years and is a past President. Judy also is on the JCC Board of Directors.

Judy belongs to Anshe Tikvah in Northbrook where her son, Rabbi Dr. Rob Jury is the Rabbi. When not working or volunteering, Judy enjoys time with her significant other, her three children, their spouses and her eight grandchildren.

Alan Kalfen

Treasurer

Alan Kalfen serves as the Treasurer of The Board of Jewish Education and has been an influential member of the Board of Directors for four years. With a strong professional background as an accountant and a partner at Wipfli and Kessler Orlean Silver, he brings significant expertise and leadership to the organization.

Danielle Hornick

Secretary

Danielle Hornick has an impressive tenure of over 25 years as the Executive Director of Congregation B’nai Tikvah in Deerfield, IL, Danielle Hornick has established herself as a leader in the Jewish community. Following this, she took on the role of Executive Director of the Jewish Funeral Directors of America, further demonstrating her commitment to the field.

Danielle’s extensive experience includes 15 years of service on the Board of Jewish Education, where she also holds a position on the Executive Committee. Her dedication to Jewish life, education, and community is unwavering and impactful.

Jay Goltz

Director

Jay Goltz  started Artists Frame Service right after graduating college, which has grown to be the largest frame shop in the country. Over the next 40+ years he expanded to include Jayson Home, Chicago Art Source, and Bella Moulding, employing 130 people in total. He says he has made every mistake in the book- but there was no book, so he wrote The Street Smart Entrepreneur: 133 Tough Lessons I Learned the Hard Way. He was featured in Small Giants: Companies That Choose to be Great Instead of Big, resulting in a front cover story in Inc Magazine, which led to him being the lead blogger for small business in the New York Times for four years. He believes that many nonprofits can become more self-sufficient and effective by being more entrepreneurial.

Zeev Walny

Director

Zeev Walny is a highly accomplished operations and business development leader known for driving transformative results across a range of industries. With a proven track record in leading large-scale projects such as clinic launches and strategic acquisitions, he consistently delivers significant cost savings and enhances operational efficiencies. Zeev is recognized for mentoring and developing high-performing teams, fostering collaboration that leads to measurable improvements in productivity, engagement, and retention. His commitment to innovation and continuous improvement allows him to expertly align strategies with organizational goals, creating a lasting impact that resonates across industries.

Michael Schneider

Director

Michael Schneider is a Partner at The Lerner Group within Hightower Advisors, a prominent wealth management and investment advisory firm. He resides in the northern Chicago suburbs with his wife and two energetic young boys. Michael’s journey with The Board of Jewish Education began as a member of the golf committee, quickly leading him to join the board as a full member. In his leisure time, he is an avid golfer and tennis player, and he has a passion for cooking.

David Sololovsky

Director

David Sokolovsky is a Managing Director and Partner Of the Lerner Group since 2008. David has played a pivotal role in expanding the tools and services we offer clients. He has honed our financial planning capabilities to tackle the complex questions our clients face, providing clarity and confidence in their financial futures. His experience spans diverse family structures, financial resources, and future aspirations, with a steadfast focus on understanding unique client needs and expertly guiding them through the financial markets.

David graduated magna cum laude from DePaul University with a BS in Finance and obtained his MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. As a CFA charter holder and a CFP® certification holder, he also possesses the FINRA Series 65 and Series 7 licenses, reflecting his commitment to professional excellence.

Having moved to the Chicagoland area from Ukraine with his family in 1992, David is fluent in Russian and possesses a profound understanding of what it means to pursue the American dream alongside the critical financial decisions involved. He actively contributes to the community by serving on the boards of BJE and JCC, specifically focusing on education. In his personal life, David enjoys traveling with his wife and son, immersing himself in various cultures and regions around the globe.

Dawn Levine Lieberman

Vice President

Ramona Choos

Vice President

Ramona Goldblatt Choos has had a lite-long commitment to education. She is an educator/teaches, a college Professor Emeritus of Mathematics, and has completed studies at Northwestern University, DePaul University, UICC AND ITT. Ramona is an active and dedicated supporter of Chicagoland Jewish organizations, including The Board of Jewish Education as a Vice President,her synagogue-North Suburban Synagogue Beth El as a trustee. She is a lifelong learner and continues studying Torah and it is expressed by selecting the honors for Simchat Torah each year. Ramona is a lover of music and often attends Ravinia concerts. She has four children and seven wonderful grandchildren.