Voices of Impact
Isaac Raskas Ohrenstein, a Harvard student and WJC-Lauder Fellow, sits down with leaders and changemakers in the Jewish world to explore their impactful work across business, politics, academia, and philanthropy. Listen on Spotify, Apple Music, and the World Jewish Congress website.
Episodes
137 episodes
Education, Ethics, and Excellence: Dr. Merryl Tisch
Dr. Merryl H. Tisch is the Chair of the State University of New York, following her tenure as Vice Chair and previously as Chancellor of the New York State Board of Regents. She serves on the board of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and as a Tru...
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25:41
Solidarity, Scotland, and Sportsmanship: Barry Finestone
Barry Finestone is President and CEO of the Jim Joseph Foundation. With more than $800 million granted in its first 18 years, Barry oversees all aspects of finance and grantmaking at the Foundation. Prior to joining the Jim Joseph, he served as...
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36:14
Discipline, Discretion, and Diplomacy: Joel Herzog
Joel Herzog is the Managing Director of Noga Group, a firm with interests in trading and real estate across France, Switzerland, and Africa. He serves as President of Yad Vashem Switzerland, the Association Switzerland–Israel (Geneva Section), ...
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23:29
Sports, Service, and Substance: Bruce Levenson
Bruce Levenson is an entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist with a four-decade career spanning business intelligence, technology, and professional sports. He is best known as the co-founder of United Communications Group, which he built int...
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35:52
Cycles, Capital, and Coaching: Richard Mack
Richard Mack is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Mack Real Estate Group (MREG). Previously, Richard spent more than two decades as a founding principal of AREA Property Partners, originally Apollo Real Estate Advisors. Beyond inves...
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29:08
Economics, Inquiry, and Expertise: Dr. Adam Posen
Dr. Adam Posen is the President of the Peterson Institute for International Economics and a leading authority on global monetary policy, U.S.–China economic relations, and European integration. He previously served as a voting member of the Ban...
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40:04
Property, Politics, and Power: Jeff Gural
Jeffrey Gural is Chairman of GFP Real Estate, with ownership interests in more than 50 properties across New York City. He joined Newmark in 1972 and served as Chairman of Newmark Knight Frank until 2017, when he became Chairman Emeritus. He si...
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27:15
Scaling, Systems, and SPACs: Betsy Z. Cohen
Betsy Z. Cohen is an entrepreneur and investor with more than five decades of leadership in banking and financial services. She began her career as one of the first female law professors on the East Coast and later co-founded a Philadelphia law...
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17:17
Learning, Latitude, and Logic: Orit Gadiesh
Orit Gadiesh is Chair Emeritus of Bain & Company, where she has advised top executives on global strategy, digital transformation, organizational effectiveness, and post-merger integration. She serves on the Board of Trustees and the Commun...
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22:35
Iceland, Gemstones, and Inheritance: Dorrit Moussaieff
Dorrit Moussaieff is an Israeli-born British businesswoman, designer, and the former First Lady of Iceland. She is a member of a storied dynasty of jewellers, whose ancestors are said to have woven the robe of Genghis Khan. Beyond her work in j...
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14:05
Policy, Politics, Principles: Dr. Ken Weinstein
Dr. Kenneth R. Weinstein is the Japan Chair at the Hudson Institute, where he served as President and CEO from 2011 to 2020. Dr. Weinstein has held senior roles under the last four U.S. administrations, including chairing the Broadcasting Board...
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36:05
Principles, Perseverance, Prosperity: Gary Schottenstein
Gary L. Schottenstein is Chairman & CEO of Schottenstein Real Estate Group. Over his career, Gary has overseen more than $2.5 billion in projects, including 15,000 apartments, homes, and commercial properties across Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky,...
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40:53
Talent, Tenacity, and Trust: David Heller
David Heller is the President, CEO, and Co-Founder of The NRP Group, one of the largest multifamily development, construction, and property management companies in the United States. David serves on the boards of University Hospitals of Clevela...
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34:39
Identity, Influence, and Initiative: Irina Nevzlin
Irina Nevzlin is the President of the Nadav Foundation and the Chair of the Board of Directors at ANU – the Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv. Born in Moscow, she earned a BA and MA in economics before working in Moscow and London. After ...
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25:52
Advantage, Access, and Achievement: Josh Wolfe
Josh Wolfe is a co-founder and the managing partner at Lux Capital, a venture capital fund that invests in deep technology and frontier science. He serves on the boards of Aera Therapeutics, Cajal Neuroscience, Eikon Therapeutics, Impulse Labs,...
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42:39
Legacy, Loyalty, and Leadership: Leon Recanati
Leon Recanati is the Chairman and CEO of GlenRock Israel, a private investment company, and the Chairman of the Yahel Foundation. Before founding GlenRock, Leon served as the Chairman and CEO of IDB Holding Corporation Ltd., one of Israel’s lar...
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22:27
Hamptons, Heritage, and Honor: Rabbi Marc Schneier
Rabbi Marc Schneier is the founding Rabbi of The Hampton Synagogue and the President of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding. He has been received by heads of state across the Gulf and was the first rabbi to be hosted at the royal palaces of...
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32:55
Partnership, Passion, and Purpose: Miles Nadal
Miles Nadal is the Founder and Executive Chairman of Peerage Capital, a Toronto-based investment firm with holdings in real estate brokerage, wealth management, and self-storage. Under his leadership, Peerage has grown into a family of entrepre...
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52:01
Integrity, Impact, Investing: Michael Leffell
Michael Leffell is the chairman and founder of 10 East, Canoe Intelligence, and Portage Partners, a privately held firm focused on alternative asset investments. Before his retirement in 2010, he served as deputy executive managing member of Da...
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22:17
Finance, Football, Family: Alex Swieca
Alex Swieca is an investor focused on the future of sports, media, and technology. He serves as Strategic Advisor to Avenue Sports, a division of Avenue Capital Group, and is the founder of QB1 Ventures, which invests in early-stage U.S. and Is...
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34:50
Guidance, Governance, Giving: Doug Korn
Doug Korn is the founder and Managing Partner of Victor Capital Partners, a middle-market private equity firm. Previously, he played key roles in building three other firms as an early-stage Associate and Vice President at The Blackstone Group,...
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52:59
Activism, Accountability, Awareness: Jacki Karsh
Jacki Karsh is a six-time Emmy-nominated multimedia journalist covering Los Angeles County for LA36's LA County Channel, where she reports on social and humanitarian issues. For nearly a decade, she has also served as anchor and mode...
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34:09
Ambition, Affinity, and Asia: Dr. Allan Zeman
Dr. Allan Zeman is the Chairman of Lan Kwai Fong Holdings and Wynn Macau, as well as the owner of Paradise Properties Group, a real estate developer in Thailand. A Hong Kong resident for over 50 years, he has played a prominent role in both gov...
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49:21
Community, Cannabis, Conviction: Wendy Berger
Wendy Berger is a Chicago-based real estate developer, entrepreneur, and civic leader. She is the CEO and Founder of WBS Equities, a firm specializing in the development and acquisition of industrial properties for food and beverage manufacture...
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33:32
Origins, Outreach, Opera: Dr. Sharon Azrieli
Dr. Sharon Azrieli is a Canadian entrepreneur and philanthropist who serves as a director of the Azrieli Group and the Azrieli Foundation. A critically acclaimed opera singer, she has performed with the Metropolitan Opera, Canadian Opera Compan...
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31:59