Ep 369: The Israeli Bond with Gal Swisa Cohen and guest David Black P2 on hmTv

Ep 369: The Israeli Bond — David Black (Part 2)

In Part Two of this powerful conversation on The Israeli Bond, host Gal Swisa Cohen continues her in-depth discussion with David Black, former Executive Director of the C. Jacobson JCC and founder of the Randy Wobo-Melinsky Center for Israel on Long Island.

David shares the thinking, instincts, and partnerships that led to the creation of one of the most influential Israel engagement models in North America. He explores the concept of Jewish peoplehood, the importance of authenticity in connecting American Jews with Israelis, and why Israel belongs at the heart of a Jewish Community Center.

The conversation also traces the organic growth of the Center for Israel—from a single Israeli emissary to a region-wide hub that bridges synagogues, organizations, and generations. David further reflects on the formation of the Jewish Coalition on Long Island and why collaboration, not siloed leadership, is essential in today’s complex Jewish landscape.

This episode offers insight, honesty, and a behind-the-scenes look at how listening, trust, and community-building can turn vision into lasting impact.

🎧 Stay tuned for Part Three, where the conversation turns to the current challenges facing Jewish communities in America today.

Transcript

Ep 369: The Israeli Bond

Host: Gal Swisa Cohen
Guest: David Black
Part 2

Gal Swisa Cohen:
Hello, and thank you for joining me today. I’m your host, Gal Swisa Cohen. On today’s episode of The Israeli Bond on hmTv, I’m joined once again by my guest, David Black, for the second part of our conversation.

If you haven’t yet listened to Part One, I highly recommend going back and starting there. In that episode, we explored David’s background and his deep connection to Israel and the Jewish community.

David recently retired after 14 years as Executive Director of the C. Jacobson JCC on Long Island. He is also the founder of the Randy Wobo-Melinsky Center for Israel, a center that has had a profound impact on the way Long Island connects to Israel.

So let’s jump right back in.

David, you founded the Center for Israel in 2013. I’m curious—what led you to decide that this was something Long Island needed? Did you envision it becoming what it is today, or did it start as something much smaller?

David Black:
First of all, nobody does anything alone. There were several people on the board who helped shape this idea—Larry Magid and his wife Millie, Nancy Wolbaum, and others. It was very much a collective process.

At the time, a mentor of mine, Rabbi Irving “Yitz” Greenberg, used to ask a powerful question: What is the job that needs to get done?

For us, there were a few things happening simultaneously. One was understanding the real situation in Israel—its challenges, its threats, and its needs. Another was telling the story of the Israel people don’t always get to hear about: the science, the medicine, the culture, the beauty, the creativity.

And then there was the question of connection. How do we connect American Jews of all ages to Israelis in an authentic way?

Gal:
But you were running a Jewish Community Center—not an Israel institute. Why did Israel become such a priority for you?

David:
Because I never viewed a JCC as a faith-based institution. Philosophically, I saw it as a house of Jewish peoplehood. Culture, values, language, worldview—that’s what defines a people.

Israel is the living laboratory of Jewish life. It’s where Jewish peoplehood was formed and where it continues to evolve in real time. If the JCC is about peoplehood, then Israel isn’t optional—it’s central.

That doesn’t mean the JCC replaces synagogues or religious study. Those partners are essential. But the JCC serves a different role: connection, identity, belonging.

Gal:
That helps clarify a lot. But Long Island already has a large Israeli population. Why bring in an Israeli emissary instead of relying on Israelis who were already here?

David:
Authenticity matters. People are searching for real, lived experience. Bringing in contemporary Israelis—people who can speak honestly about their lives, their conflicts, their similarities and differences—creates something powerful.

That’s what the concept of shlichut is meant to be. It’s not symbolic. It’s relational.

I couldn’t answer questions about Israeli life authentically unless I brought authentic Israelis into the space.

Gal:
So it started as one emissary. One experiment.

David:
Exactly. Throw things against the wall and see what sticks.

What stuck was the emissary’s ability to connect across communities—synagogues, organizations, and cultures. It quickly became clear that the Center for Israel wasn’t meant to be internal. Its mission was outward-facing.

Gal:
Did you envision that from the beginning?

David:
Honestly? No. I had instincts, not a master plan. I asked people what they wanted. I spoke to rabbis. I spoke to Israelis in the community. I listened.

The Israelis told me they wanted the same thing American Jews want for their children—language, culture, continuity. They wanted a place where their identity wouldn’t disappear into the melting pot.

That led to programs like the Israeli Scouts. We expected 30 kids the first year. We got 150.

That’s how we knew we were meeting a real need.

Gal:
Today, the Randy Wobo-Melinsky Center for Israel is truly unique. It serves as the home of the Israeli delegation on Long Island, but it also connects outward—bringing together the entire Jewish community.

And now your husband, Dagan Cohen, serves as the current shaliach, continuing that work.

Before we wrap up this episode, I want to touch on another major initiative you helped launch: the Jewish Coalition on Long Island. How did that come about?

David:
I noticed something missing. In Westchester, where I lived, there was an umbrella organization where Jewish institutions regularly sat together, shared information, and coordinated responses.

On Long Island, I didn’t see that.

We had organizations doing good work, but often in silos. I believed we needed a shared table.

Eventually, with support from UJA and partners like JCRC and the Mid-Island Y, that coalition came together. Today, over two dozen organizations meet regularly, sharing insights and responding collectively to challenges facing the Jewish community—especially in a more complex world after October 7.

Gal:
It’s remarkable to hear how something that started with instinct and listening grew into a movement that now connects an entire region.

David, thank you for sharing these insights and for helping shape what Jewish peoplehood looks like on Long Island today.

David:
Thank you. It’s been an honor.

Gal:
And thank you to our listeners for joining us for this episode of The Israeli Bond on hmTv. Stay tuned for Part Three, where we’ll continue this conversation and focus on the current realities facing Jewish communities in America today.

Until next time—take care and be well.