Leadership
Leadership
These are the people that make the organization run.
But they are only as strong as the people who support them.
Executive Team
Advisory Board
A trained psychoimmunologist, Moshe Kaplan, MD, served as a medical officer for the United States Coast Guard.
In 1986, he moved to Israel, where he served as an area Medical Director of Israel’s primary emergency medical service.
He has produced three compelling books: A Wholly Life (Targum Press), Be A Mensch: Why Good Character Is the Key to a Life of Happiness, Health, Wealth, and Love (Gefen Press / Yedioth Books), and Extreme Trauma: October 7th as an Outlier in Human Potential.
He is currently the CEO of the Be A Mensch Foundation. Dr. Kaplan works strategically and interpersonally to bring unity, commonality, and understanding among polarized elements of Israeli society.
Mordechai Geduld co-founded Be A Mensch with Moshe Kaplan in 2010. Mordechai has been involved in various educational programs and projects for the past 35 years. He was the senior editor of “Anachnu Lo Levad,” a book sponsored entirely by Israeli business magnate Ilan Ben Dov. It sold over 100,000 copies. Mordechai’s website, http://2001principle.com, has become a resource in Philosophy Departments of universities all over the globe and was described by Time Magazine’s “Entertainment Weekly,” as “brainy and sharp looking.”
Gavriel serves as Director of Communications & Strategic Initiatives for Be A Mensch Foundation and is a principal spokesman for the organization. He currently directs ROC – Resilience on Campus, strengthening identity and inner resilience for Jewish university students and Christian allies. An educator, broadcaster, and media professional, Gavriel brings decades of experience in organizational development, marketing, and cross-cultural dialogue.
Posthumously made our Honorary Chairman
Joe Lieberman was a former United States Senator from Connecticut. A former member of the Democratic Party, he was the party’s nominee for Vice President in the 2000 election.
Born in Stamford, Connecticut, Lieberman is a graduate of Yale College and Yale Law School. He was elected as a “reform Democrat” in 1970 to the Connecticut Senate, where he served three terms as Majority Leader. After an unsuccessful bid for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1980, he served as state Attorney General from 1983 to 1989.
Lieberman was the Democratic nominee for Vice President in the 2000 United States presidential election, running with presidential nominee Al Gore, becoming the first Jewish candidate on a major American political party presidential ticket.
He was the first observant Jew to run on a major party Presidential ticket. Lieberman is the author of seven books including: “An Amazing Adventure” (2003), reflecting on his 2000 vice presidential run; “The Gift of Rest: Rediscovering the Beauty of the Sabbath” (2011) and “Ticking Time Bomb: Counter-Terrorism Lessons from the U.S. Government’s Failure to Prevent the Fort Hood Attack” (2011)
Malcolm Hoenlein has been the executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations since June 1986. Mr. Hoenlein has traveled throughout the world meeting with world leaders and Jewish communities. He has written and lectured across the US and abroad on international relations, Israel and Middle East affairs, Soviet and World Jewry, terrorism, the American Jewish community, and intergroup relations.
Tova Ben-Dov is the incumbent President of the Women’s International Zionist Organization (WIZO), the largest women’s Zionist organization in the world. She was elected to succeed Helena Glaser in 2012. She is also Vice President of the World Jewish Congress, a board member of the Jewish Agency for Israel and a board member of the International Alliance of Women. She was formerly Chair of Public Relations; Chair of the Assets, Buildings and Development; Vice Chair of Fund Raising and Treasurer of World WIZO, Vice Chair of the Executive and Chair of the Executive of World WIZO.
She was born in Tel Aviv, studied at the Lewinsky College for Education and served in the army as a teacher, before she studied political science at Tel Aviv University.
See her entry on her Facebook Page about the Be A Mensch Hebrew Book Launch:
Moshe Kaplan,
MD-CEO and Co-Founder
A trained psychoimmunologist,
Moshe Kaplan, MD, served as a medical officer for the United States Coast Guard.
In 1986, he moved to Israel, where he served as an area Medical Director of Israel’s primary emergency medical service.
He has produced three compelling books:
A Wholly Life (Targum Press), Be A Mensch: Why Good Character Is the Key to a Life of Happiness,
Health, Wealth, and Love (Gefen Press – English/ Yedbooks – Hebrew), and
Extreme Trauma: October 7th as an Outlier in Human Potential. He is currently the CEO of the Be A Mensch Foundation (www.beamensch.org).
Dr. Kaplan works strategically and interpersonally to bring unity, commonality, and understanding among polarized elements of Israeli society.
Gavriel Sanders,
Director of
Communications & Strategic Initiatives
Gavriel Sanders serves as Director of Communications & Strategic Initiatives for Be A Mensch Foundation, where he also serves as a principal spokesman for the organization. His work spans communications, program development, strategic relationships, and the advancement of new initiatives. He currently directs ROC – Resilience on Campus, BAM’s initiative designed to strengthen the inner resilience, self-possession, and identity of Jewish university students and their Christian allies as they navigate an increasingly challenging campus environment.
An educator, broadcaster, writer, and communications professional, Gavriel brings decades of experience in teaching, media, marketing, and organizational development. He has consulted for Jewish and commercial organizations, including ArtScroll, and was involved in the development and marketing of the Kosher by Design publishing brand.
Gavriel is also the host of The Gavriel Sanders Show on the TalkLine Network, where he explores Jewish life, Israel, faith, culture, and issues shaping the contemporary Jewish experience.
A longtime Hebrew educator and lecturer, Gavriel brings a distinctive personal perspective to BAM’s work. His own journey from Christian ministry to observant Jewish life has informed decades of engagement with Jews and Christians and a commitment to building understanding across religious and cultural divides. He made aliyah and lives in Jerusalem.
Mordechai Geduld,
Director and Co-Founder
Mordechai Geduld co-founded Be A Mensch with Moshe Kaplan in 2010.
Mordechai has been involved in various educational programs and projects for the past 35 years.
He was the senior editor of “Anachnu Lo Levad,” a book sponsored entirely by Israeli business magnate Ilan Ben Dov. It sold over 100,000 copies.
Mordechai’s website, http://2001principle.com, has become a resource in Philosophy Departments of universities all over the globe and was described by Time Magazine’s “Entertainment Weekly,” as “brainy and sharp looking.”
Yaakov Karta,
CPA
Yaakov Karta is a CPA and lawyer. Yaakov began at a large accounting firm and was quickly accepted to a prestigious inspectors course that the Tax Authority offers to accountants, economists, and lawyers. Immediately after completing the course, Jacob was assigned as an inspector at the Shoma Holon office. From there, he began a second career in academia, teaching payroll, bookkeeping, and accounting to students at Machon Lev, the Hebrew University, the Rupin Academic Center, and the Ono Academic College, where he continues to serve as a senior professional lecturer in a variety of tax courses. Yaakov served as a professional advisor to the Director General of the Tax Authority, representing the Tax Authority in Knesset committees. Upon his retirement, Yaakov opened a boutique office specializing in complex tax laws.
Yehuda Shine,
Director of Operations
Yehuda is an educational consultant and curriculum developer for schools. He produces educational programs, leadership programs, training manuals, presentations, and videos for informal education and youth movements. Yehuda is the founder of the Equality Now movement, a non-political, social movement that encompasses tens of thousands of people including secular, religious and Charedi. Equality Now promotes education of values such as tolerance, solidarity, equality and social justice. He is also the founder of Chemla for the Prevention of Cruelty to animals.
Eli Shnapp,
Manager of the “Living Together” division
Eli Shnapp is manager of the “Living Together” division in the Jerusalem Intercultural Center.
Over a decade ago, Eli founded “Plugta” which connects the various sectors in Israeli society by way of study circles for managing disagreements.
Plugta had activities in academic institutions, local municipalities and more.
Be A Mensch has taken on the task of funding and running-together with Eli-Plugta’s program with
Hebrew University students for which they get course credits towards their BA.
The plan is to re-activate the program at the 6 other Universities in Israel where Plugta had this successful program.
Moshe Shacor,
Manager of the High School Unity Project
Moshe was the head manager of the “Tzavta” Program of the Ministry of Education. There, he coordinated the History curriculum for grades 6-8 throughout Israel. He organized the curriculum by core subjects and built in components that focus on theoretical study and knowledge acquisition. Moshe worked for years with educational programs in pre-military academies and high schools, also arranging special weekend events. Today, he manages the High School Unity Project, a project of Be A Mensch
David Goldberg,
Lawyer
David is a lawyer and family mediator. He has studied psychology, management and negotiation, family mediation, fundraising, organizational management, and graphology. He is an extremely good communicator, creative and charismatic.