The Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle

Home /  News /  Local

RSS Feed

Local JNF inaugurates award for new leaders

July 30th, 2010

The JNF Wisconsin Region banquet is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 29, 6 p.m., at the Harry and Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center.

Milwaukee award-winning instrumentalist-singer-songwriter Lil Rev (Marc Revenson) will provide entertainment. Co-chairs are Neena Florsheim, Linda Silberman, Merle Wasserman, and Robin Zaks.

Cost per person is $65. For more information and to make a reservation or donation, call 414-963-8733.

The Wisconsin Region of the Jewish National Fund will present its first annual Next Generation Leadership Award this month at its annual banquet.

As regional director Sidney Rifkin explained in a telephone conversation on July 8, the members of the region’s executive committee decided they wanted to “go this route to encourage the next generation to continue to be involved in the Jewish community.”

Moreover, the new award is in keeping with the banquet’s overall theme of “From Generation to Generation,” Rivkin said. “In line with that, we wanted to recognize a student or scholar who has displayed exemplary student activism and leadership and Israel advocacy on campus,” he said.

The first recipient of this award is Diana Azimov, 21. A native of Odessa, Ukraine, whose family immigrated to Milwaukee when she was 3, Azimov is a student of social work at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

She also serves as current president of Hillel Milwaukee and has been a volunteer in the Milwaukee Jewish Federation’s annual campaign. She participated in a Birthright Israel trip this past January.

“She has displayed passion for Israel, strong Jewish identity, and has taken a leadership role” for Jewish students at UWM, said Rivkin.

In addition to Azimov, JNF will honor six couples that are community activists. They are:

Gail and Martin Komisar

Brooklyn native Gail married Milwaukee native Martin in 1977. She had been a mathematics major and department store buyer before joining her husband’s business, Bilt Rite Furniture.

Together, they have been active volunteers for and contributors to general community and Jewish causes, including Steve and Shari Sadek Family Camp Interlaken JCC, the Jewish Home and Care Center, Jewish War Veterans, Congregation Emanu-El of Waukesha, Israel Bonds, Greenfield Public Library, and the Grand Avenue Club.

They have participated in several JNF President’s Council Missions to Israel and in the first JNF Young Professionals mission in 2009. They have contributed to such JNF projects as Timna Park and the Sderot playground, and Gail is a member of JNF’s Sapphire Society.

Chashy and Rabbi Yoseph Samuels

For more than 30 years, Lubavitch Hasidim Chashy and Rabbi Yoseph Samuels have worked in Milwaukee “to reach and teach the ‘wonderful Jewish souls’ they have found in the Milwaukee area” (Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle, Feb. 18, 2009).

Together, they head Chabad of Downtown, teaching classes and individuals formally and informally. Moreover, Rabbi Samuels travels frequently throughout the state to teach and officiate at lifecycle events, and he has led or participated in many trips to Israel.

And he is famous as Milwaukee’s “wrapping rabbi,” who will help any male Jew in sight to put on tefillin.

Barbara and Al Simon

Barbara and Al Simon have been active members of Beth El Ner Tamid Synagogue for 50 years. Al is the congregation’s current president; while Barbara is vice president of programming and Torah Fund chair for the sisterhood’s board, and has been instrumental in forming the shul’s social action committee.

But their communal work goes far beyond their synagogue. In 2003, they participated in a medical mission to El Salvador. Barbara is a lifetime member of Hadassah, and the couple participated in a Hadassah mission to Israel in 2004, for which Al conceived the idea of a Mitzvah Suitcase that brought toys and clothes to children at Hadassah Medical Center.

Either individually or together, they also have been involved with the Jewish Community Chorale, Jewish Family Services, Tikkun Ha-Ir, the Blood Center of Southeastern Wisconsin, and the Masons.

Melanie and Russell Wasserman

South Africa-native Melanie and Milwaukee-native Russell met at Kibbutz Gan Shmuel in Israel, when they were both students there. They have supported Israel actively ever since.

Melanie is a psychotherapist at Jewish Family Services. Russell is a publisher of medical and dental books and software. They have educated their four children at Jewish Beginnings Lubavitch Preschool, The Academy (Hillel) and the Milwaukee Jewish Day School.

They are members of Lake Park Synagogue and Lubavitch of Wisconsin.

Susan and Mark Wichman

Physical therapist Susan and orthopedic surgeon Mark were students together at Nicolet High School, graduating in 1982. They married in 1988.

In addition to their health care work, both have been active in the Jewish and general communities.

Mark for the past three years has been president of the board of Operation Dream, an organization that helps Milwaukee inner city boys learn discipline and study skills. He also helps raise funds for the Milwaukee Jewish Federation, and is involved with JNF, the Milwaukee Jewish Day School and the Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center.

Susan has been a volunteer at the Milwaukee Jewish Day School and the JCC, holding board positions for both. She also has helped Mark with Operation Dream and contributes to many charities.

Judy and David Wolkenstein

The Wolkensteins have been active members of Congregation Beth Israel since 1966 and have held many positions and performed many functions for the synagogue since then.

Judy’s Jewish communal service began with B’nai B’rith Women (now Jewish Women International), eventually becoming president of the regional chapter. At CBI, she has been sisterhood president, trustee, Torah Fund chair, member of the choir, and kitchen worker. She also is a member of Hadassah, and a founding member and co-president of the Milwaukee Jewish Community Chorale.

Semi-retired retail salesman David has been a CBI trustee, men’s club president, social action committee member, and member of the “alternative Christmas Eve” event committee. He is also active in the Regional Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs.