Podcast
Voices of Impact
Hosted by World Jewish Congress NextGen · EN
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.
16episodes
Episodes
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Ambition, Authority, and Artistry: Aby Rosen
2w ago00:49:37Tap to summarizeAby Rosen is a Principal and Co-Founder of RFR Holding LLC, a Manhattan-based real estate investment, development, and management company. He was born in Frankfurt, then part of West Germany, to parents who were Holocaust survivors. Over his career, Aby has built a portfolio that includes landmark properties such as the Seagram Building and the Lever House, as well as hospitality destinations like the W South Beach, The Jaffa, and the Gramercy Park Hotel. Beyond real estate, Aby is a prominent collector of modern and contemporary art, with works by artists including Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, and Damien Hirst. He is also a founder of the CORE Club and recently acquired the historic movie theater in Southampton.
Transcribe →Antisemitism, Academia, and Advocacy: Dr. Charles Small
Mar 2500:43:15Tap to summarizeDr. Charles Small is the Founding Director and President of the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP). He established the ISGAP Oxford Summer Institute in Critical Antisemitism Studies in 2015 and previously served as the Founding Director of the Yale Initiative for the Interdisciplinary Study of Antisemitism. Charles is the author of several books and articles, including the five-volume Global Antisemitism: A Crisis of Modernity and The Yale Papers: Antisemitism in Comparative Perspective. He holds a BA in Political Science from McGill University, an MSc in Urban Economic Development Planning from University College London, and a DPhil from the University of Oxford.
Transcribe →Language, Leadership, Lineage: Arkady Suharenko
Mar 1600:36:01Tap to summarizeArkady Suharenko is Deputy Chairman of the Council and a major shareholder of Rietumu Banka, one of Latvia’s largest private banks. He also serves as head of the Latvian Jewish community, where he has overseen the reconstruction of Riga’s historic Peitav Synagogue, supported Holocaust memorial projects, and initiated the restitution of pre-war Jewish communal property. Arkady also owns the largest private collection of Judaic objects in the Baltic States. As Chairman of the Future Supporting Fund, he supports initiatives in art, culture, children’s programs, and medical causes. Arkady was awarded Latvia’s highest state honor, the Order of the Three Stars, in 2002.
Transcribe →Energy, Engineering, and Enterprise: Michael Polsky
Mar 800:28:56Tap to summarizeMichael Polsky is the founder and CEO of Invenergy, the world’s largest private developer, owner, and operator of energy solutions. Under his leadership, the company has developed more than 220 projects totaling over 38 gigawatts across 34 U.S. states and four continents. Michael established the Polsky Center for the Global Energy Transition at the World Resources Institute, the Polsky Energy Transition Leadership Academy at the University of Chicago, and the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago, where he serves as a Trustee Emeritus. He holds an MS in Mechanical Engineering from Kyiv Polytechnic Institute and an MBA from the University of Chicago.
Transcribe →Education, Ethics, and Excellence: Dr. Merryl Tisch
Feb 100:25:41Tap to summarizeDr. 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 Trustee of Barnard College. Merryl also sits on the executive committees of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy and the Citizens Budget Commission, and she serves on the boards of the International Rescue Committee and the Trust for Cultural Resources of the City of New York. Alongside her husband James, Merryl has made major philanthropic investments in education and healthcare, including the Tisch Cancer Institute and the Tisch Cancer Hospital at Mount Sinai. Merryl holds degrees from Barnard College and New York University. She and her family live in New York City.
Transcribe →Solidarity, Scotland, and Sportsmanship: Barry Finestone
Jan 2300:36:14Tap to summarizeBarry 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 the Executive Director of the Lisa and John Pritzker Family Fund. In 2010, Barry moved to the Bay Area to become the CEO of the JCC of San Francisco. A proud native of Glasgow, Scotland, he brings more than 34 years of experience in the Jewish nonprofit world. Alongside his passion for the Foundation’s work, Barry is an avid football fan. He and his wife, Ellen, live in Marin County and have three children.
Transcribe →Discipline, Discretion, and Diplomacy: Joel Herzog
Jan 1200:23:29Tap to summarizeJoel 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), and the Committee for the Organization of Yom Hashoah. Additionally, Joel sits on the boards of Global Israeli Leadership and the Religious and Cultural Center of Hekal Haness. He is the son of former Israeli President Chaim Herzog and the brother of current President Isaac Herzog. Joel earned his law degree from Bar-Ilan University in 1975 and lives in Geneva with his wife, Marguerite Herzog-Gagon.
Transcribe →Sports, Service, and Substance: Bruce Levenson
Dec 2200:35:52Tap to summarizeBruce 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 into a leading global business-information platform. Bruce is also a director of TechTarget, a partner in GasBuddy, and a co-founder of DOT, an innovative cooking-technology company. In 2004, he acquired the Atlanta Hawks and Atlanta Thrashers, serving on the NBA Board of Governors before later selling the franchise. Alongside his business career, Bruce and his wife Karen founded the Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Management at the University of Maryland.
Transcribe →Cycles, Capital, and Coaching: Richard Mack
Dec 2000:29:08Tap to summarizeRichard 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 investing, Richard is deeply engaged in civic and philanthropic leadership. He serves as Chairman of the Board of the Metropolitan Council on Poverty and sits on the boards of the Child Mind Institute, the 92nd Street Y, the Randall’s Island Sports Foundation, and the Robin Hood Foundation’s Housing & Homelessness Committee. He also serves on Wharton’s Undergraduate Advisory Board. Richard earned a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School and a J.D. from Columbia Law School.
Transcribe →Economics, Inquiry, and Expertise: Dr. Adam Posen
Dec 1300:40:04Tap to summarizeDr. 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 Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee and as an adviser to the U.S. Congressional Budget Office. Adam’s work spans the G-20, financial crisis recovery, and long-term institutional reform. He has been awarded the Order of the Rising Sun by the Government of Japan and appointed an honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II for his contributions to international economic policy. He holds a BA and a PhD from Harvard University.
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