OUR HONOREES
Myrna Zisman
Lifetime Achievement Award
A native Brooklyner, Myrna Zisman attended NY School of Interior Design, Parsons and Pratt Institute, and operated her own company for thirty years. Myrna is the proud mother of three, grandmother of many, and great-grandmother of many more.
Myrna has an illustrious political history, having been elected State Committee Woman in the 41st assembly district, co-founded WINPAC, served as chairperson of several pro-Israel missions to Washington DC and taken part of Mayor Giuliani’s Commission on Protocol. Myrna was one of 10 New Yorkers who joined Mayor Giuliani’s trip to Israel after the first bus bombings. She has also worked on Governor George Pataki’s first campaign for governor and was then appointed by Governor Pataki to serve on the NYS Commission on the Status of Women and the NY-Israel cultural exchange. She is the first woman to hold the position of trustee of the Village of Cedarhurst and was awarded “Woman of the Year” of Nassau County by legislator Jeff Toback. Myrna is always one to step up for the community, sitting on numerous boards including the JCC of Five Towns, Kulanu, and Keren Or.
Myrna was inspired to join Emunah through her mother, Sally Lasker a”h, who became involved with Emunah when it was still Hapoel Mizrachi, and Myrna followed in her footsteps. Myrna’s contributions to Emunah have been invaluable. Together with her husband Leibel a”h, Myrna established the Leibel a”h & Myrna Zisman Center for Torah & Art Study Scholarship program. Myrna serves as Emunah’s ambassador-At-Large.
Rubin Margules
Man of the Year
Rubin Margules began his career as a Zionist activist when he graduated high school a semester early to travel to Israel to work on the religious Kibbutz Tirat Tzvi, when no organized programs existed. Since that time, he has committed his time, energy, and finances towards worthy causes dedicated to strengthening the Jewish State.
During the Six-Day War, he organized his first fundraiser for Israel. Before it was popular to do so, Rubin rallied behind the settlement enterprise and supported the very first Jewish town in Yesha - Kiryat Arba. "I just felt very strongly, like every Jew should, that this Land was ours," he said.
Rubin, a graduate of City University of New York and The Harvard University Graduate School of Business, has made a career in real estate investment and management while he has devoted much of his time and energy to a wide variety of Jewish causes.
He has addressed many forums on behalf of Israel and made numerous trips to towns in Judea, Samaria and Gaza delivering a strong message of solidarity and support. In the last few years, his generosity and activism has spread to Bet El, for which he has organized an event and encouraged others to get involved.
Perhaps the flagship project of Mr. Margules is his Purim distribution of Mishloach Manot bringing smiles to the faces of over 9,000 IDF soldiers each year. Hundreds of people contribute to this initiative in which Rubin leads a mission of activists to bring the gifts, with song and a letter from Yeshiva students, to IDF soldiers on the frontlines all over the country.
Rubin's wife Cecelia Margules serves as a National Board Member of Emunah of America and co-chairs the Holocaust Study Center at Emunah College in Baka, Jerusalem. Together, Cecelia and Rubin are an integral partner to continue Emunah’s important work.
He was awarded the Shomer Yisrael Award from the Bet El Yeshiva Center. He also served for 10 years as President of his Congregation the Manhattan Beach Jewish Center and serves on various local community organizations. He has been politically active since his high school days and most recently was active with the NYS Republican Organization and the Republican Presidents Club.
Today, Rubin serves as President of the Brooklyn Region of the Zionist Organization of America and he is a member of the ZOA’s National Board and a national Vice-President. He is also an active member of the board of the Jerusalem Reclamation Project. Most recently he has become a Member of the board of the American Friends of Ariel University.
Lisa & Jonathan Schechter
Dor L'Dor
Lisa and Jonathan have been married for twenty years and have resided in Englewood, New Jersey since 2004. They are the proud parents of Sarah, Alexandra and Jackson. Lisa is a past president of the Gela Feldman Chapter of Emunah in Englewood as well as a co-chairperson for the Empowered Women’s Luncheon, the chapter teas and bake sales, and has hosted events in her home.Jonathan and Lisa have assumed leadership roles in a variety of communal organizations. Lisa is an active member on the Board of Trustees of The Moriah School, and Jonathan previously served on the Board for many years. Together, Lisa and Jonathan have co-chaired the annual Moriah Golf Outing and the Annual Moriah Dinner. Lisa is an active member of the MAP (Moriah Auxilliary of Parents) board, and the FPA (Frisch Parents Association) board for which she has run numerous events. Jonathan is a member of the Frisch annual campaign committee. Lisa and Jonathan are actively involved in their synagogue, Congregation Ahavath Torah, where Lisa served on the welcoming committee and chaired sisterhood events, and Jonathan previously served as a Board member.
Jonathan and Lisa’s dedication to Emunah is not theirs alone. Jonathan’s grandmother, Yetta Geisler was a past president and a beloved lifetime member, who generously gave of her time to the cause. The tradition of Emunah involvement has made its way through the generations. Jonathan and Lisa’s children have followed in their parents’ footprints by donating their birthday presents to Bet Elazraki, throwing a bat Mitzvah celebration for the Bet Elazraki girls during the Mother-Daughter Mission to Israel, raising money for Bet Elazraki and Emunah, baking babkes and performing in a benefit concert.
Samantha Bryk
Young Leadership Award
Samantha Bryk, daughter of Tammy and Hillel Bryk, was born in Jamaica Estates, but currently lives in the East Village. Samantha attended Midreshet Amit Seminary and went on to continue her education at NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study with a concentration in business, marketing, and nonprofit work.
Chessed is not just something Samantha does, it’s in her blood. She was inspired to become involved with philanthropic work through the amazing Chessed of her mother and her grandparents. Samantha rises to any and every occasion to do Chessed, dedicating both her volunteer and working hours to help others. She’s been involved in multiple organizations dedicated to philanthropic work- such as Amit, Sharsheret, Good St., State Bags, and many more.
Samantha has been actively involved in Emunah’s work for many years, beginning by volunteering on Bet Elazraki after her junior year in high school. Samantha spent her summers after her freshman and sophomore years of college being a coordinator for the Kol Hanearim summer program at Achuzat Sara, an Emunah home in Bnei Brak, where she helped to provide a stable and loving environment for children in need, and she continues to stay involved through coordinating and party planning Emunah events.