Honorees
For Historic Work on Taylor Force Act
Tracy and Sander Gerber, Upper West Side residents for over two decades first became involved with the MJE Community through their friendship with Jill and Mark Wildes. Tracy, a native New Yorker, was a classmate of Jill’s at Wurzweiler School of Social Work where she received a Master’s Degree, and where her passion for Kiruv began. As an undergraduate, Tracy attended the Fashion Institute of Technology and earned her bachelor’s degree in advertising and design.
Sander, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer of Hudson Bay Capital Management LP, a multi strategy hedge fund, hails from Ann Arbor, Michigan. He graduated Cum Laude from the University of Pennsylvania, with a BSE in Finance from Wharton and a BA in Humanistic Philosophy from the College. Upon graduation, Sander became an Associate Consultant at Bain and Company and then began his investment career in 1991, acting as a market maker on the American Stock Exchange. In 1997, he founded Gerber Asset Management LLC and in late 2005, Sander formed Hudson Bay Capital where he is the Chief Executive officer.
In addition to making his mark in the financial world, Sander’s advocacy for Israel is legendary. He served as a member of the AIPAC Board of Directors from 2004 to 2016. In 2006, President Bush appointed Sander to be a Trustee of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars where he became Chairman of the Investment Management Committee and a member of the Audit Committee; In 2008, President Bush reappointed and elevated him to be the institute’s Vice Chairman where he served until 2016. In November 2017, Mr. Gerber was awarded the 2017 JINSA Henry M Jackson Distinguished Service Award for championing the Taylor Force Act.
He has co-authored and published several articles in the WSJ, The Hill, The Commentary and the Jerusalem Post on the pay to slay Palestinian legislation reflecting his passion and commitment to saving Jewish lives.
Sander is a fellow at the Jerusalem Center of Public Affairs and also a member of The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and The New York Economic Club. Sander is formerly Vice President of the Brighton Beach Shorefront YMHA, Co-Chair UJA Jewish Continuity Commission, Chairman of the Ben Gamla Charter School, and past member of the Board of Directors of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, as well as The Yeshiva Ketana of Manhattan.
Sander and Tracy are the proud parents of 7 and they all look forward to going to Washington to see the Taylor Force Act signed in to legislation.
Tracy and Sander are delighted to be honorees. MJE holds a special place in their hearts and they are very committed to the work that MJE does.
Rabbanit Malke Bina, a true pioneer, was born in Baltimore, a child of Holocaust survivors. She has a Master’s Degree in Bible and History from the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Yeshiva University. Part of the initial group of foreign students at the Michlala College for Women in Jerusalem, she made aliyah in 1971 and began teaching at the Evelina de Rothschild High School. She stood out as one of the first teachers in Israel to teach her female students Talmud and Halakha, imbuing them with Zionism and a love of learning Torah. In 1982 she was sent as part of one of the early delegations from Israel’s Foreign Ministry to Russia to support and encourage Russian Jews to be ready to leave for Israel; helping to light the spark of Judaism and Zionism.Rabbanit Bina had a revolutionary dream to open a Beit Midrash for women to learn Torah at the highest levels, creating sought after educators and leaders who would become change agents for women in Jewish society. In 1988 her dream was realized; she founded Matan: The Sadie Rennert Women’s Institute for Torah Learning in Jerusalem. Since that time Matan has expanded nationally with branches in Ra’anana, Beit Shemesh, Hashmonaim, Zichron Yaakov, Netanya, Modiin, Beer Sheva and Rehovot. Matan has created innovative advanced Beit Midrash programs that influence and transform the Jewish world, in Israel and beyond, as well as multifaceted community programs that bring Torah learning beyond the walls of the Beit Midrash to students from wide-ranging backgrounds, all united by their thirst to learn Torah, Talmud and Halakha.
Over the years Rabbanit Bina has received a number of distinguished awards including The Hadassah Women’s prize for her important work in Advanced Jewish Studies for Women (2002), an honorary doctorate from Yeshiva University for her lifetime achievement in teaching Torah to women, Aliyah, education and social service (2006), Emunah’s Woman of the Year (2008), and the Bonei Zion Prize for outstanding Anglo Olim who have contributed in a significant way towards the State of Israel (2014).
Malke and her husband Rav Aharon Bina, Rosh Yeshiva of Netiv Aryeh, have five children and many grandchildren.
Adam Weinstein is a Managing Director at New Mountain Capital, an investment firm with over $20 billion assets under management. He joined that firm in 2005. At New Mountain, he serves as the Chief Financial Officer of the overall platform. Specifically, he spends his time helping to run the administration of the firm on a day to day basis, helping to oversee firm management and operations with the CEO, and helping drive strategy and firm and investment process. He is involved with portfolio company oversight, business development/marketing and is also responsible for the day to day oversight of the finance, fund operations, investor reporting and all administrative functions across the firms' business lines. He also serves as an Executive Vice President and is on the Board of Directors of New Mountain Finance Corporation, a publicly traded business development company (Ticker: NMFC). He also currently serves as a director of Bellerophon.
He is a New York State Certified Public Accountant and received his B.S., summa cum laude, from Binghamton University. He is the President and on the Management Committee and Board of the New York Alternative Investment Roundtable and is on the board of the Private Equity CFO Association. He also writes articles and thought pieces and speaks on various panels regarding issues affecting the alternative investment industry.
On the philanthropic side, he is also the Chairman of the Board of the Great Oaks Foundation, a lead not for profit charter school organization. He is passionate about kiruv and outreach organizations and sits on the board and has been involved with a number of kiruv organizations including Chabad, Hillel, Taglit Birthright Israel and has been on the board of the Manhattan Jewish Experience for a number of years. He also heads the grant board for a private foundation he founded, the Weinstein Family Foundation, which is devoted to kiruv work, education and hunger needs in the community.
Jodi Weinstein, is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist in New York City originally from Chicago, Illinois. She received her Bachelor’s and Master's Degrees in Nutrition, Food Studies and Dietetics from New York University. Until 2011, Jodi was the Clinical Nutrition Coordinator at The Tisch Cancer Institute at Mount Sinai Hospital where she worked closely with all types of cancer patients. She also led a comprehensive weight management class at a fitness center. Additionally, Jodi wrote a book called “Tell Me What to Eat Before, During and After Cancer Treatment,” and has been interviewed as a nutrition expert for television and newspapers. Jodi spent her childhood very involved in the Jewish community in the Chicago area. She attended Ida Crown Jewish Academy, Bnei Akiva and Camp Moshava Wild Rose. She now proudly helps to raises our four children Noah (5), Ella (4), Zoey (2) and Mack (1).
Alumni of the Year
Erik and Jen met at a Torah class given in the summer of 2013, at an MJE’rs apartment on the Upper West Side. They ran into each other at Shabbat dinners and get-togethers over the next few months. In March of 2014, Erik finally asked Jennifer out, and five months later they were married. They now have two adorable sons, Albie and baby Ben. Albie, now two years old, enjoys playing “Shababa”, “Shabbat Shalom”, and “Bim Bom” on his guitar, and Ben, ten months old, sings and smiles along. Jennifer was born in Manhattan and grew up in Westchester and attended Heathcote Elementary School and Scarsdale Junior High School. After moving with her family back to Manhattan, she went to Birch Wathen Lennox High School, and then earned her Bachelors and Masters in Education and Special Education at Tufts University and Bank Street College, respectively. Jen taught at The Park East Day School and The Parkside School, and others, for over 20 years. A high school and college basketball star, Jen recently brought Albie to his first basketball clinic. Eighteen years ago, Jen attended her first MJE service on the fourth floor of The Jewish Center. Over the years, Jen joined one-on-one learning, was an MJE Fellow, and attended countless Torah classes and Shabbat meals. She went on two MJE trips to Israel, one for the first time since high school, and marched with Rabbi Wildes in the Israeli Day Parades. If MJE put it on, Jen went to it, including retreats, parties, and dinners. Jen’s journey culminated with six weeks of learning at Midrashet Rachelle in Har Nof. She continues to enjoy Jewish learning and hosting Shabbat meals, classes and children’s Shabbat music classes.
Erik grew up in a Conservative family in Lakewood, NJ (yes, that Lakewood) and attended Bezalel Hebrew Days School, and then a tiny high school in a remodeled farmhouse called Lakewood Prep in Howell, NJ. He graduated with a BS in Electrical Engineering from Columbia University, then took a job in Maryland with the U.S. Department of Defense, where he developed intelligence and cryptographic systems. While at DoD, Erik earned his Masters in Electrical Engineering from The Johns Hopkins University, and after working for more than a decade with the Government, Erik moved back to NYC and eventually co-founded Trustwave, a commercial cybersecurity company, where he served as CTO for many years. Besides technology, Erik’s interests include restoring old cars, and he’s an instrument rated private pilot. After getting engaged to Jen, Erik was introduced to (and vetted by) Rabbi Wildes, and has been an honorary MJE’r ever since. He and Jen are now searching together for an “MJE in the Burbs” (hint hint Rabbi Wildes).
Couple of the Year
Barrie and Avi first met in college. Barrie had just returned from Young Judea’s Year Course in Israel and Avi had just returned from service in the Israel Defense Forces. There was an instant connection, and they bonded over their recent time in Israel, but the timing was wrong. Fast forward thirteen years, and the two, who had been out of touch all these years, independently chose to attend a pro-Israel fundraiser co-hosted by mutual friends. This time, the timing was right.Barrie grew up in LA and attended The Heschel School until the age of 11. Her family moved to Westchester where she attended local Public High Schools. Outside of school, Barrie was involved in Young Judea’s Zionist Youth Movement, attending their year-round activities and summer camps. Her love for Israel drove her to take a gap year there on Young Judea’s Year Course where she decided she wanted to return to Israel for Medical School. Barrie received her BA in History from Binghamton University and returned to Israel where she received her MD from Sackler Medical School in Tel Aviv. She returned to the United States completing both her internal medicine residency and fellowship training at Mount Sinai Hospital. She has been an Endocrine Attending at the Faculty Practice of Mount Sinai Hospital since completing her training.
Avi grew up in Great Neck, NY and attended The North Shore Hebrew Academy and Ramaz Upper School. Outside of school, Avi was involved in the National Council of Synagogue Youth (NCSY). Avi’s love for Israel drove him to take a gap year there, studying at Yeshivat HaKibutz HaDati and eventually serving in the Israel Defense Forces’ Golani Brigade as a combat commander. Avi returned to the US completing his BA in Philosophy from Binghamton University. Avi began his career on Wall Street and left it for more entrepreneurial pursuits which currently include 1-877-SPIRITS.com (an e-commerce company for wine and spirits) ScaleAbout (a Jerusalem based Influencer marketing engagement platform), and private mortgage lending. Outside the office, Avi serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Council of Young Jewish Presidents, UJA’s Retail & E-Commerce Division and Wine & Spirits Division and a member of AIPAC’s Congressional Club. Avi was Chairman of AIPAC’s Young Leadership Council and served on the Executive Board of Friends of the IDF’s Young Leadership Division.
Barrie and Avi are the proud parents of Aiden Rose and Zev Jacob who both enjoy dancing and playing at MJE shabbat services. Barrie and Avi feel truly blessed to have such wonderul parents, Marcia and Alan Weinstein and Helen and Harvey Ishofsky who have served as shining examples through the years.
Barrie and Avi are delighted to be honorees at this year’s dinner. MJE holds a special place in their hearts. It has played an integral role in their lives for many years, and has given them the tools to build a beautiful Jewish home together for the future.
Student of the Year
For the past three years, MJE has been an integral part of Danny’s life. He began attending Rabbi Mark Wildes’ Monday evening classes in 2014 and continued his religious and spiritual growth by participating in the MJE Fellowship program in 2016 – 2017, which concluded with an inspirational trip to Israel. He enjoys the full spectrum of MJE’s events, including Friday Night Lights, the Winter and Spring Retreats, Wednesday night learning, and especially Shabbat morning services. All of these activities enabled Danny to lead a beginner’s weekly minyan service every Wednesday morning under the mentorship of Rabbi Josh Klein.Danny grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota where, from an early age, his family instilled in him the importance of maintaining a strong Jewish identity. He attended Torah Academy from kindergarten until eighth grade, after which he attended The Blake School, a small college preparatory high school. Danny graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2005 with a B.A. in Economics. He currently works as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC, where he specializes personal financial planning.
Danny is delighted to be an honoree. Having made many friends in this warm and welcoming community, MJE is near and dear to his heart. Special thanks to Rabbi Mark Wildes, Rabbi Josh Klein, Ruthie Braffman Shulman, Rabbi Pinny Rosenthal, Rabbi Jonathan Feldman, Rabbi Ezra Cohen, and Atara Neuer. Each of them has given him the inspiration and tools to build a beautiful Jewish life.