The Top 100 People Positively Influencing Jewish Life, 2021

In honor of The Algemeiner’s eighth annual gala, we are delighted to unveil our eighth ‘J100’ list of the top one hundred individuals who have positively influenced Jewish life this past year. Before you work your way through this exciting list, we wanted to first share some of the thoughts that we discussed as we developed it. If we could group these ideas together, the first would be about creating lists, in general; then, what’s unique about lists and Judaism; some finer points differentiating our honorees from the organizations they lead; and important reflections on all those every day and anonymous-to-us heroes we also want to celebrate without ever knowing their names. And, of course, to thank everyone who helped create the list and worked hard to put together our ‘J100’ gala.

It’s no secret that the Jewish community and the Jewish state of Israel has seen significant and rising challenges over the past 12 months, specifically during the Gaza war in May. History has shown that misinformation and false accusations lead to hate speech, which rapidly evolves into the widespread attacks on Jewish people that we saw in cities around the world. It affirmed for us our shared long-held belief that truth saves lives. As such, in the compilation of this year’s ‘J100’ list we’ve placed particular emphasis on those standing at the forefront of the battle for truth. We hope you find your review of the list to be as valuable as we did.

On Lists

There are lists, and there are lists. From the Forbes 400 to the Time 100, we are witness today to a proliferation of many lists in various magazines and newspapers. The New Yorker even made a list of The Hundred Best Lists of All Time! It seems that in the feeding frenzy of our information overloaded society, categorizations and listings get our attention by presumably helping us make sense of the data flooding our psyches. Lists also carry an element of sensationalism – who made the list, who didn’t – feeding the hunger for competition – yet another staple of our superficial times. No wonder we don’t find such popularity contests waged in earlier centuries; living as desert nomads or inside of a shtetl, where everyone knew virtually no one else but their neighbors by name (for good or for bad), did not exactly lend itself to creating a top ten list of favorites. This is an exclusive product of the communications revolution and the global village it created.

Jewish Lists

Jewish sages, in particular, did not create such lists. Indeed, some actually dismissed the categorization of lists (even of the 13 Principles of Faith of Maimonides, let alone of a list of the “best” one thing or another). It begs the uneasy question of how one can even attempt to measure the value of a person? Isn’t everyone a hero in some way? On what grounds can we presume to judge who is more valuable than the next? With the ‘J100’ list we tried to create something more meaningful, a list aligned with our core mission: the 100 people who have the most positive impact on Jewish life and Israel – men and women, Jew or non-Jew, who have lifted the quality of Jewish life in the past year. Think of it this way: Without these ‘J100’ – either the individuals or the organizations they represent – Jewish life would not be at the caliber it is today. Despite the artificial, superficial, and sensational nature of any list, we sought to transform the information deluge of our times by using the list to shine a spotlight on those gems in our midst, those people who are making a real difference in others’ lives.

We also seek to inspire and motivate our young and the next generation, our future emerging leaders, in rising to the occasion and perpetuating the highest standards of our proud tradition and legacy – in serving and championing the cause of Jews and Israel. Because, as we know, when the quality of Jewish life is raised, the quality of all lives is raised. However, the most exciting part of our work in choosing the ‘J100,’ frankly, was sifting through hundreds of candidates and nominees to discover some surprising finalists. It was a joy to see the breadth of all those who merited a mention, to understand some of the great work being performed around the world on behalf of the Jewish people, and to celebrate their victories by bringing this great work to renewed public attention via this endeavor.

Individual vs. Organization

Inevitably, any list recognizing those that have positively influenced Jewish life will include the “usual suspects,” well-known leaders and officials of governments, organizations, and institutions. Like it or not, bureaucracy is part of the fabric of our society, feeding and supporting Jewish life around the globe, and it is that fabric that provides strength and cohesion to our disparate Jewish population.

Not all the names on the ‘J100’ were included for the same reason. Some are being honored for their personal contributions, others for their work at the organizations or nations they head. Some on the ‘J100’ are long established stars, others newcomers.

Like in any dynamic entity, we included both stalwart leaders with deep roots holding the foundation, while also introducing new branches that will lead us into the future.

This type of list – “The top 100 people positively influencing Jewish life” – has its inherent challenges. First, what defines “positive”? What some consider positive, others consider destructive. Jews notoriously disagree on what positive impact means. Fully cognizant of the controversy such a list could stir, we approached the creation of this list with a particular strategy, infused with a sense of humility and respect, to be as all-inclusive as possible while maintaining our integrity. This list should not be seen as an endorsement of anyone or any entity and way of thinking; rather, the people on this list are a reflection of the rich and broad spectrum of Jewish life – those who have positively contributed and helped shape the Jewish future.

We want this list to not be a definitive one, but a type of snapshot and perspective of the Jewish world today. The ‘J100’ is far from perfect – but which list of this type would not be? Rather, we want it to serve as a provocateur, challenging us all to think about what we value and consider precious; what we honor as being a positive influence on Jewish life and on Israel.

Anonymous Heroes

Jewish life, now and throughout history, is fraught with innumerable heroes – mostly unsung. A mother unceremoniously bringing up a beautiful family. A quiet nurse attending to the ill. An anonymous philanthropist sending food packages to the needy. The unobtrusive kindergarten teacher lovingly attending to and shaping young lives. Positive influences abound, yet few are called out.

Moreover, the Jewish community is decentralized. A leader in one city or town who has a major impact on their community may be completely irrelevant in another city. No list – not of 100, not of 1,000 – could capture and do justice to the countless daily acts of heroism and nobility impacting Jews and Israel.

There are innumerable rabbis, lay leaders, educators, and administrators who are beloved and are transforming their Jewish communities. As important as these individuals may be – and they certainly deserve their own list – the ‘J100’ does not include these heroes. Instead it focuses on individuals that have global and international impact, and that come from diverse groups – such as writers, teachers, government officials, and NGOs. In some ways, the ‘J100’ should be looked at not as a bunch of disjointed individuals, but as a mosaic – a confluence of many different colors and hues that create a diverse painting.

Thank You

In the spirit of The Algemeiner, we want this list to lift the quality of our discourse and standards in seeking out the best within and among us. We hope you enjoy reviewing and studying this list, and we welcome all your feedback, critiques, and suggestions to be included next year, in what has become a tradition at our annual gala event.

We extend our deep gratitude to our ‘J100’ honorees and special guests, to those who support this great institution, and ultimately to our readers, the Jewish people, and friends of the Jewish people whom we serve.

Disclosure: Algemeiner staff and their immediate families were disqualified for inclusion on the list. Some of the ‘J100’ finalists are friends and associates of The Algemeiner. As a media entity with many relationships, The Algemeiner inevitably has many friends and supporters; yet we didn’t feel it fair to disqualify highly qualified candidates simply due to their connection with us. Instead, fully cognizant of that reality, we placed special emphasis on impartiality and objectivity to choose only those who fit the criteria.

— The Algemeiner editors

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Allan Jacob

Doctor

Dr. Allan Jacob is the president of Toras Emes Academy of Miami and chairman of the Rabbinical Seminary of America. In 2021, he was the driving force behind the formation of the Jewish Leadership Coalition for School Choice (JLCSC) – a partnership with the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America that represents more than 5,000 students. The JLC will capitalize on the strengths of its member organizations in order to support Jewish schools in Florida, galvanize segments of Florida’s Jewish community for school choice, and train and deploy lay leaders to effectively advocate for Jewish education. As Jacob pointed out in an opinion piece for the Wall Street Journal, Orthodox families on low incomes still require private schools for religious instruction. “That’s why many young families up north are enticed by Florida’s robust menu of state-supported private-school scholarships, worth on average about $7,500 a year, as well as expanded benefits for children with a wide range of disabilities,” Jacob emphasized. (Photo: Twitter)

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Ariel Lurie

Activist

Aryeh Lurie is the founder and director of Yad Ezra V’Shulamit, an Israeli humanitarian organization dedicated to the needs of impoverished families, regardless of religious affiliation, ethnicity, age, and location of residence. The group distributes 3,000 food baskets every week, and 15,000 more during holiday seasons. The children who attend Yad Ezra V’Shulamit Children’s Centers are provided with a nutritious meal, academic tutoring, and an enriching social environment. Lurie -- who lives with his family in Jerusalem and was himself born into an impoverished home -- made a personal promise to overcome the challenges of poverty, achieve financial stability, and help others do so as well. He named the organization after his parents and modeled it according to the values of charity and kindness which they instilled in their family and community. (Photo: Yad Ezra)

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Clive Mashishi

Activist

South African community organizer Clive Mashishi has made the fight against antisemitism his own, combating Holocaust denial, conspiracy theories blaming Jews for the COVID-19 pandemic and comparisons of Israel to South Africa’s former apartheid regime. In an extensive interview with The Algemeiner in March, Mashishi talked about his political journey and his embrace of Jewish causes underpinned by his Christian faith. His visit to Israel in 2018 persuaded him that the Jewish state was nothing like the white minority regime in South Africa. “I was a child during apartheid and my parents lived under it. We were segregated by law. If you rode a bus, you would see written, ‘Blacks only’. Signs were written only in Afrikaans and English. In Israel, the signs are written in Hebrew, Arabic and English.” As part of his effort to combating poverty in South Africa’s black communities, Mashishi runs a small foundation with about 15 volunteers providing children with free school uniforms, operating a soup kitchen and distributing food parcels to families in need. (Photo: Cuerius Mosala)

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Elisha Wiesel

Businessman and activist

American businessman Elisha Wiesel is the only child of Jewish writer, activist, and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel and himself an activist fighting antisemitism. Speaking at a New York City rally in solidarity with Israel in May 2021, Wiesel recalled that his father had written a book called The Jews of Silence, a reference to “American Jews who refused to speak up for their Jewish brethren across oceans and borders.” Continued Wiesel: “Once again, too many of us have shamefully become the Jews of Silence. We have spoken up for every cause but our own.” In July, Wiesel went on to organize a rally against antisemitism in Washington, DC. “I am done being angry at Jews with whom I disagree,” he wrote afterwards. “I am saving my anger for the antisemites who threaten our safety in the Diaspora and in Israel, who lie about us in the halls of Congress and in American universities, who work within social, published and broadcast media to spread bias against us.” (Photo: Zioness)

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Golan Vach

IDF leader

In one of the worst structural engineering failures in American history, Champlain Towers South -- a residential building in the Surfside district of Miami – partially collapsed on June 24, 2021, resulting in the deaths of 98 people. In the harrowing days that followed, IDF Col. Golan Vach led a team of 50 Israeli rescuers scouring through the rubble for survivors and helping with insights gleaned from decades of Israeli humanitarian assistance in earthquakes and other disasters around the world. “We are trying to be hopeful, but realistic at the same time,” Vach said of his discussions with family members of victims. He also spoke in a media interview about the Israeli team’s deep bond with local Florida rescuers. “We are going through this difficult time together. We talk every night... Sometimes we cry. It’s natural, but we are tough guys. This is our job and we will do it as best as we can,” he said. (Photo: Wikimedia / Creative Commons License)

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Lily Ebert

Author

97-year-old London resident Lily Ebert published her extraordinary memoir, Lily’s Promise: How I Survived Auschwitz and Found the Strength to Live, in 2021. The book, co-written with her 17-year-old grandson Dov Forman, recounted the death of Ebert’s mother and two youngest siblings upon their arrival at the Auschwitz camp in 1944 after being deported from Hungary, and her dedication to keeping her two other sisters alive. She and her sisters were forced to work in a munitions factory and to join a death march that they barely survived. Lily’s Promise boasts a foreword written by Prince Charles, who is a patron of the UK’s Holocaust Memorial Day Trust. (Photo: Screenshot/YouTube)

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Reuben Rotman

Activist

Reuben Rotman serves as the founding President and CEO of the recently established Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies. The Network is an international membership association which seeks to be the leading voice for the Jewish human service sector, and the go-to place for best practices, research, innovation, training and partnerships. With a focus on the needs of its 140 member organizations, the Network’s overarching goal is to strengthen its member agencies so they can better serve those who seek their help. Prior to his role with the Network, Rotman served as the Executive Director of Jewish Family Service of MetroWest New Jersey. (Photo: courtesy)

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Xiyue Wang

Activist

American doctoral student Xiyue Wang’s four-year nightmare of incarceration in an Iranian prison began in 2015, when he was arrested by the authorities on trumped up charges of espionage after being granted a visa to conduct archival research in Iran. Sentenced to ten years in jail, Wang was released in 2019 in a prisoner exchange having spent 40 months in the notorious Evin jail. Speaking at a special event sponsored by The Algemeiner in April, Wang discussed how his perceptions of Israel were changed by his direct experience of Iranian repression. He observed that he had been “sympathetic to the cause of Israel as a nation state, but I was also critical of Israel, just like most academics would be, before I went to Iran. But then, having experienced the regime firsthand, having seen how the regime conducts things — I realized that Israel’s behavior in relation to Iran is completely understandable.” (Photo: AEI.org)

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Shani Avigal

Activist

When five-year-old Ido Avigal was killed by a Hamas rocket attack on the Israeli town of Sderot in May 2021, a photo of the little boy with big brown eyes in his Mutant Ninja Turtles outfit went viral across the internet. But as the world mourned Ido’s brutal death, his mother Shani was lying in hospital with injuries sustained during the same attack, unaware of her son’s fate. In July, Shani, now recovered, and her husband Assaf organized a race in Sderot in Ido’s memory, drawing hundreds of participants. Shani reflected that Ido had left behind three “unwritten wills” — one to make sure people living in range of rockets fired from Gaza would be protected; one to teach his mother and father to be better parents; and a third to bring about his wish for solidarity among the people of Israel. (Photo: Semanario Hebreo Jai)

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Joseph Borgen

Activist

A vicious beating in broad daylight in midtown Manhattan by a gang of pro-Palestinian thugs wasn’t going to keep Joseph Borgen quiet. On May 20, Borgen was kicked, beaten and pepper-sprayed by five assailants, some of whom masked their faces with Palestinian keffiyehs, as he made his way to a pro-Israel rally in Times Square. Four of the assailants have since been arrested by the New York Police Department. In a television interview after the attack, Borgen declared that he had “been a proud Jew my entire life, I’ve lived in New York my entire life. Never once before was I accosted verbally or felt threatened by the fact that I was Jewish, for wearing a kippah, or anything of that ilk or that nature.” His ordeal, he continued, “just reinforced my faith in the people that are my brothers in this religion, just because they give me the strength to continue on.” (Screenshot / The View)

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