Her title is Federation’s Director of Missions and Exchanges, but her role is so much more. Master planner, travel agent, tour guide and host, Naomi Miller Rockowitz serves Jewish Detroit as our eyes and ears, our guide on the ground and the face of Federation in Israel.
Why go to Israel? Ask anyone who has been to Israel on a mission, a Birthright trip or a fact-finding exchange organized by the Detroit Federation. Most will tell you that their experience was eye-opening, inspiring – even life-changing.
Meet Shimon Gal Levy, 30, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Naval Captain and Harvard grad with a Master’s in Public Policy. Self-starter, team builder, entrepreneur and connoisseur of Detroit Happy Hours. Currently on tour of duty in service to the community as Federation’s Senior Strategic Advisor and a Principal “ingredient” of Detroit’s venture group, Secret Sauce Capital.
Billed as “the ride of a lifetime,” the Israel Ride delivers as promised. According to Andrea (Andy) Roisman, a veteran traveler to Israel and the sole Detroit rider on the 7-day cycling tour this past October, pedaling 250 miles through the desert from Jerusalem to Eilat was a transformative Israel experience.
Meet Nancy Grosfeld, past President of Federation, current Chair of the Centennial Fund to secure Jewish Detroit’s future; recipient of Federation’s foremost honor, the 2015 Fred M. Butzel Award in recognition of her exceptional contribution to the health, education and well-being of the community through volunteer leadership and philanthropy.