Twenty-Five Under 25: The official countdown begins!

#25) Anthony Bolchover, 20

Anthony Bolchover

A “relentless campaigner”, Anthony is a regular voice on LBC radio and online arguing the case for Israel and calling out antisemitism. The 20-year-old is driven by his passion for Zionism and his belief that engaging in public debate is a worthwhile activity, even if it makes him unpopular. Last September, Anthony volunteered with a Jewish community in Eastern Uganda, an experience he found “exhilarating and somewhat audacious”. Part of the first cohort of UJIA Israel Fast Track and now involved in Bnei Akiva as a madrich, he has a bright communal future.

#24) Nina Morris-Evans, 22

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Nina Morris-Evans

A “dignified young leader for progressive Jews”, Nina rose to prominence after organising the controversial ‘Kaddish for Gaza’ in 2018. She has helped to launch Na’amod, a movement campaigning to end British-Jewish support for the Israeli occupation, although her communal activity extends much further than anti-occupation activism. Last year, she served as president and Interfaith Rep of Oxford University JSoc. She built exceptional relationships with the Islamic Society and Christian Union, working on successful interfaith Ramadan Iftars and even engaging Malala Yousafzai.

#23) Zak Wagman, 21

Zak Wagman

A former StandWithUs Emerson Fellow and executive member of Warwick University’s Jewish-Israeli Society, Zak has an “exemplary” record delivering Israel education. His standout event was bringing former vice-president of the Israeli Supreme Court, Justice Elyakim Rubinstein, to Warwick. Zak also helped to organise a Eurovision 2019 event, which was attended by 1,500 students. The 21-year-old recently ran to be a Conservative Party councillor, falling short but achieving an 11 percent swing. He will be working in retail management next year and aspires to stand for political office again.

#22) Rafi Cohen, 23

Rafi Cohen

Rafi Cohen is unquestionably Mr Bnei Akiva. For eight years, he has held leadership positions in BA, now serving as mazkir of the UK’s largest Jewish youth movement. An “effective and expert educator with outstanding leadership skills”, he has successfully overseen the entire movement and its ideological direction, as well as professionalising internal management processes. He was recently praised for introducing several changes to protect the welfare of madrichim over winter camp. Widely viewed as a custodian and proponent of religious Zionism, he has left his mark on a generation of young leaders.

#21) Hershy Tunk, 24

Hershy Tunk

Hershy is the founder and director of Lecheiris UK, working with more than 200 volunteers to support families going through difficult times. Activities include transporting people to hospital, delivering food and supporting young people worried about sick family members. Warmly described as “hard working with a heart of gold”, he and his team have helped more than 5,000 people in the past four years. Hershy has skilfully adapted his organisation to the recent Covid-19 pandemic, setting up a new WhatsApp group for temporary volunteers to help those quarantined with their shopping and prescription collections.

#20) James Harris, 20

James Harris

Union of Jewish Students (UJS) president-elect James’ dedication to Jewish student activism has received widespread acclaim. As president of Birmingham University JSoc, he ran a string of successful events to improve inclusively and accessibility, including the first Reform Friday night service. He also worked closely with the Guild of Students to combat antisemitism, reporting a lecturer who promoted Holocaust denial content, as well as ensuring a society abusing Jewish students was barred. Nationally, he engages with the UJS providing students around the country with advice on combating antisemitism.

#19) Noah Libson, 21

Noah Libson

Noah chairs the youth committee of Noam, where he holds the movement workers and staff to account, as well as mentoring younger members. Most notably, he produced an Israel at 70 project, in which ‘Noamniks’ chose a memorable picture since Israel’s independence and wrote about what it meant to them and their personal connection to Israel. He also represents Yachad on the Board of Deputies, speaking on the need to engage with younger members of the community. He features frequently in the media discussing Labour’s antisemitism crisis, including on the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire Show.

#18) Tamara Berens, 21

Tamara Berens

Tamara made headlines last year as president of King’s College London (KCL) Israel Society, fighting discrimination against Israel speakers and, working with UK Lawyers for Israel, she convinced KCL to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition. She served as CAMERA Campus Associate for two years, helping students run events to counteract anti-Israel narratives. Tamara is currently the inaugural Krauthammer Fellow at Mosaic magazine in New York, where she addressed delegates at the Jewish Leadership Conference alongside former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.

#17) Daniel Sacks, 22

Daniel Sacks

As president of Birmingham University JSoc, Daniel revolutionised religious student learning and leadership. He organised a cross-denomination Shabbaton and brought students and locals together through a regular ‘klunch’. Working with Mizrachi UK, he bolstered numbers attending the Student Bet Midrash and started a Modern Orthodox Zionist Students WhatsApp group for students to share a dvar Torah. He also developed interfaith relations and worked closely with West Midlands Police to tackle antisemitism. He hopes to make aliyah and work in either Chinuch, a start-up or politics.

#16) Emma Jacobs, 22

Emma Jacobs from We Are British Jews. (Image Credit: BC/Lion TV/Strahila Royachka. Photographer: Strahila Royachka)

Already a successful Jewish media personality, having starred in the show We are British Jews, Emma undoubtedly has a bright future. The 22-year-old is currently a freelance producer for Sky News, having written previously for The Times, The Guardian and The Huffington Post. Emma regularly uses her platform to campaign on vital issues, most recently featuring on BBC News to discuss the importance of young people engaging in politics. A highly active student leader, Emma sits on the National Council of UJS and was Leeds JSoc campaigns officer, where she hosted Israel/Palestine speakers and even ran hummus making workshops.

#15) Chana Be’eri, 24

Chana Be’eri

Chana has been highly lauded as a movement worker for Bnei Akiva (BA) over the past two years. As Israel worker, she secured the largest number of Israel Tour participants in 2018, while growing the Gap Year programme. Now, as education worker, she has developed interactive educational resources for the 19 BA chapters nationwide. Chana advocates for increased roles and responsibilities for young Jewish women, recently setting up a programme with the United Synagogue and Mizrachi UK that trains female university students to become educators in the Anglo Orthodox community.

#14) Amber Pinto, 22

Amber Pinto

Amber is the “phenomenal” former coordinator of the StandWithUs UK Sixth Form Leadership Programme. She managed the six-month programme on Israel and antisemitism across 20 schools, while engaging 20,000 people a day on social media by producing sharable content. She is also a former Student Union president at the New College of the Humanities, where she successfully lobbied for the student areas to be refurbished and organised freshers’ week for 100 students. She has worked at the Israeli Embassy as an intern trade officer, and after graduation plans to work in the financial sector.

#13) Yoni Stone, 24

Yoni Stone

As mazkir of Noam, Yoni is a committed youth movement leader who is “universally liked and respected”. A capable manager, he was recently praised for moving Noam online to deal with the Covid-19 restrictions. He also co-chairs the Zionist Youth Council, where he liaises with the Jewish Leadership Council and Board of Deputies. A former president of the Oxford University JSoc, he won JSoc of the year at the UJS Awards, and was heavily involved in fighting antisemitism at the Oxford University Labour Club. Smart and strategic, Yoni certainly has a bright future in communal and lay activity.

#12) Jack Lubner, 18

Jack Lubner

Jack is one of the Jewish Labour Movement’s youth and students officers. His letter calling for Chris Williamson’s expulsion from Labour was signed by 500 Young Labour members. He set up Barnet Young Labour in 2018, organising Youth Question Time events and a conference. He also sits on the LGBT+ Labour committee and co-wrote an article with Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner calling on the party to keep Ofsted’s power to enforce LGBT+ inclusive education. Most recently, Most recently, he was active in Ruth Smeeth’s campaign in Stoke and was in Israel with RSY-Netzer Shnat.

#11) Nathan Boroda, 21

Nathan Boroda

Nathan has combined his commitment to his Jewish, Labour and Manchester identity through his involvement in the leadership of the North West branch of the Jewish Labour Movement. He has a strong
and growing network, and is in direct contact with many of the Manchester and North West MPs. The 21-year-old is also the first person in nearly 40 years to have sat on the UJS National Council and Labour Students National Committee. Praised as the “ultimate Jewish student leader”, Nathan will undoubtedly be a key figure in Manchester’s political and Jewish community in years to come.

• READ MORE – Twenty Five Under 25: The young trailblazers set to shape our future  

While offically beginning our countdown, honourable mentions must go to these young (but not young enough) go-getters!

• Amos Schonfield, 27 – Founder of Our Second Home & Vashti; youth rep for Yachad at the Board of Deputies; leader of Young Deputies and former mazkir, Noam
• Hannah Brady, 26 -Co-chair, Limmud Festival 2019/ former president Union of Jewish Students; former mazkir, Noam
• Josh Harris, 25 – Co-Chair of JAMI young committee Deputies and
  former mazkir, Noam
• Levi Schapiro, 26 – Founder of JCC Stamford Hill
• Miriam Mirwitch, 26 – National chair of Young LabourUK. Fulham fan. Former mazkir, Noam
• Binyomin Gilbert, 25 – Programme manager, Campaign Against Antisemitism
• Hannah Reuben, 25 – Former mazkira, Bnei Akiva; project director, United Synagogue Living and Learning
• Josh Nagli, 26 – Head of Jewish Civil Service Network (JNet) and former campaigns officer of UJS
• Liron Velleman, 25 – Worked night and day for Remain in the EU referendum. Jewish Labour Movement and former campaigns UJS, now Hope not Hate
• Natacha Woodcock, 26 – Operations manager, UJS
• Dalia Fleming, 27 – Executive director, Keshet UK, aimed at ensuring inclusion of Jewish LGBT+ people and their families in Jewish life in the UK
• Izzy Lenga, 26 – BBC Panorama documentary; London Labour Executive Committee & Former VP Welfare NUS
• Josh Seitler, 25 – Community engagement at the Office of the Chief Rabbi and former UJS President
• Marcus Mendleson, 27 – Programme director of Aish Essex Jewish life in the UK
• Oli Davidson, 26 – Co-founder, Laviot, a community of queer Jewish women
• Eli Gaventa, 26 – Israel engagment educator, UJIA; organising teams of Limmud and Tzedek and a youth worker
• Jake Berger, 25 – Education policy and youth engagement officer,
  the Board of Deputies of British Jews
• Joshua Garfield, 25 – Labour parliamentary candidate in 2019 – future Labour star
• Mathilde Frot, 26 – Jewish News reporter
• Rachel Miller, 26 – Community engagement manager at Jewish Care
• Ella Rose, 26 – Former national director of the Jewish Labour Movement and former president, UJS
• Josh Gaventa, 25 – Youth director, boxer and mental health advocate
• Joshua Pelled, 25 – Founder and CEO of BrightFuturesUK and twice cancer survivor
• Michael Rubin, 27 Deputy director, Labour Friends of Israel, former chair, Labour Students
• Rebecca Viney, 27 – Middle East peace process & Occupied Palestinian Territories desk officer

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