JCRC of Southern NJ's 56th Israel Advocacy Event
Celebrating American & Israeli Heroes
VIP and Sponsor reception beginning at 5:30pm
JCRC's Israel Advocacy Event (formerly Middle East Institute) is designed to educate the community and foster understanding about current topics relevant to Israel and the Middle East through experts with varying perspectives and backgrounds. It is the Jewish Community Relations Council annual showcase event and fundraiser which provides the necessary funding for our Israel Advocacy Initiative, Understanding Israel program, Teen Training programs and our Israel Educational Forum.
2025 Keynote Speaker
Rudy Rochman was born in France and grew up moving around the world. At the age of 17, he enlisted in the IDF Paratroopers and served in the 101st Airborne Brigade. After the army, Rudy chose to pursue his bachelor’s degree at Columbia University since it was then listed as the #1 most antisemitic school in North America. There, he founded the grassroots pro-Israel movement on campus, which revolutionized campus discourse and quickly became a model for international Jewish rights movements worldwide. Rudy has a large social media presence with over 600k followers and videos which have racked up millions of views. His work primarily focuses on shifting the global, ideological, and political conversations regarding the Jewish People & Israel, uniting sectors of Israeli society, locating & bringing awareness to the disconnected Tribes of Israel worldwide, and generating innovative ways to combat antisemitism. On October 7th, 2023, Rudy was called up for war as a reservist in the IDF Paratroopers 55th Brigade and was sent to Kfar Aza to fight Hamas, as one of the first respondents to stop the massacre taking place. Following that, Rudy’s unit was the first team sent into Khan Yunis, Gaza where he served for 2 months until their release in February 2024.
2025 Israel Advocacy Award Recipient
Col. Nelson Mellitz continues a nearly 80-year family legacy of serving the Jewish community by combating antisemitism, supporting Israel, and supporting individuals in need within our community. Nelson is the Vice President of Land, Sea, Air Security, LLC (LSA) with headquartered in Camden, New Jersey. Mr. Mellitz is a retired Unted States Air Force Colonel and in 2022-2023 he was elected the Jewish War Veterans of the United States (JWV) National Commander. He is the first JWV National Commander from Southern New Jersey in the 128-year history of the organization. As the JWV National Commander he testified before a Joint Session of Congress and recommended to the Senators and Representatives that combating antisemitism within the federal Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. military to be one of their core objectives within the current Congressional session. As a result of his testimony the Secretary of Veterans Affairs started development of the VA employee teaching guide to combat antisemitism within the Department. He is a founding member of the “Federation of Jewish Men’s Club, Combating Antisemitism Committee” which was formed in 2023 after October 7th and was on the U.S. State Department Committee that develped the IHRA definiton of antisemitism.
Special Recognition of Heroes:
Lior Lifshitz & Daniel Gotliv,
Combat IDF Reservists
Lior Lifshitz
Daniel Gotliv
IAE 2025 Next Gen Israel Advocacy Award Recipient
Adam Koppelman is currently a Junior at Cherry Hill High School East. Adam is a proud dual citizen of Israel and the United States, speaking Hebrew and English as his native languages. Showing the importance of his Jewish and Israeli education, he attended Kellman Brown Academy from kindergarten to fifth grade. After the atrocities of Oct 7, he has been a strong voice for Jewish students in Cherry Hill through his advocacy efforts on social media, meeting with the Cherry Hill BOE to prevent anti-Zionism in his school, and educating his peers in his BBYO chapter, Marlcrest AZA, about the history of Israel. Adam is involved with a nonprofit organization in Israel called עטלפים בדרכים (Atalefim Badrachim) that visits Israeli Air Force bases weekly and cooks fresh food for the soldiers while providing them with an unforgettable night for those who dedicate their lives to Israel's safety. Since as far back as he can remember, he has always aspired to follow in his mother's footsteps and serve Israel proudly. After graduating high school, Adam will serve in the Israel Defense Forces, but until then, he will continue to advocate for Israel and the Jewish people in our community.
Thank You to our Israel Advocacy Event Sponsors
Click Here to View our Federation System Community Partners
Israel Advocacy Event Co-Chairs
Chris Boyd, Bonnie Galam, & Haleh Rabizadeh-Resnick
Sustainer - $5000
Jerome R. Schwartz Donor Advised Fund
Leader - $3600
Betsy & Peter Fischer
The Mellitz Family
Benefactors - $1800
Jeffrey, Celestine, David & Rebecca Berg
Caryn & David Bross
Helene & Alan Blumenfeld
The Friends of Israel
M. Rosenblatt Roofing
Platt Memorial Chapels, Inc.
Friends- $1000
Jennifer C. Apell, Esq. & Jeffrey S. Apell, Esq.
Pamela & Robert Benedon
Bross Frankel, PA
Congregation Beth El
Heather & Mark Kramer
Carol Lupo, CIMA®
The Princeton Group
Jamie & Jesse Richman
Supporters- $500
Gail & Robert Belfer
FabriTRAK Systems Inc.
Barbara Flacker
Bonnie & Abie Galam, The Galam Firm
Debra & Avi Galler
Michele & Curt Golkow, Golkow Business Law LLC
Howard & Selina Kanowitz/ Merci Silverman
Suzanne & Victor Levy
Henry Maurer
Randee & Alan Moldoff
Haleh & Jeff Resnick
Stacey & Ed Rivkin
Sharon & Jay Ruder
Allison & David Snyder
Sally & Andrew Zeiberg
VIPs- $180/$360
Gloria Back - Marcia Baruch - Leonard Berman - Chris Boyd - Jillian & Brandon Cohen - Nancy Denenberg & Steve Osder - Gail Donner - Debbie & Brian Drachman - Rabbi Lewis Eron - Joan Feinberg - Leonard Feldman - Yaffa & Jack Fuchs - Barbara & David Goodman - Carolyn Jacobs - Barney Kaplan - Robin Sue Landsburg - Susan Bass Levin - Carol Peoples & Larry Rosenthal - Ellen Podell - Adrienne & Adam Rosenthal - Richard Selznick - Robin & Jeff Shacket - Joyce Shoff - Rolane & Stephen Sunshine - Julie & Jason Whitney - Vicki & Brian Zell