I would describe myself as passionate, driven and deeply people-oriented. I am someone who finds it difficult to see a need and simply walk away from it; my instinct is always to ask what I can do to help.
I am naturally spontaneous and action-oriented, and much of my life has been shaped by my love for people, Jewish education, chessed and community. I care greatly about creating meaningful relationships and making people feel seen, valued and that they belong.

I am the co-founder of Nafsheinu, an organisation supporting children and young adults with diverse needs and their families. Nafsheinu was born from recognising a genuine gap within our Jewish community and wanting to create a space of friendship, belonging and support for individuals and families who did not necessarily have that space before.

Alongside Nafsheinu, I serve as Head of High School Programming and DIJE Plus Coordinator at DIJE, where I work with high school students around Jewish identity, personal growth and connection. I am also a teacher and mentor at OhrSom Student, working with post-gap-year and university students as they navigate the next stage of their Jewish and personal journeys. Lastly, I am currently pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration.

As a woman in leadership, I see my role as turning ideas and needs into action while bringing people with me along the way. I try to lead with empathy, purpose and determination, whether I am working with families, volunteers or young people. For me, leadership is not about a title or recognition; it is about recognising a need, taking responsibility and having the courage to do something about it.

Across all my roles, I hope to empower others and contribute towards building a stronger, more inclusive and connected Jewish community.

I believe we were nominated because we saw people in our community who needed a space to belong and helped create one, turning care into action through Nafsheinu.

My vision for my future as a leader is not simply to grow the work I am already doing, but to continue looking at the community around me and asking what is still missing, what could be better and where I can contribute.

For Nafsheinu, my vision extends far beyond growing our current programmes. I want to help build a community in which individuals with diverse needs and their families are not seen as a separate part of Jewish communal life, but are fully integrated into it. As our participants grow, I want Nafsheinu to grow
with them – creating opportunities for greater independence, skills development, employment, friendships and continued involvement in community life. Ultimately, I would love to reach a point where
inclusion is not something we have to consciously create because it has simply become part of the culture of our community.

Education will also remain central to my future. I believe that one of the most powerful ways to secure the future of a community is to invest in its young people. I want to continue expanding the way I work in Jewish education, helping young people develop not only a strong Jewish identity, but also a sense of purpose, responsibility and confidence in what they can contribute.

To me, the success of a leader is not measured by how many people follow them, but by how many people they inspire to step forward themselves.

My vision for South Africa has also changed enormously. I lived in Israel for four years and genuinely believed that I would never return permanently. When I came back to Johannesburg in December 2024, I saw South Africa largely through the lens of its challenges. I certainly did not imagine that I would soon be choosing to build my life and future here.

Since returning, my perspective has shifted completely. The more involved I have become, the more I have seen the extraordinary generosity, energy and potential within our community. I began to realise that it is very easy to focus on what is wrong or what is missing; it is far more powerful to ask what role you can play in making it better. Instead of seeing the gaps as reasons to leave, I have started seeing
them as opportunities to build.

I believe South Africa needs young people who are willing to make that mindset shift. We cannot expect strong communities, institutions and opportunities to simply exist for us; we have to take responsibility for creating and sustaining them. I want to be part of a generation that chooses to stay involved, invest its energy and give the next generation reasons to believe that there is a future worth building here.

My vision is ultimately bigger than any one organisation or role. I want to help build a South African Jewish community that is educated, connected, inclusive and confident in its future. A community that
takes care of its people, develops its next generation of leaders and contributes positively to the country around it.

I once thought my future was somewhere else. Today, I feel incredibly fortunate to be helping build it here.

Over the past few years, I have tried to use every space I am in as an opportunity to positively impact the people around me. What I hope might inspire others is that I have not limited leadership to one role,
organisation or group of people.

Through Nafsheinu, I have taken on the responsibility of helping build and lead an organisation that families now rely on. Beyond the programmes themselves, I work closely with our volunteers and try to develop them into young people who are compassionate, responsible and willing to give of themselves.

Watching volunteers begin to take initiative, build their own relationships and understand the responsibility they have towards others is something I am incredibly proud of.

Education has given me another platform for leadership. I work with young people from high school through university, and I try to do far more than simply teach them. I want to know them, challenge
them, believe in them and help them recognise their own potential. I have had the privilege of watching students become more confident in who they are, more connected to their Judaism and more willing to step forward themselves.

Outside of my formal roles, I also run a WhatsApp group of over 250 women where I regularly share Jewish inspiration and ideas. There is no job requirement behind it; it is simply something I started because I saw an opportunity to create connection and add something positive to people’s lives.

Sometimes a woman will respond to something I have shared and tell me that it was exactly what she needed to hear that day. Those small moments remind me that impact does not always have to come through something big.

I think that is what I would most want others to take from the way I have led over the past few years.

Making a difference does not have to happen through one enormous project. There are opportunities to influence people everywhere – through an organisation, a classroom, a relationship, a conversation or even a WhatsApp message.

I have tried not to wait for a title or permission to contribute. Wherever I have been given an opportunity to influence someone positively, I have tried to use it.

If that inspires someone else to look at the spaces they already occupy and realise how much good they are capable of doing from exactly where they are, then that would mean an enormous amount to me.

RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES
Spending time with family and friends, travelling, fitness and exercise, learning and teaching torah, and participating in Jewish community and social activities.