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To be the address for the most engaging, informative and inspiring Jewish- and Israel-related educational media.
Since 2009 we have been pioneers in the production of the most engaging, informative and inspiring Jewish- and Israel-related educational media, bringing ideas, values and stories to life for a global audience of millions.Â
Through a network of educational institutions, communal organizations and digital channels, and with support from the philanthropic community, we strengthen the understanding and enduring personal connection of young Jews and their peers to Judaism, Israel and the Jewish people.
Our award-winning films have been screened at hundreds of film festivals worldwide and in thousands of communities. Our digital edutainment brand, Unpacked, reaches an audience of millions annually via its website and podcasts, and across all social media platforms. Our films and videos, accompanied by extensive educational resources, are featured on Unpacked for Educators, a digital resource that reaches thousands of educators worldwide.
A celebrated designer whose work has been featured by Google and Instagram. He brings over sixteen years of experience in visual design, user experience, data analytics, coding, and development to OpenDor Media. An avid creator, his work includes branding design, content creation, video production, and digital product development. He focuses on crafting exceptional product experiences across all of our divisions. In his spare time, he enjoys making handmade notebooks.
Eden is the founder and president of A Wider Frame, a digital media company delivering concise, comprehensive Jewish and Israel- related news. She served as Senior Advisor and Chief of Staff to Israel's Former Special Envoy Noa Tishby, advancing Israel’s foreign policy regarding antisemitism. In 2022 Eden was named one of the Top 100 People Positively Influencing Jewish Life by Algemeiner. Before her work in the Jewish world, Eden practiced entertainment law in Los Angeles. She now leads the strategic, creative direction, and execution of all content on UNPACKED’s social channels and website.
David has helped produce and distribute our feature films, introducing them to millions of viewers worldwide. A filmmaker with over 20 years of experience in the entertainment and media industry, David previously produced numerous video and theatrical productions, including the award-winning documentary, Blindsided, which premiered on HBO. He is driven by a deep appreciation for the beauty of Jewish traditions and culture, which motivates him daily to share these stories with the world.
Lauren leads our Amplified division, building a community of content creators with a shared mission and helping them reach new heights. A seasoned executive with nearly 15 years of experience in talent discovery and management, Lauren worked at MTV Entertainment Group and Paramount, where she drove dynamic collaborations, strategic talent initiatives, and iconic shows. Beyond her professional achievements, Lauren is a devoted mother of two boys. In her downtime, she enjoys reality television, cooking and baking, and exploring new destinations.
Tania brings over 20 years of experience managing and coordinating operations and projects in the Jewish and Israel nonprofit sectors as well as in the private sector. At OpenDor Media, she facilitates cross-functional communication and integration, working closely with the executive team to resolve bottlenecks and develop strategies that enhance efficiency and productivity across the organization. Tania holds a BSc in International Relations from the London School of Economics. When she’s not “keeping the trains running on time,” she enjoys designing kitchens and researching family genealogy.
Sarah equips Jewish educators with tools to help students explore Israel’s history, the Holocaust, and more through Unpacked for Educators resources. Previously, she served as Director of Israel Guidance and Experiential Education at Ma’ayanot High School, where she taught Talmud, chaired a Contemporary Israel course, and brought her vision and creativity to a myriad of school programs. Sarah holds dual masters degrees in Jewish Education and Modern Jewish History from Yeshiva University, where she is currently pursuing her Ed.D as a Wexner Fellow and Davidson Scholar. In her free time, Sarah enjoys hiking and spending time with her family.
Jeff is an award-winning filmmaker telling the story of Israel, Judaism, and the Jewish people. He has over 15 years of experience producing, directing, editing, and shooting commercials, documentaries, and feature films. His passion began at age 12 at the Sony Studios-sponsored Academy of Visual and Performing Arts, followed by a degree in film production and communications from Boston University. He co-founded Tribe Creative and Cinemad Productions, whose films have won awards, including Best Picture at Robert De Niro’s Tribeca Film Festival. He enjoys hiking, exploring LA with his family, fermenting foods, and following financial markets.
Sara manages operational execution, overseeing content development, school outreach, and educational offerings. She has a strong background in content creation and strategic communications, with previous roles in the chief of staff’s office of former Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, and a Bay Area tech company. Previously, Sara served as the editor-in-chief of UNPACKED’s website. She holds a BA in communications and public service from the University of Pennsylvania. She loves exploring the city, going to the beach, discovering new restaurants, and spending time with family and friends.
Beth has over 15 years of experience in the Jewish community, primarily within Jewish federations. At OpenDor Media, she oversees the New York region, focusing on donor cultivation and development, and recruiting new partners. Driven by her passion for Israel and Jewish identity, Beth is committed to ensuring young Jews receive the tools needed to strengthen their own identity. She lives in New Jersey with her two children and is active in her local Jewish community. In her free time, Beth enjoys running, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.
Hart brings a wealth of experience working in the Jewish nonprofit sector, with past roles at organizations including RZA-Mizrahi and the Orthodox Union. For over 12 years, he has worked with Jewish young adults on and off campus. As COO, he oversees the integration of the vision, strategy and day-to-day operations at OpenDor Media. Hart holds a bachelor’s degree in bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania, studied community organizing and experiential Jewish education, and received rabbinical ordination from Yeshiva University. He enjoys sharing his love of Israel, creating data visualizations, and hosting memorable Shabbat meals.
Ari has over 30 years of executive financial and operational leadership experience in high-growth global businesses. With significant M&A expertise, he has led over a dozen acquisitions and held C-level roles in his last 10 companies. Ari holds a bachelor’s from the University of New Hampshire, an MBA from Bentley University, and is a CPA. A competitive tennis and pickleball player, he also enjoys golf, hiking, skiing, and travel. Ari and his wife split their time between Florida and Cape Cod. He has three grown children living in Colorado and New York. His two young Bichon dogs keep him entertained and busy.
Beth oversees all strategic initiatives related to talent acquisition, employee training and development, performance management, compensation and benefits, and employee welfare at OpenDor Media. Before joining the organization, Beth enjoyed a 20-year career on Wall Street managing portfolios, major projects, and teams for Goldman Sachs and AllianceBernstein. Beth holds a bachelor’s degree in Applied Economics and Business Management from Cornell University. An avid reader, she always has a book in hand and loves spending time with her family.
Avi focuses on content creation and introducing Jewish educators worldwide to Unpacked for Educators materials, helping them bring engaging, relevant content into their classrooms. He has worked as a Judaic Studies teacher at Gray Academy in Winnipeg, Canada and served as Hillel director and Jewish camp director, dedicating his career to building meaningful Jewish learning experiences. Avi holds a master’s degree in Jewish Education from Yeshiva University in New York. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and kids, immersing himself in Israel-related media, reading, and watching or playing basketball.
Ryan leads efforts to boost OpenDor Media’s visibility and impact in its vital educational mission. Before joining the organization, he spent 13 years at the global advertising and communications agency, Ogilvy, where he served as a trusted advisor and partner to some of the world’s most influential brands. Driven by a passion for building meaningful relationships and fostering positive, long-lasting behavioral change, Ryan made a seamless transition to OpenDor Media. Outside of work, he enjoys reading, staying fit, and together with his wife and children, being actively involved in his community.
Jeana brings a rich background in non-profit, Jewish community-related work to OpenDor Media. She leads all fundraising efforts, developing and implementing strategy, overseeing grant writing and research, managing the fundraising team - all while keeping the energy dialed up to 11. Jeana holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Yeshiva University’s Stern College, and a master’s in community social work from the Wurzweiler School of Social Work. An enthusiastic reader, she loves traveling with her husband and four children.
Andrew is an experienced executive in educational non-profits with a track record of leading impactful social and educational programs that benefit the Jewish people and Israel. He founded the UK-based Forum for Jewish Leadership, served as Director for Germany of the Ronald S. Lauder Foundation, and as Executive VP for the Tikvah Fund in New York. Andrew holds a degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Oxford University, and executive education certificates in nonprofit management from Harvard Business School and Columbia Business School. He lives in New Jersey with his wife Leora and their five children.
Raphael is a rabbi, educator and award-winning film producer, passionate about the power of film to educate and inspire. He brings his talent and skills as a filmmaker along with strong leadership abilities to drive forward-thinking strategies and vibrant development at OpenDor Media. Raphael’s films are central to OpenDor Media’s educational curriculum, reaching broad audiences through broadcast, streaming, and film festivals. When he’s not telling stories on film, Raphael enjoys quality time with his family or around town.
Rivky works to seamlessly blend storytelling and education to create impactful audio experiences. With a deep belief in the power of podcasting, she understands that audio builds a unique emotional connection between hosts and listeners, hitting that perfect “sweet spot.” When she’s not shaping the future of audio, Rivky enjoys making elaborate breakfasts, walking six miles a day, and getting to bed by 9:30pm.
Laura was born in Antwerp, Belgium and holds a master’s degree in international law from the University of Amsterdam. She practiced law at prestigious firms in Los Angeles before joining OpenDor Media. For 12 years, Laura worked at AIPAC, where she helped grow pro-Israel political activism in Los Angeles. She is a Schusterman Fellow, Annual Campaign Chair at de Toledo High School, and serves on the Baruch Link Scholar in Residence Committee at Temple Beth Am. Laura lives in Beverlywood with her husband Michael, children Yuri, Emma, Noa, and dogs Charlie and Ruby.
Noam Weissman brings over a decade of Jewish educational leadership to OpenDor Media. With a doctorate in educational psychology from the University of Southern California, specializing in curriculum design, he helps educators leverage new media to engage teens and young adults. Passionate about empowering students to find meaning in Jewish learning, Noam continuously explores ways to make the world smarter and more compassionate. Outside the office, he enjoys studying Israel and Jewish history, devouring pizza and chips, and has a deep fascination with the Kotzker Rebbe.
Peter is a veteran business leader and visionary. A director of Teltronics and board member at Brighter Minds, he is also the chairman of FGC Holdings Inc. and Steelman Software Solutions. Throughout his career, Peter has been involved in multiple real estate projects in Canada, the United States, and Europe. He played a central role at one of the largest steel mills in Central Europe, which was acquired by United States Steel in 2000. More recently, Peter has turned his attention to the IT industry. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Western Ontario in 1972.
Raphael is a rabbi, educator and award-winning film producer. He is passionate about the power of film to educate and inspire, and brings his talent and skills as a filmmaker along with his excellent leadership abilities to help lead OpenDor Media in forward-thinking strategies and vibrant development. Raphael’s films serve as pillars of OpenDor Media’s educational curriculum and drive impact to a broad audience via broadcast, streaming, and film festivals. When he’s not telling stories on film, Raphael can be found enjoying quality time with his family or out and about on his rollerblades.
Michal is a best-selling author and TEDx speaker on the topics of leadership and spirituality, having spent the last two and a half decades driving effective workplace culture and developing leaders at the likes of TikTok, Facebook (Meta), Freuds, eBay, and Ogilvy & Mather. Along with her deep commitment to our mission and belief in the unique power of media to drive impact, Michal brings her impressive academic background and research-driven, evidence-based approach to support our people, our work and our Board.
Ostrov currently serves on the board of directors of several privately held companies, including Mother’s Choice, a natural products company working with industry giants, Addon Optics, an innovative technology company, and Nuvo, a developer of next generation baby and mother health monitoring for both hospital and home use. From 2008 to 2010 Mr. Ostrov served as Chairman and CEO of Bausch & Lomb. Prior to that, he served as Company Group Chairman, Worldwide Vision Care, for Johnson & Johnson. Jerry was previously Company Group Chairman for its North American Consumer and Personal Care businesses and spent over 20 years with JNJ. Jerry started his career with Procter & Gamble and also ran CIBA-Geigy’s (now Novartis) over the counter pharmaceutical business for 9 years. He is the founder and (pro bono) CEO of reThink Israel Initiative focused on positively impacting American attitudes and beliefs toward Israel via proactive social media based communications with 30 million views annually. Jerry also invests in and serves as board member and advisor to startup companies primarily in Israel. Mr. Ostrov holds a Bachelor of Science degree with distinction in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from Cornell University and holds an M.B.A. from Harvard University.
Rivka is an active philanthropist with a focus on bringing education to the community. She maintains strong ties to Israel through the Zell Entrepreneurial Program at IDC Herzliya. Rivka brings Israeli culture to Chicago through the Chicago Festival of Israeli Cinema and serves on the Chicago boards of the Jewish National Fund (where she is co-VP Education and Community Affairs), CAMERA, and StandWithUs. Rivka is also actively involved in AIPAC and works closely with members of Congress to support the US-Israel relationship.
Mitch is co-founder of Canyon Partners, LLC, which specializes in value-oriented and event-driven investments. He served on the board of trustees at Princeton University and is a member of the advisory council for the Julis-Rabinowitz Center for Public Policy and Finance at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, and the School of Engineering and Applied Science Leadership Council. Mitch also serves on the Asia Society’s Board of Trustees and the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute’s advisory council. He helped establish the Harvard Law School Program on Jewish and Israeli Law, and is a recipient of Institutional Investor’s Lifetime Achievement Award. A graduate of the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University (B.A., magna cum laude), Harvard Law School (J.D., magna cum laude) and Harvard Business School (M.B.A., honors), Mitch received an honorary doctorate from Yeshiva University.
Marc is a Founding Partner of Apollo Management LP, a private investment firm. He currently serves on the board of directors of AAA, an Apollo-sponsored multibillion-dollar alternative investment manager, Harrah’s Entertainment, a leading hotel-and-casino company, and Norwegian Cruise Lines, a premium cruise line with itineraries worldwide. Before joining Apollo, Marc was a member of the Mergers and Acquisitions Department of Drexel Burnham Lambert Inc., with responsibilities in high-yield financing, transaction idea generation and merger structure negotiation. Marc graduated from The University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business with a bachelor’s degree and an MBA in finance.
Jeff Sagansky has been a long-time investor, executive and producer in the media business. He is the former president of Sony Pictures Entertainment. There he acquired the Telemundo network and spearheaded the merger of Loew’s Theaters and Cineplex Odeon to create one of the world’s largest theater companies. He is the former president of CBS Entertainment, and former CEO of TriStar Pictures, where he developed hit movies including Steel Magnolias, Look Who’s Talking, and Glory. He served as CEO of Paxson Communications and founded Hemisphere Capital to fund tentpole movies including Smurfs, World War Z and Men In Black: International. As a producer, he has produced documentaries including TWA Flight 800 and Code of Silence, and most recently, Delhi Crime. Jeff graduated from Harvard College and Harvard Business School and serves on the boards of Global Eagle Entertainment, Williams Scotsman, Target Hospitality and Omio.
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