Parade Co-Chairs
- Jennifer E. Falk
- Judy Kaufthal
- Aaron Rosen
Parade Committee
- W. Stewart Cahn
- Harrison Denman
- Suzanne Doft
- Zoya Raynes Friedman
- Eva Galpern
- Yeshayahu Greenfeld
- Deborah Kanner
- Bradley Korn
- Shira Lewis
- Melodie Scharf
- Richard Skeen
STAFF
Noam Gilboord
Director, Israel & International Affairs / Parade Director
Noam Gilboord is Director of Israel and International Affairs at the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, where he builds bridges between New York and Israel through outreach programming, missions to Israel, leading the agency’s anti-BDS efforts, and managing the Celebrate Israel Parade. Most recently, Noam served as Director of Community Strategy at the Israel Action Network strengthening the capacity of community professionals to combat the delegitimization of Israel. He has direct experience in challenging anti-Israel campaigns in city councils, churches, academic associations, college campuses, food co-ops, and investment funds. Noam earned a B.A. in Archaeology from the University of Toronto and a dual-M.A. in Near Eastern & Judaic Studies and Jewish Professional Leadership from Brandeis University.
Peter Kohlmann
Executive Producer
Peter Kohlmann has over 25 years experience in the event business, specializing in developing and producing large scale events, creating marketing strategies and promotional programs for myriad of clients. He has conceived numerous iconic NYC events including Winter’s Eve in Lincoln Square, CultureFest, Metropolitan Opera Opening Night in Times Square, Earth Day, The New York Times- Great Read in the Park, Broadway on Broadway, Taste of Times Square and the Annual New Year’s Eve Celebration in Times Square including the 24 hour Millennium Celebration and participated in major City initiatives including NYC 2012 and the NYC Host Committee for Super Bowl XLVIII. Immediately prior to establishing PeKo Productions, Mr. Kohlmann was Vice President of Marketing and Special Events for the Times Square Alliance and an Assistant to Mayor Ed Koch.
Gianna Bergman
Sponsorship and Marketing Opportunities
Gianna Bergman has 30 years of strategically focused, resourceful, and results oriented marketing experience, which includes sponsorship consulting, property evaluation, negotiation, sales and activation; marketing and media integration; and cross-functional project management. Gianna enjoys music, reading, movies, working with good people in collaborative situations, and of course, Parades!
Karen Ostrove
Creative/Education Director
Creative/Education Director of the Celebrate Israel Parade since 2008, Karen previously brought her own school (the Jewish Educational Center in Elizabeth, NJ, where she was an elementary teacher and art teacher) to the parade for fourteen years. At the Celebrate Israel Parade, she capitalizes upon her extensive knowledge of Israel, her artistic talents and her group organizational experience to work with the ever-increasing hundreds of marching groups.
Karen is a Jewish children’s book author and illustrator, punster, ventriloquist, performer, and Mitzvah Clown Trainer. An ardent Zionist, she fell in love with Israel during her first trip in 1970 and feels privileged to be part of this awesome project. “The diversity of the thousands of marchers coming up Fifth Avenue, in a sea of blue and white, taking part in the largest celebration of the modern State of Israel in the world, is indeed inspiring!”
Rebecca Grossman
Executive Associate, Israel and International Affairs
As the Executive Associate, Rebecca Grossman helps coordinate all Israel-related events and advocacy campaigns, creates content for newsletters, and conducts outreach with influential leaders both for the department and the Celebrate Israel Parade. Prior to working at JCRC-NY, Rebecca worked at B&H Photo in the Accounts Receivable Department, gaining knowledge in the business world, and had fellowships at the American Jewish Committee and the Middle East Peace Working Group. Rebecca earned a Bachelor of Arts in Middle East Studies and International Affairs Conflict Resolution from The George Washington University, graduating Summa Cum Laude. She has spent a combined two years living in the Middle East, both in Jordan and Israel. In her free time she enjoys reading, writing, music, and traveling the world.
