Romemu Board

Jonathan Fassberg is currently the Vice Chairman of Healthcare Investment Banking at Oppenheimer & Co. Inc., a leading investment bank, wealth manager, and a subsidiary of Oppenheimer Holdings. He is also a founder and general partner of the MD Anderson Focus Fund, a venture fund focused on bringing novel cancer drugs through clinical trials. Jonathan founded The Trout Group, a leading Biotech investor relations firm and boutique investment bank in 1996 and served and CEO until it was sold to PNC bank in 2017. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and chemistry from The University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill and a Master of Business Administration degree in finance from New York University’s Stern School of Business. He serves as chairman of the board of the center for Jewish Studies at the University of North Carolina and is on the board of the Partnership with Children. Jonathan has three children.

I was raised Reform in Dallas, TX, but always sought out more from my spiritual and community experience. Moving to NYC twenty-two years ago, I assumed finding a Jewish home that fit would be easy. Not so. I’m fortunate though, that the confluence of a Shabbat dinner, a Yom Kippur mitzvah, and a documentary film led me to Romemu. I’m excited to be of service to this wonderful community and grateful to have finally found my Jewish home. My professional life has always revolved around live performance. I founded Groundswell Theatricals, Inc in 2011, after eight years cutting my teeth in commercial theater with a Broadway production company. Groundswell produces and manages concerts, musicals, and plays for Broadway, Off-Broadway, and on tour in the US and abroad. I’m fortunate that I spend my days immersed in a world I’m so passionate about, and with people who share that passion.

Michael Appelbaum has worked in the wealth management business for the past 40 years,
formerly as a Senior Managing Director at Bear Stearns and currently, for past 9 years, at Merrill Lynch, where he advises individuals. He has served on the board of the Center for Social & Emotional Education for the past 15 years, working to combat bullying in schools. Michael and his wife, Suzy, live in New York City where they are inspired members of Romemu. They have two daughters, Sydney and Mia.

I grew up in Jerusalem. Like so many New Yorkers I ended up here by chance. I came here in 2001 with my wife, Dorit, and our three kids Uri, Hillel, and Timnah.

Growing up in Israel I served in the IDF as an officer and instructor. I later graduated from the Hebrew University Faculty of Law where I realized that the great Jewish texts like the Talmud can be as relevant today as they were thousands of years ago.

I specialize in renewable energy finance law and devote my days to converting the world to clean renewable energy, slowly but surely, one megawatt at a time.

I consider Romemu an oasis in a desert of Jewish existence; a spiritual home that breathes renewed, modern life into what it means to be Jewish today. I enjoy teaching and love the breadth and depth of Romemu’s educational offerings.

I have enjoyed serving on the Romemu board as Treasurer, Chair, and now ex-Chair. It is an honor to help nurture and grow this community that feeds our spiritual, learning and communal needs.

 My wife Pam and I found our way to Romemu with the help of our dear friends, Caren and Arthur. Rabbi David and the Romemu community have enriched my Jewish experience and enabled me to connect with the spiritual part of Judaism that had been missing in my life.

I have over 35 years of finance experience in a wide range of businesses from real estate services and development to media, technology and consumer products. 

I also serve on the boards of The Jewish Child Care Association, a comprehensive child and family services agency whose work is motivated by tikkun olam and Eden Village Camp, a summer camp rooted in the Jewish vision of creating a more environmentally sustainable, socially just, and spiritually connected world.

While not a big fan of organized religion, I find Romemu a very inviting and calming place.

Like so many at Romemu, I have always been curious about the many ways one can live a spiritual life and have developed a deep commitment to my daily yoga practice. At Romemu, I have begun a long desired exploration of Kaballah. David is an amazing human being and presents a wonderful example of how spiritual practice can be meaningful in today’s world.

My career has been in finance. I have been an investor for over 30 years. During this time, I have served on several not-for-profit boards, including my three children’s schools and university.

I was born and raised in Israel with limited spiritual or religious connection to Judaism. Moving to America over twenty years ago, raising children and finding a home here, led me on a quest for a spiritual home as well. In Romemu I found a wonderful confluence of Jewish traditions, mindfulness, deep ethics and values, an exceptional community and incredible leadership. Professionally I am an entrepreneur in the financial technology space. I started my first company (Traiana) about 20 years ago, backed by Israeli and American venture capital firms and successfully sold it several years later to a British brokerage company
(ICAP). I stayed with ICAP for the following 8 years and ran the electronic markets division. Two years ago a went back to the garage to start a new company, Capitolis, again with Israeli engineering presence, and US and Israeli backing.

Claudia Romo Edelman is an advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion. Her mission is to use her voice to build bridges and remind us that we are all human. She is a Special Adviser for the We Are All Human Foundation; she is also the Co-Host of ‘Global GoalsCast’, a podcast distributed by CBS News Digital, which highlights global progress through the stories of champions making a difference. Claudia is the Editor at Large of Thrive Global and it was recently announced that she will step into the role of Editor in Chief of Thrive Hispanics. Prior to this, the Mexican-Swiss diplomat was seconded to the Executive Office of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, to lead communications and advocacy for the Sustainable Development Goals. Claudia is the former Chief of Advocacy of UNICEF. While living in Europe for 25 years, she successfully led public relations and brand and marketing for global organizations including the World Economic Forum, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB & Malaria.

A frequent public speaker on development and humanitarian affairs, Claudia holds degrees in Communications, Philosophy and Photography as well as a Masters of Political Communications from the London School of Economics. Claudia is married and has two children. She enjoys sports and speaks six languages. Joining the Board of Romemu is right for me because it has inspired my work and nurtured my belief in the potential of human beings to be more compassionate and inclusive. I believe strongly in bringing acceptance to this diverse world and advocating for every human to be respected and empowered. Romemu has inspired my spirit and my mind, cared for my family and broadened my understanding of my faith. I feel ready to give back and contribute to the growth and development of this community.

When my wife, Betsy, and I found Romemu, we knew we had found our spiritual home. We love the ruach and the positive energy, and the combination of traditional learning and
meditation. Rabbi Ingber is so open and honest about his own spiritual journey and it has helped us explore our own in a more meaningful way. He makes the large congregation feel intimate and helps everyone feel connected.

I first learned of Romemu through my colleagues and friends on the boards of Isabella
Freedman, Hazon, Camp Eden Village, and the Harlem Hebrew Charter School. I feel proud to have participated in these organizations over the past decade. I have particularly been moved to watch Eden Village grow from an embryonic start up to a bi-coastal organization serving 500 children annually in a “community of kindness.”

Our two children, Jake and Henry, have been part of the Heschel community for the past two decades. I have been privileged to oversee the Heschel investment club for the past decade. Professionally, I manage the small cap investment team at Boston Partners, where I have been a money manager for over 30 years.

Gregorio Schneider is the Founder and Chief Investment Officer of TC Investment Partners and TC Latin America Partners, an institutional real estate fund manager that invests with an opportunistic approach in the USA and Latin America.

Prior to forming TC Latin America Partners in 2012, Gregorio was Managing Director and Head of Emerging Markets at Och-Ziff Capital Management (now Sculptor Capital Management), Portfolio Manager at The Rohatyn Group (TRG), and worked at Spinnaker Capital.

Gregorio has served on the board of directors of various Latin American companies and has been recognized by the World Economic Forum for his work with developing countries. He is also a member of the EMPEA (now GPCA) Latin America Council and the LAVCA real estate council. He serves on several Non-Profit Boards, including the Qualitas of Life Foundation and the Social Enterprise Program at Columbia University. He holds an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School and received a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) from the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM) in Mexico City. He is also actively involved with different Jewish Latin American Communities. He is a Comay fellow from the American Jewish Committee (AJC) and has served on their NY Board.

Gregorio is married to Sybille and they have three children.

I first met Rabbi David in 2005 at the JCC Manhattan, a year before Romemu was created and I was fortunate to be at our first service in March 2006.

As a spiritual seeker, it was an incredibly powerful, heartening and enriching experience for me when I discovered a spiritual community that I could call home.

I was inspired to join the Romemu board and served in that capacity for a year before applying for and becoming the second Executive Director in 2009. I was honored to serve in that capacity for 18 months and then became the first Director of Development, Membership and Outreach.

I held that position for 2½ years, during which I helped Romemu grow from a congregation with less than 200 members to its current community of over 500 families. I am humbled and honored to have made contributions to this organization and community.

I am also active with other Jewish Renewal organizations, currently finishing up my tenure on the ALEPH board, as well as other social justice non-profits, including the Social Venture Network, Zen Peacemaker Community and Common Fire Foundation.

I have had a long and exciting journey at Romemu and look forward to serving the community in new ways. Of particular interest to me is continuing to strengthen relationships with our donors, serving as an ambassador when attending conferences and events to introduce Romemu to new individuals and organizations and participating in new member orientations.

As a Brooklyn born and bred woman, I always knew I would return to my roots despite having lived elsewhere for thirty years. I returned first by way of Manhattan where I was thrilled to join Romemu with its warmth, spirituality and musicality. When I moved to Brooklyn  in 2017,I was honored to became the liaison to the Manhattan board concerning the activities of the newly formed Romemu Brooklyn.

I have been on the leadership board of Romemu Brooklyn since its inception and greatly look forward to once again joining the Manhattan board as its Brooklyn liason.

I am a semi-retired Internist having worked in private practice, academic settings, and most recently as staff physician in homeless residences in NYC. I have provided Covid counseling to both Romemu Manhattan and Brooklyn for several years.

I reside in Brooklyn with my husband, a retired cardiologist, and down the street from my son and his family. I enjoy travel, book clubs, music and dance  and our house in the Catskills where I garden,bike and kayak. I am a member of the Bellevue Hospital board and also work with Literacy Partners designing their health literacy education. I would be honored to be part of the Romemu Manhattan board again while continuing my leadership role at Romemu Brooklyn.

My name is Gabi Schiller. I was born in the US and spent my early childhood in Hod HaSharon, Israel, before returning to New York with my family. Growing up in a Jewish environment, I graduated from Solomon Schechter Westchester High School and attended Skidmore College for two years.

However, after my sophomore year, I made aliyah to Tel Aviv, seeking a more personal and profound reconnection to my Jewish and Zionist identity. After over two years in Israel, I returned to the US and completed a double major in Media and Jewish Studies at Hunter College, graduating Magna Cum Laude. Now deeply involved in Jewish advocacy both on and offline, I work as the New England High School Regional Manager at StandWithUs, a non-profit Israel education organization combating antisemitism. As the proud granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor, my dedication to Am Yisrael stems from my promise to honor his testimony and ensure it is never forgotten. Part of that testimony involves keeping the soul and breath of the Jewish nation alive and upholding Jewish practices. Romemu was the first space where I reconnected to Judaism on my own terms. I felt rooted in tradition yet had the flexibility to navigate through song and prayer without absolute orthodoxy. Romemu embraces the passion and tradition of Jewish peoplehood, providing immediate belonging with room to grow in one’s Jewish Journey.

As I continue to grow in my Jewish professionalism and identity, it’s important for me to contribute to giving others a similar experience. I aim not only to provide this experience to others but also to collaborate with community members in fostering these crucial spaces and learning what it takes to work within a team to build them for others. I am honored to accept this nomination and look forward to potentially joining Romemu’s board next term.

I’m an Utah native but I’ve lived in downtown Manhattan for 20 years; I have two daughters and I’m Safta to two small granddaughters. I currently manage my husband’s surgical practice and I’m a volunteer mediator with the New York Peace Institute; prior to that, I worked as a financial services attorney for alternative investment management firms.

I was drawn to Romemu for its full embodiment of Jewish faith and spirit – along with the incredible music and inspirational leadership of Rabbi Ingber. As a Romemu board member, I would like to help shepherd this community through a transitional time; I can bring a thoughtful and fair approach to my service, as well as a commitment to celebrating Jewish joy and hope.

Paul has been a proud member of Romemu since 2021 and was called to the Bimah as a Bar Mitzvah in January 2023 at the ripe young age of 65. 

Paul is currently a semi-retired financial executive who was a Founding Partner (2010) and Chief Investment Officer of Asset Based Lending, LLC – a residential real estate lending firm. Prior to ABL, Paul was President and Chief Investment Officer of Highland Financial Holdings Group an investment company that specialized in managing mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities portfolios for a global clientele. Paul began his career, in 1982, at Salomon Brothers Inc. in NYC.  He holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Washington University in St. Louis. 

Paul has been married for 33 yrs., has two terrific children aged 30 and 27, and lives in CT and NYC. His charitable interests are wide ranging, but the focus is on financial literacy. Paul teaches the subject to 7th to 8th graders at the George Jackson School in lower Manhattan. Paul recently served on the rabbinical search committee for his CT. shul Temple Shalom. 

Paul looks forward to contributing to the Romemu community as a member of the Board with a focus on

Strategic Planning. Clearly, there has been a lot of change within Romemu post-pandemic. As a serial entrepreneur I understand change and how to find opportunities to create and maintain a strong organization.