Mizrachi president faces challenge
There is a challenge for key committee positions at the upcoming AGM for The Mizrachi Organisation, which incorporates the Mizrachi Synagogue, Leibler Yavneh College and Kosher Australia.
THE Mizrachi Organisation, which incorporates the Mizrachi Synagogue, Leibler Yavneh College and Kosher Australia among other entities, is facing a challenge for key committee positions at its August 2 AGM.
Mizrachi president David Brykman, who is about to complete his first two-year term, will face a contest for his position as will treasurer Sooly Balter.
Brykman, a software strategist, is involved in a wide range of community organisations, including charitable foundations, Kosher Australia and various educational institutions.
He told The AJN that when he began his term, nearly half the committee comprised “new people and new roles”. He described the current committee and executive as “talented women and men, young and old, with really good ideas and energy”.
Brykman said the committee has worked to “re-engage our young members, ensure our strong core values remain at the heart of everything we do” within the shule and in the wider organisation, growing a community that “coalesces around religious Zionist values”.
Benji Jotkowitz, a Leibler Yavneh College graduate and director of a specialist recruitment company, has been on the Mizrachi committee since 2014, has been Yavneh Foundation chair since 2014, and was a member of Mizrachi’s executive from 2015 to 2022.
He is heading a ticket that includes current vice-president Yehuda Gottlieb and current secretary Toby Holzer. Noam Korbl is challenging for treasurer.
In their campaign material, the challengers are promising “fresh, energetic new leadership, strategic vision, succession planning, diverse programming, inclusive decision-making”. In a letter to members, Jotkowitz stated, “For too long, the running of this organisation has been left to too few.”
Contacted for comment, Jotkowitz emphasised, “We’ve gone out to the community to explain that it’s not just myself, but we’ve put together a ticket.”
Mizrachi veteran Danny Lamm, the organisation’s immediate past president, who has served a total of 14 years as president, told The AJN that Brykman has his full support.
“He’s not only led it well, but he’s also been innovative, and a lot of positive things have happened. David is at the culmination of a two-year term but our history is that most presidents serve three, four, five years … usually people retain their positions. He’s done an excellent job and I don’t see the merit of people running against him.”
In a separate development, Brykman reported to members on Monday that Mizrachi had been hit by a data breach, confirming on Tuesday that a mailing list had been breached. “Steps are now being taken to secure the data and prevent this from happening again.”
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