Meet the Team
Alex Cohen MAZKIR
Alex is the National Director of Bnei Akiva, who oversees the administrative and educational running of the Movement and its activities, while representing Bnei Akiva’s Religious Zionist ideology.
Alex is responsible for managing the Mazkirut, Shlichim and Administrative Staff and ensuring the Movement is financially sound. He takes a wide view of Bnei Akiva’s place within the community and identifies the challenges the movement is facing.
Alex co-ordinates activities for Bogrim as well as other age groups and ensures that the needs of all our chaverim around the UK are catered for.
Contact Alex at mazkir@bauk.org.
Josh Pomerance CHINUCH WORKER
Education is at the heart of the Movement and Josh is responsible for our educational agenda which is expressed primarily through his weekly ‘Choveret’. Josh runs our successful Limmud learning programme in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds. He is also responsible for our schools programme and you can find him in Jewish and non-Jewish schools across the country!
The Chinuch Department also puts out a number of publications, from the weekly Shabbat Lashem which is found in over 50 shuls and student centres each week to the annual Torat HaBayit, the ideological journal of the movement.
Contact Josh at chinuch@bauk.org.
Adam Waters TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
Adam is in charge of organising the winter and summer camps – from finding the sites to booking the food and making travel arrangements. He also supervises the daily technical details of the Movement and further assists our Svivot in their Shabbaton arrangements.
Adam also is in charge of our Social Action Network, encouraging more chessed and volunteering projects within the movement.
Contact Adam at camps@bauk.org.
Aron Gillis ISRAEL WORKER
If you’re interested in participating in one of Bnei Akiva’s Israel Programmes, Aron is your man! He knows all about our two Hachshara programmes – Lehava and Torani –and is there to offer advice to anyone thinking about taking a gap year in Israel. Sometimes Aron can be found working in Israel, looking after our current Hachshara, together with Jonny Lipczer, the Head of the British Desk at World Bnei Akiva.
Aron is in charge of our month-long Israel Machane for 16-year-olds, as well as the Kaytana Project for 17-year olds. Having lived in Israel for 5 years Aron is the ideal man for the job!
Contact Aron at israel@bauk.org.
Deborah Blank SVIVOT CO-ORDINATOR
Our svivot (branches) are the bread and butter of the movement, and Deborah is responsible for looking after all of them – from Leeds to Maida Vale, and from Hale to South Woodford! She helps co-ordinate the many events that take place across svivot, such as Family Friday Nights and Shabbatot Ha’Irgun.
Deborah ensures that each Rosh, Sgan and Madrich has access to Hadracha and Welfare training, equpping young people to have the skills to run activities for thousands of chanichim each week.
Contact Deborah at svivot@bauk.org.
Shlichim
Rav Ilan & Tami Goldman
Rav Ilan and Tami are the Central Shlichim, who are in the UK temporarily giving Bnei Akiva a taste of authentic Israel. Rav Ilan is the spiritual leader of the Movement and advises on Halachic matters. He helps to formulate our educational plan, gives shiurim, and acts as an advisor to the Mazkirut.
They work with Bogrim on campuses across the UK and their home in Hendon is often packed for a ‘Goldman Family Friday Night’.
Contact them at rav@bauk.org.
Hagai & Moriyah Shoham
The latest recruits to the Bnei Akiva family, Hagai and Moriyah have just returned from Shlichut with Bnei Akiva in Denver, Colorado.
Based in Manchester, they will run Bnei Akiva activities in the Northern Region from the Manchester Bayit Minyan to Mini-Machane.
Contact them at north@bauk.org.
Administrative Staff
Sharon Kenley is the administrator, and she organises our Israel Machane and the administration of camps. Sharon is also the grants and welfare co-ordinator. Contact her at sharon@bauk.org. Lorraine Reid is the administrator and coordinates camp applications as well as assisting in the running of Israel Machane. Contact her at lorraine@bauk.org.
Alan Taub is the Head of Finance, and works with Jonny Dryer, our Accounts Manager, to provide support in the financial administration of the movement. Contact them at finance@bauk.org.
Nivcharim
The Nivcharim are Bogrim who are elected at Veida, the annual Movement conference, to represent Bnei Akiva and to take a leading role in its activities. This year’s Nivcharim are: Ben Dov Salasnik (Rosh Nivchar), Noam Roth, Ashira Rabinowitz, Ellen Steel, Ben Barron and Adam Boxer. Contact them at hanhalla@bauk.org.
