Masorti Olami

MERCAZ Olami President, Rabbi Vernon Kurtz, is the Rabbi of North Suburban Synagogue Beth El in Highland Park, Illinois, an 1100 family Conservative congregation. He was born in Toronto, Canada, received his B.A. from York University, his M.A. and Rabbinic Ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary and his Doctor of Ministry degree from Chicago Theological Seminary. He also received a Doctor of Divinity degree (Honoris Causa) from the Jewish Theological Seminary.

Dr. David Breakstone is the Head of the Department for Zionist Activities of the World Zionist Organization, and a member of the WZO and JAFI Executives, where he is the official representative of MERCAZ Olami (the worldwide Zionist arm of Masorti / Conservative Judaism). Prior to assuming this position in the fall of 2000, Dr. Breakstone was the Director of Ramah Programs in Israel.

Born in Israel, Rabbi Tzvi Graetz is a second generation Masorti (Conservative) Jew who grew up in all of the Israeli Masorti institutions. He is a graduate of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem with both a BA in Talmud and political science, as well as a master’s degree in administration of non-profit and public institutions. He was ordained in 2003 from the Schechter Institute for Jewish Studies in Jerusalem.