National Leadership Council

Adam Bakhash serves as a Senior Vice-President and Senior Wealth Advisor with Wilmington Trust, where he specializes in pre- and post-sale planning strategies for the individuals and the business, generational tax mitigation strategies and liquidity event tax planning, use of smart debt and credit reorganization, family office creation and management, and investment bank oversight. Adam believes the sacrifices that these warriors make are a blessing for us all to be able to enjoy our homeland, and considers it an honor to be able to contribute and give back to these deserving individuals and families.

Rebecca Keren Eisenstadt is a Rabbi and private educator. As an on-demand Rabbi, B'nai Mitzvah, Hebrew and Judaic Studies  educator, Rebecca collaborates with various institutions and synagogues, and she officiates lifecycle events all over the world. Rebecca is currently developing a follow-documentary series about her busy life as a young female Rabbi with Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine. She obtained semicha from Mesifta Adas Wolkowisk in New York. She graduated with Honors from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Rebeccakeren.com

Larry Elins is owner of Elins Enterprises, a family investment company. He notes the Israel Navy SEALs are a major contributor to the protection of Israel, which, as a country is the last best hope for Jews both in Israel and throughout the world. He is grateful to AFINS’ founding Board Member Michael Rosenberg for introducing him to AFINS, and notes it is an honor for him to help AFINS to accomplish its goals in serving Shayetet-13 veterans who have helped to protect Israel.

Alan Friedman is currently a Senior Consultant with Charles River Associates, a leading global consulting firm that offers economic, financial and strategic expertise to major law firms, corporations and governments. He has advised commercial and government entities and provided expert damages testimony in complex litigation matters.  He also serves as Board President of the Community Alliance for Jewish-Affiliated Cemeteries, CAJAC, a 501(c)(3) which manages, preserves, and rehabilitates Jewish cemeteries. Alan believes that in order for Israel to continue to flourish and to offer a homeland to Jews everywhere, it must be able to defend itself, and that the Israel Navy SEALs provide Israel with the capability to respond to threats beyond its own borders in a convincing and efficient manner.

Spencer M. Friedman is the Chief Investment Officer of Pumada LLC, a private investment company. Previously, Spencer was Vice President at Gates Capital Management, an event-driven hedge fund focused on value-oriented equities and high yield and distressed credit. Prior to Gates, he worked in the Investment Banking Division of Goldman Sachs. Spencer is a graduate of Harvard College (A.B., Government & Economics) and New York University (M.S. Real Estate).

Steve Konstadt, MD, is a Professor and Chairman Emeritus of Anesthesiology at Maimonides Medical Center. He was introduced to AFINS by a member of Shayetet-13 and notes the Shayeyet plays a critical role in the security of Israel, adding that the unit members make many sacrifices and they have earned our support.

Neil Leshner serves as Client Director with ServiceNow. During his decade-long career at ServiceNow, in addition to having closed what was at the time the largest deal ever closed by ServiceNow with Disney as a new customer, Neil supports new hire training, mentoring both new and seasoned fellow employees, and hosts multiple after-hours business/social events for his customers, leveraging his strong network of friends and acquaintances. Neil’s previous experience includes Salesforce, CA, Macromedia, Alias/Waverfront and Hewlett-Packard. Neil’s first two AFINS events were spiritually awakening and he has gone on to participate in AFINS’ first-ever mission trip (August 2019) and to join its volunteer-leadership, attending AFINS events in both NYC and Los Angeles whenever possible.

Matt Perelman is managing partner at Garnett Station Partners, a middle market private equity firm. He notes Israel’s Navy SEALS are some of the most incredible, hard-working and determined people on earth, and that anything we as Americans can do to support them is an honor. Matt was originally introduced through founding AFINS Board Member Michael Olshan. After attending his first event and meeting some of the warriors, he knew he wanted to become far more involved.

Charles Ribakoff is founder and Chair of MHQ, a leading upfitter of first responder and public safety vehicles. Charles believes that, without a strong Israel, it will not be possible to have a secure Jewish life anywhere else in the world.  As such, he has always felt that the warriors of Shayetet-13 are in-fact fighting for him, and that he has an obligation to help them if he can.  Charles was first introduced to the SEALs while on a Jewish Federation mission, serving as Campaign Chair. Over the years, he has become friendly with many past and present members of the unit, has great admiration for them, and feels fortunate to be in a position to be helpful to them.

Dan Rosenblatt is an independent investor who previously ran the large cap growth product at Neuberger Berman. Dan’s grandparents were Zionists from Scotland and Canada who settled in Palestine in the 1920’s and he is named in memory of a cousin who served in the Palmach and was killed in 1948. While Dan has always been a little skeptical of the value of the well-intentioned speeches and editorials issued by certain pro-Israel organizations, he finds it impossible to doubt the value of AFINS in its support of Shayetet-13, the true tip-of-the-spear of the IDF.

Jim Rosten is the co-founding principal of Benedict Canyon Equities (BCE). Founded in 2004, BCE continues to be a top-performing syndicator of quality real estate, operating more than 18,000 units throughout the Western United States. Jim has more than 35 years of multifamily real estate experience, including having served as President of Kennedy Wilson Properties, Ltd. – KW’s national services platform. Prior to joining Kennedy Wilson in 1999, Jim served as President of the Western Region of Grubb & Ellis Management Services, Inc., and was previously Executive Vice President and Western Division Manager for CBRE. Through AFINS and its Version Bravo entrepreneurship accelerator, Jim is proud to help incredible former US Navy SEALs and Shayetet-13/Israel Navy SEALs matriculate successfully into civilian businesses. He believes it is incumbent upon us to help these men who have sacrificed so much for our freedoms.

Lee R. Selby serves as CEO and President of SuperSelby Transportation Corp, a school bus company for children attending school in the New York area. Lee is also a private investor focusing on commercial and residential properties throughout the United States.  Lee and his family have deep roots in Israel and within the IDF veteran community and are proud to support Israel and its veterans through the Shayetet.

Travis Weiss is a partner in the Weiss Investment Group, focusing on real estate syndication including buying and selling large-scale apartment buildings. During World War II, Travis’ grandfather was interned in the Auschwitz concentration camp, where he was forced to burn bodies as a sonderkommando. Travis believes Israel’s Navy SEALs and other military veterans are extraordinary individuals who sacrifice everything to ensure future generations will never be forced to do something like that again.