Jewish Professionals Podcast

In this Season 2 finale of the Jewish Professionals Podcast, we sit down with Rabbi Antony Gordon, South African-born Harvard Law graduate, entrepreneur, speaker, advisor, and media personality. Antony shares his journey from growing up in South Africa to studying law at Harvard, building a career across law, entertainment, wealth management, philanthropy, and Jewish leadership, and using his plat...

In this episode of the Jewish Professionals Podcast, we sit down with Lawrence Askowitz, founder of Gabriel Advisors, a trusted advisory firm led by leading experts in the digital infrastructure, telecom, and related technology services sectors. A graduate of Columbia University and Yeshiva University, Lawrence has spent more than three decades in capital markets and M&A, with earlier chapters of...

In this episode of the Jewish Professionals Podcast, we sit down with Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, the fifth President of Yeshiva University, to explore his journey from student to one of the most influential leaders in the Jewish world. President Berman shares the formative experiences that shaped his path, including his decision to turn down Columbia Law School to pursue years of Torah study in Israel....

In this episode of the Jewish Professionals Podcast, we sit down with James Snyder, one of the most influential leaders in the global museum world. James shares his journey from studying at Harvard University to beginning his career at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), where he worked his way up to become Deputy Director. From there, he went on to lead major cultural institutions, including serving...

In this episode of the Jewish Professionals Podcast, we sit down with Ari Lefkovits, Managing Partner at Delos Capital, to discuss his journey through investment banking, advisory, and private markets. Ari grew up in New York and attended Dartmouth College, where he learned one of the most important skills that would shape his career: how to truly listen. He later went on to earn his law degree fr...

In this episode, we speak with Yoni Leifer, founder of L3C Capital Partners and a former commodity trader whose career spans multiple industries and decades of high-stakes markets. Yoni began his professional journey at just 22 years old on the New York Mercantile Exchange, where he built a reputation as a highly successful oil and gas commodity trader, navigating volatility, risk, and rapid decis...

In this episode, we sit down with Michael Friedman, a partner at Chapman and Cutler LLP, to talk about his path through law, bankruptcy, and restructuring. Michael reflects on his upbringing and his time at Penn Law School, before walking through how he built a career in a demanding and fast-paced legal environment. He shares how he navigated key transitions throughout his career, the lessons he l...

In this episode, we sit down with Jason Steinmetz, Head of Business Development & Investor Relations at Bryant Street Capital Management, to discuss his career path and the lessons he’s picked up along the way. Jason started as a trader before transitioning into wealth management, where he leaned heavily into networking, cold calling, and putting himself in situations where rejection was part of t...

In this episode, we sit down with Ahron Katz, Founder and Principal of Peaks Healthcare Consulting, to explore a career built on grit, ambition, and responsibility. Ahron shares his journey growing up in Detroit’s yeshiva world, moving through Denver and Yeshiva Greater Washington, and getting married young while figuring out how to build a future. He walks us through the jobs he took along the wa...

In this episode we sit down with Yoni Goodman, a seasoned real estate professional with one of the most interesting career paths we have covered so far. Yoni graduated from Brandeis University and started out at Credit Suisse, moved over to Goldman Sachs, and eventually became President of Meridian Capital, a role he held for ten years. He recently launched his own firm, and he walks us through wh...

Mordechai Weiss (Mordy4Prez) is a lawyer at Weiss Properties, an NYU Law School graduate, and an alumnus of Yeshiva University. He is on a mission to become the most influential Jew in online content creation, building a fast-growing presence on TikTok and Instagram where he shares his insights on life, success, and Jewish identity. In this episode, Mordy takes us inside his journey as both a lawy...

Allen Pfeiffer is a Managing Director and Global Service Leader in Financial Services & Valuation Litigation at Kroll. He has over 25 years of experience guiding clients through high-stakes mergers, bankruptcies, and valuation disputes. He played a key role advising on the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy and has testified as a valuation expert in major courts and arbitration panels across the country....

Sarah Danzig began her career in the fast-paced world of finance, working in sales and trading and asset management at top banks like Deutsche Bank and Citigroup after graduating from Cornell. But after years on Wall Street, she felt a pull toward something more mission-driven — and when she approached her former school about helping with fundraising, they created a role just for her: Director of...

Mitch Julis began his journey growing up in New York, later attending Princeton before earning both a JD and MBA from Harvard. He started his career in law before making a bold pivot to finance, joining Drexel Burnham Lambert during its heyday. That move ultimately led him to co-found Canyon Partners, which has grown into a $27 billion investment firm known for its expertise in credit and special...

Alan Wildes began his journey at Yeshiva University before attending Columbia’s dental school — but a change in direction led him to earn an MBA from Columbia Business School and build a long, successful career in commercial real estate. In this episode, Alan shares how he’s spent decades advising companies across industries — from media and finance to tech and nonprofits — on complex real estate...

Michael Weinberger has seen nearly every side of the investing world, from his early days in investment banking at Lehman Brothers to helping York Capital grow into one of the largest and most respected hedge funds in the industry. A graduate of Frisch, Wharton, and Harvard Business School, Michael built his career not just on intelligence, but on loyalty, grit, and a commitment to adding value wh...

Adam Yohanan started his career as a Wall Street M&A lawyer, working on billion-dollar deals at firms like Milbank and Willkie Farr. But after years in Big Law, he took a leap — leaving it all behind to start his own boutique practice focused on small businesses, startups, and creatives. Through Yohanan Law, Adam brings high-level legal expertise to the kinds of entrepreneurs often overlooked by t...

Meir Lewis is a senior investment banker and the Head of the Financial Institutions Group at Nomura, where he advises top insurance and financial services clients on major deals and capital raises. Over the years, he has worked at some of the most respected banks on Wall Street, including Morgan Stanley, Citi, and Deutsche Bank, building a reputation as the guy clients trust and teams rely on. But...

Josh Schwartz is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of East Wind Advisors, a leading investment bank focused on advising companies in education, media, and technology. His path, from starting his career as a lawyer at Skadden to transitioning to Investment Banking at Bear Stearns to founding his own firm, reflects a career built on bold pivots, thoughtful risk-taking, and a deep sense of purpose....

Steven Mayer was a Partner at multiple top national accounting firms, with a remarkable story of rising from entry-level to partner in just nine years. A proud professor at Yeshiva University, Steven built his career in public accounting through relentless focus, sharp technical skills, and a deep commitment to mentoring the next generation of professionals. Known for balancing high-stakes client...

Daniel Posner is the Founder and Managing Partner of Rensop Investment Group, with a standout career in distressed investing and leadership roles at firms like D.E. Shaw, F.C. Synexus, AllianceBernstein, and YieldStreet. Originally from Detroit, he rose from Yeshiva University to earn his MBA at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Daniel has built a reputation for mastering complex...

Bradley Tatz is a Growth Equity Investor at Sageview Capital, with a background in Investment Banking at Credit Suisse. He specializes in growth-stage investing, deal-making, and finessing in finance, working with a wide variety of companies. With a strong focus on hard work and leveraging past experiences, he emphasizes using each step of his career as a foundation for future success. Anyone inte...

Chaim Zakheim is the CEO and founder of Antenna Group, a strategic communications agency that focuses on sustainable solutions across climate tech, mobility, and health industries. Chaim took an unconventional path to the PR world, first becoming a Rabbi and even serving in elected office. With a rich career in public relations and public service, Chaim offers unique insights into the challenges o...

Michael Strauss is the Associate Dean of the Sy Syms School of Business at Yeshiva University, where he also serves as a Clinical Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship. Before his role at YU, he held leadership roles at American Express, Citigroup, and American Airlines, specializing in business strategy and turnaround management. With a wealth of experience in corporate leadership and entrep...