The Schmooze: Chats with Jewish Greats

In this episode of The Schmooze , Jonathan Rubinstein , founder of Joe Coffee, shares his journey from the entertainment world to building one of New York City’s most beloved specialty coffee brands. Jonathan reflects on the leap of faith that led him to leave a career as a talent agent and pursue a vision rooted in craftsmanship, quality, and community. He discusses what it takes to build a value...

In this episode of The Schmooze, Michael Elbaz — Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of Airgain, Inc. — shares insights from a distinguished career in finance and strategic leadership across public companies and complex operational environments. With more than thirty years of experience in financial and strategic planning, accounting, and international finance, Michael has led finance functions...

In this episode of The Schmooze, Gary Coover —Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Superlayer—shares insights from a career spent building, scaling, and investing in early-stage companies at the forefront of innovation. Gary has worked across the startup ecosystem, from co-founding a venture-backed e-commerce company to architecting and leading global incubation and investment programs at Sam...

In this episode of The Schmooze , Jon Hyman shares how he got started in his career and the process of building and growing Braze into what it is today. Jon has over 15 years of experience in computer science, software development, product engineering, and SaaS with leadership positions in both entrepreneurial start-ups and complex corporate environments. Jon is the co-founder and chief technology...

In this episode of The Schmooze , Bob Rauch —widely known as The Hotel Guru —shares insights from a remarkable 50-year career in hospitality, leadership, and entrepreneurship. Bob has worked across every facet of the industry, from managing Four Diamond hotel properties to consulting for global hospitality brands, founding and selling a leading hotel advisory firm, and shaping the next generation...

In this episode of The Schmooze , Scott Schulman shares his perspective on the future of AI and his advice to young professionals as an executive coach. Scott has spent his career in the information and media industries as a CEO & President of global businesses, board member and executive chairman, and consultant & advisor to many of the world’s most successful and innovative companies. Sc...

In this episode of The Schmooze , Emily Glasser shares her inspiring journey shaped by values, service, and purpose. She reflects on the deep lessons of tzedakah (charity) and giving that were instilled in her from a young age, and how those values continue to guide both her personal and professional life. Emily speaks candidly about her career transition from investment banking to mission-driven...

In this episode of The Schmooze , Adina Dolfman shares thoughtful insights on building a long-term career in finance, navigating high-stakes environments, and growing into leadership roles. Drawing on nearly three decades across global financial institutions—including Morgan Stanley, J.P. Morgan, BlackRock, and her current role at Banc of America Securities—Adina reflects on her career and offers...

In this episode of The Schmooze, Ben Gordon shares his powerful journey as a business leader, philanthropist, and advocate for the Jewish community. He reflects on lessons from building successful companies, leading through challenge, and applying his signature “I Framework” to stay focused on what truly matters. Ben also offers thoughtful insights on combating antisemitism, strengthening Jewish l...

In this episode of The Schmooze, Eric Adler shares powerful insights on making the most of graduate school by staying curious, being open to not knowing, and truly using classes as a chance to learn and grow. From his career path and years in education to his work with the SEED Foundation and venture investing, Eric reflects on taking risks early and building a meaningful life and career.

In this episode of The Schmooze , Meir Zimmerman sits down with Brian M. Feuer , a leader with over 25 years in institutional investing, M&A advisory, and high-stakes negotiation. Brian spent 20 years at McKinsey & Company, where he built and led two major enterprises: the Special Situations Investments Group—overseeing complex venture, private equity, and liquidity-focused deals—and the G...

In this episode, Jamie Kleinman sits down with Jay Myers, Vice President of Acquisitions for Myers Erickson Properties , to explore his inspiring journey from the luggage industry to a successful career in real estate. Jay shares how entrepreneurship, hard work, and the ability to recognize opportunities shaped his path, while also reflecting on his Jewish heritage and the values that guide his fa...

Cindy Shapira has dedicated her career to advancing higher education and strengthening Jewish life through leadership and philanthropy. In this episode of The Schmooze , she reflects on her path—from chairing Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education to serving in top roles across Jewish Federations and national boards. We dive into her lessons on mentorship, identity, and the power of showi...

From startups to IPOs, Gary Alpert has spent two decades building and scaling mission-driven companies transforming healthcare. In this episode of The Schmooze , Gary shares his journey from co-founding WetFeet to leading at Brightline, Livongo, and Castlight Health. We dive into lessons on leadership, staying anchored to purpose, and creating impact at the intersection of innovation and care.

Dr. Jeffrey R. Solomon is Senior Advisor to Chasbro Investments, the family office of Charles Bronfman. For two decades, he was the President of the Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies, a group of foundations operating in Canada, Israel and the United States. He currently sits on the Boards of the Leichtag Foundation in San Diego, the Jim Joseph Foundation in San Francisco and the KIND and...

Leading Through Innovation Mike Newman’s path from law school to CEO in enterprise video is anything but typical. In this episode, the former MediaPlatform leader shares his journey—from co-founding Accordent Technologies to scaling cloud-native video solutions for global brands. We dive into his lessons on leadership, growth, and staying grounded in a rapidly evolving industry.

In this episode of The Schmooze, we sit down with Michael Friedlander, Senior Director of Strategy and Transformation at PepsiCo. Michael is an outcomes-based IT Executive with a proven track record of working on mergers and acquisitions and successfully transforming business processes by implementing highly effective technology solutions within multinational companies.

In this episode of The Schmooze, we sit down with Beth Feldman, Senior Vice President of Communications for The CW Network and Nexstar Media. Throughout her career she has launched hit talk shows, primetime series, and well-known brands by developing groundbreaking media campaigns that generate media exposure and drive consumer and viewer awareness.

David Glauber is an innovative international attorney with many years of Legal, Public Policy, Regulatory and Compliance experience.

In this episode of The Schmooze , we sit down with Bill Shafton, a seasoned in-house lawyer who led Grindr’s legal team from its founding days to its public debut on the NYSE. Bill shares insights from his journey through high-growth tech, regulatory challenges, and litigation strategy. Beyond his legal expertise, Bill opens up about his passion for music and how it has shaped his personal and pro...

Jason Lubin is a manager-producer and the principal at First Story Entertainment, which he founded in 2018. The lit management company represents a diverse roster of talented writers and directors with fresh voices in all genres for Film and TV. The company’s clients have been staffed on shows on multiple networks including Showtime, CW, Apple+, and Netflix, and have sold series to Disney and HBO...

With over 15 years of experience in the tech sector, Neal is passionate about investing in and supporting innovative companies that impact communities and solve real-world problems. As a Managing Partner at Interlock Capital, he helped find, evaluate, fund, and support the best technology companies through our venture fund and angel investor syndicate. With over 15 years of experience in the tech...

Stacy Schusterman is chair of Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, whose mission is to pursue more just and inclusive societies in the United States and Israel. Stacy’s philanthropic vision is deeply rooted in Jewish values, including the pursuit of justice (tzedek), repairing the world (tikkun olam) and treating all people with dignity and respect (derekh eretz). Schusterman Family...

Michael Kaufman founded Kaufman Lynn Construction (KL) in 1989 with three employees, including himself. Over the past 34 years, having completed over 1,000 projects, he has grown his company into one of the largest construction companies in Florida with operations throughout the Southeast. In 2020, Michael sold KL to its 250+ associates through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), sharing the...

Moses Libitzky is Chief Executive Officer of Libitzky Property Companies. Moses has over 40 years of commercial real estate expertise, specializing in mixed-use industrial rehabilitation. He has successfully directed over 100 projects with long term operation. Moses attended Brandeis University where he obtained a B.S. in Physics with a sub-specialty in Computer Science. Moses started his professi...