Founded in 2007 by Jewish American and European visionaries, ELNET has emerged as the most influential pro-Israel advocacy organization in Europe. With offices in six European countries, one in Israel, and its funding and coordination guided by ELNET-US, its singular mission is to broaden and deepen defense, economic, military, and technological relationships between Israel and European nations.
ELNET is uniquely positioned to help align Europe, Israel, and the U.S. around shared strategic interests. We are working to harness the power of this triad for the 21st century to protect the Western alliance against increasing threats from the axis of authoritarianism: Russia, China, and Iran and its proxies.
ELNET-US is the DBA for Friends of ELNET which is a nonprofit organization that is tax-exempt under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3) and is a publicly supported charity described under Internal Revenue Code Sections 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) and 509(a)(1)
JNS: Legislators Return from ELNET Israel Mission with Renewed Focus on Diplomacy
March 12, 2024
The European Leadership Network (ELNET) just wrapped up its latest mission to Israel, integrating U.S. supporters with legislators from France, Germany, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
David Siegel, President of FELNET Speaking From Kfar Aza
March 5, 2024
ELNET hosted (25-29 February) representatives from France, Germany, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and the US. David Siegel, president of FELNET, shares his insights while visiting
The National Interest: A U.S.-Europe-Israel Triad? – Opinion
February 21, 2024
President of Friends of ELNET, David Siegel publishes op-ed in the National Interest on the importance of a US-Europe-Israel triad
ELNET Mobilizes European Support for Israel’s Security
February 20, 2024
Read here about how ELNET mobilizes European support for Israel’s security
FELNET Leadership Briefing – Fall 2023
November 22, 2023
The Friends of ELNET Leadership Briefing for Fall of 2023.
Friends of ELNET Appoints New Chief Development Officer
September 10, 2023
Friends of ELNET proudly announces the appointment of Jay Haberman as its new Chief Development Officer. He will officially begin his new role on October 1, 2023.
David F. Siegel
President, ELNET US
David F. Siegel is former Israeli diplomat involved in foreign policy formulation at the highest levels, including as Consul General to the Southwest United States. He served as the Chief of Staff to Israel’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Director of the Foreign Ministry’s International Organizations Department and Chief of Staff to three of Israel’s Ambassadors to the United States. He holds an MA in international relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and a BA in political science from the University of Vermont.
Carole Mostow
Secretary, ELNET US
Carole Mostow is the Director of the Hochberg Family Foundation and Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Next Realty. Previously, she was the VP of Accounting for a closely held corporation and served for many years as Associate Professionalism Counsel to the American Bar Association. She is active in the Chicago Jewish Community, including as a member of the Board of Directors for StandWithUs Midwest and as Secretary to the Friends of ELNET. She holds a JD and a BA from the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign.
Jay Haberman
Chief Development Officer, ELNET US
Jay Haberman is the former Director of Multigenerational Philanthropy at AIPAC. For twenty years, Jay held successive leadership positions within AIPAC's New York/Northeast region. Jay's entrepreneurial spirit led him to found the AIPAC Real Estate Division, a groundbreaking initiative that transformed fundraising efforts. Jay spearheaded several divisions and affinity groups expanding the organization’s reach and impact. He holds a BA degree from Ithaca College.
Siamak Kordestani
West Coast Director, ELNET US
Siamak "Sia" Kordestani is the former Assistant Director of the American Jewish Committee's Los Angeles Regional Office, where he worked on international relations, legislative affairs, interethnic/interreligious ties, donor relations and leadership development. Previously, he was Senior Legislative Assistant to Congressman Brad Sherman in Washington, DC, advising him on foreign policy, trade, labor, immigration, and energy. He also worked for the House Foreign Affairs Committee's Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade.
Sari Steinberg
Midwest Regional Director, ELNET US
Sari Steinberg is former Midwest Regional Director of Beit Halochem and Midwest Regional Coordinator of CAMERA. She has been a sought-after consultant for numerous nonprofits regionally and nationally. A Chicago native, Sari launched her professional career while living in Israel for seven years. Her academic path includes the University of Pennsylvania, The Hebrew University, Spertus Institute, and Matan, and she was a 2021 Chicago Women inPower Fellow.
Mark Sachs
Southeast Regional Director, ELNET US
Mark has been active in pro-Israel advocacy, public affairs, and international relations for decades as both an avocation and vocation. More recently, Mark worked as an AIPAC Director for almost a decade, first overseeing Atlanta and then major cities across Florida.
Post-Covid, Mark served as the Sr. VP of Client Success at a global strategic communications firm where he worked with a dozen pro-Israel, Jewish communal, and Israeli organizations, in addition to co-authoring a book, The Cancel Culture Curse.
Prior to joining ELNET, Mark provided strategic communications consulting to ELNET through the firm he founded. Mark has had articles published in major outlets such as JNS.org, The Hill, National Interest, and Honest Reporting.
Randi Halperin
National Operations Manager, ELNET US
Randi Halperin has spent much of her professional career working within the Jewish-Israeli nonprofit arena. She previously worked for several organizations, including American Society for Yad Vashem and American Friends of Magen David Adom. In addition, she served as Production Manager for a boutique direct marketing firm. Randi received a BA degree in History and Judaic Studies from Binghamton University, State University of New York.
Board Officers >>
Larry Hochberg
ELNET Co-Founder and Global Chairman
Mr. Larry Hochberg is an internationally renowned lay leader and philanthropist who served as National Chairman of the Friends of the IDF, National Officer of AIPAC, and held national leadership positions with the UJC, UJA, the Annual and Israel Emergency Campaigns of Chicago’s Jewish United Fund. Mr. Hochberg chaired the Advisory Committee of the American Jewish Committee’s Chicago chapter and served on the Dean’s Council of Northwestern University. He is is the founder, CEO and chairman of Sportmart Inc. acquired by Sports Authority.
Robert T. Flesh
Chair Elect, ELNET US
Robert T. (Tom) Flesh is the Chairman-elect of the Board of Friends of ELNET. He serves on the boards of several real estate companies and philanthropic organizations. Tom, a past President of Sinai Temple of Los Angeles, is a member of its Board of Directors. He is active in interfaith unity efforts, Jewish and Israel based institutions, and organizations focused on education and at risk youth. Tom has served on several community boards and commissions.
David F. Siegel
President, ELNET US
David Siegel is former Israeli diplomat involved in foreign policy formulation at the highest levels, including as Consul General to the Southwest United States. He served as the Chief of Staff to Israel’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Director of the Foreign Ministry’s International Organizations Department and Chief of Staff to three of Israel’s Ambassadors to the United States. He holds an MA in international relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and a BA in political science from the University of Vermont.
Kenneth A. Ruby
Vice Chair, ELNET US
Kenneth A. Ruby is a former President of Stephen S. Wise Temple. He is also a member of the Hebrew Union College Board of Governors emeritus, and a board member and Chairman of the Construction Committee of the Skirball Cultural Center. He was responsible for building over 3500 apartment units while with R&B Development Company, which he helped found. After leaving R&B Development Co., he founded Ken Ruby Construction Co., a real estate development, contractor and management company.
Susan Wagner
Treasurer, ELNET US
Susan is CEO of the Wagner family office and managing principal of Jarnis United Properties, the family’s umbrella real estate investment company. Jarnis owns commercial real estate and its current portfolio is made up primarily of multi-family, medical/nursing facilities and self-storage. Susan is also President of the Nathan and Esther K. Wagner Family Foundation. Outside of the family office, Susan Wagner serves on the board of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy – a premier Washington think tank on Middle East policy – and CEJP (Center for Entrepreneurial Jewish Philanthropy) which facilitates contributions to pro-peace and pro-Israel non-profits.
Carole Mostow
Secretary, ELNET US
Carole Mostow is the Director of the Hochberg Family Foundation and Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Next Realty. Previously, she was the VP of Accounting for a closely held corporation and served for many years as Associate Professionalism Counsel to the American Bar Association. She is active in the Chicago Jewish Community, including as a member of the Board of Directors for StandWithUs Midwest and as Secretary to the Friends of ELNET. She holds a JD and a BA from the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign.
Board Members >>
Eric Edidin
Chairman, ELNET-CEE, Member of Friends of ELNET
Eric Edidin is Executive Chairman of BH3 Management, a vertically integrated real estate investment firm. Mr. Edidin co-founded Archer Capital Management in 2006. Previously, he was a Co-Head of Credit at York Capital Management, a member of Morgan Stanley Capital Partners global investment team, and member of the Blackstone Group’s restructuring advisory team. Mr. Edidin is a former board member of the JDRF of Los Angeles, trustee of the Washington Institute, member of the investment committee of the Jewish Communal Fund of NY and the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles. He received a B.A. degree with highest distinction from the University of Michigan, and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
Joseph W. Feinberg
Joseph Feinberg is the Chairman/Director of the Joseph and Bessie Feinberg Foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. The family foundation is a loyal and generous supporter of many worthy charities including Northwestern University and its medical school, the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Besides his philanthropic activity, after working on Wall Street for over three decades, currently Joe is a Managing Director at Hightower Advisors. His group assists affluent investors, businesses, and non-profits in Accumulating and Protecting and Transferring their Wealth.
Robert L. Feldman
Robert L. Feldman is a graduate of Tufts University and received his J.D. from S.M.U. Dedman School of Law. Mr. Feldman was a partner at Thomas, Feldman & Wilshusen, LLP and its predecessor firm since 1982, and practiced law with the firm or predecessor group since graduating law school. He retired in June 2020. Mr. Feldman has participated in many civic activities, including as a volunteer Alumni Board member and serving on the Board of Trustees of St. Mark’s School of Texas. His Jewish community engagement features a former presidency of Congregation Shearith Israel and currently serves on its Board of Directors. He also has been an Officer for the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas and on its Board of Directors as well. Additionally, he is on the Board of the Anti-Defamation League, North Texas and Oklahoma Region.
Steven J. Fishman
Steven J. Fishman is the managing partner of the accounting firm Fishman, Block + Diamond, LLP. He has four decades of experience in providing tax, trust and estate, accounting, and business advisory services, specializing in working with high-net-worth individuals and their closely-held businesses, primarily in the real estate field. Mr. Fishman and his wife Jodie are very active in Jewish community leadership. He served as a Past President and is a lifetime board member of Stephen Wise Temple, Chair of the local executive committee, and National Council member of AIPAC, a board member of the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles, Impact Forum, Readers to Leaders (a teen literacy program), Hebrew Union College, and the immediate past Chair, and member of the Los Angeles Birthright Israel Leadership Council.
Leonard Foxman
Leonard Foxman for over 30 years served as the CEO and Founder of Eagle Test Systems, Inc., producing automatic semiconductor testing systems, with offices in Asia, Europe, and the United States. Eagle became a publicly owned company in 2006 (EGLT-NASDAQ), and was sold to Teradyne, Inc in 2008. He then served as the General Manager of Eagle Test Systems Division of Teradyne, Inc. Foxman is now President of the Foxman Family Foundation in Highland Park, IL, as well as Treasurer of the charitable Cool Clothes Closet.
Orete Jonas Harkavy
Orete Harkavy is Co-Executive Director of the Elm Family Foundation. The Foundation’s mission is to support Jewish education and the State of Israel. She earned her B.A. from the University of Michigan and her J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law. She is an Admission Engagement Manager at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and serves on the Board of Directors of Moriah Congregation in Deerfield, Illinois.
Andrew Hochberg
Mr. Andrew Hochberg is a board member of Friends of ELNET and Chairman of the Board of ELNET-Israel. Mr. Hochberg is a leader in the Chicago Jewish community, serving as Chairman of the Board for the Jewish Federation of Chicago, and formerly chairing its Overall Planning and Allocation Committee and Government Affairs Committee. Mr. Hochberg led fundraising for the Jewish Day School Guaranty Trust Fund and served as a presidential appointee to the US Holocaust Memorial Committee. He is a founder and CEO of a real estate investment firm Next Realty. He holds BS in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business and Juris Doctor from Northwestern University.
Jerry Rosenberg
Jerry Rosenberg is Vice-Chairman of the National Distributing Company and Partner at the Republic National Distributing Company. Jointly with his wife Dulcy, he co-founded the Alfred and Adele Davis Academy, as well as Project Newborn in Miami Florida. He serves on the boards of the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, William Breman Jewish Heritage and Holocaust Museum in Atlanta Georgia, Atlanta Opera, the Schenck School for Children with Dyslexia, Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America, and is a member of the AIPAC Minyan Group.
Eli Saulson
Eli Saulson is a director of the William Davidson Foundation, a private family foundation based in metro Detroit. The Foundation’s primary focus areas are Jewish Life, Arts & Culture, and Entrepreneurship, with a strong focus on Southeast Michigan and in Israel. Saulson was formerly an executive at Guardian Industries and is now a real estate investor. He graduated from the Ross School of Business at The University of Michigan and also studied at the London School of Economics. He lives in Franklin, Michigan with his wife, Michele, and four children.
New York
Tel: +1 917 627 4718
E-mail: jhaberman@felnetus.org
You can support ELNET’s work by donating online to Friends of ELNET.