MAY 11 • 2023 | 51
and American Jewish com-
munities right now?
Platt: Our presence, our
thoughts, our engagement
have been welcomed with
open arms by everyone on
every side in every conver-
sation, and I am very glad
about that. We will contin-
ue to express our thoughts,
but I think our relationship
with the State of Israel has
never been closer. It’s about
sharing openly the issues
that are of great concern
to the diaspora. We had
a fly-in about a month
ago of 20+ leaders from
Jewish Federations North
America (including Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit CEO Steven
Ingber).
We were welcomed into
offices of members of
Knesset and of many lead-
ers across the spectrum in
Israel who very much want-
ed to hear what we had to
say. And I think because we
are engaged so vibrantly in
all facets of supporting the
State of Israel and engaged
in work here, we have
earned the respect and the
attention of those people in
decision-making positions.
Jewish News: You’ve
showcased an enormous
commitment to the Jewish
people through your leader-
ship and also instilled it in
your children. What led you
to have such a dedicated
pathway, and what would
be your advice to other par-
ents seeking to raise chil-
dren with a strong Jewish
identity?
Platt: I would say that
it was instilled in me from
birth from a mother and
father who took their place
in Jewish communal leader-
ship locally, nationally and
globally — from the perch
of a small town in Kansas. I
grew up in Wichita, Kansas.
I would say Jewish educa-
tion for your children and
grandchildren and Jewish
summer camp were the
sweet sauce for me. And
then I was able to cut my
teeth in the National Young
Leadership Cabinet, which
I’m thrilled to say my oldest
daughter and her husband
are part of at this moment.
But more than all of it, you
have to model it for your
children. You can’t just talk
the talk. You have to walk
the walk.
A CONVERSATION continued from page 49
A protester demonstrates at the 2023 Jewish Federations of North
America General Assembly in Tel Aviv as a conference attendee
walks past.
become WZO president.
Dorfman also is the first WZO
president since 1972, when
Ehud Avriel completed his
four-year tenure.
“From then until now, the
WZO chair has been the
highest role,
” she said, “but
the post-2020 election nego-
tiations with Yesh Atid, Likud
and others returned the role,
which exists per organizational
bylaws.
”
Prior to her election as
president, Dorfman served as
WZO vice-chairman, head of
the Department for Israel and
Holocaust Commemoration,
and chaired the WZO Herzl
Center/Museum. In her “day”
job as executive director of
the Steinhardt Foundation,
she oversees partnerships
with nonprofits in education
and serving at-risk youth and
young adult leadership.
Born in Jaffa, Israel, and
raised in Oak Park, Dorfman
finished high school in Israel
and pursued undergradu-
ate and graduate degrees in
international relations and
education at UCLA in Los
Angeles. Afterward, in 1984,
she worked for Melitz, the
Center for Zionist Education
in Jerusalem, before returning
to Detroit from 1993-1996 to
manage the Jewish Federation
of Metropolitan Detroit’s Israel
and Overseas Department
while her husband, Raviv
Schwartz, worked on his Ph.D.
at the University of Michigan.
Dorfman intends to use
her presidential pulpit and
the institution’s resources to
engage more Jews in America
and worldwide, even though
“the WZO president is consid-
ered a ceremonial and volun-
tary job,
” she said.
She already notes a greater
diversity of olim and diversi-
fying of reasons for coming to
Israel in recent years.
“Now, there is a big influx
for professional reasons, with
many working at American
companies,
” that have opened
offices in the greater Tel Aviv
area, also an attraction to
young professionals.
Dorfman, who lives with
her family in Savyon, outside
of Tel Aviv, invites Detroiters
and all Americans to become
more involved formally with
Zionism. “The easiest ways are
to reach out to local Zionist
organizations in the commu-
nity and go to the WZO web-
site, www.wzo.org.il, and learn
about the partners.
”
COURTESY OF THE WORLD ZIONIST ORGANIZATION