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

