2026 Honoree, Speaker, and Performer Bios
Heather Booth
Peace Builder
Heather Booth has been organizing for social justice and tikkun olam for over forty years. She began this work in the civil rights and women’s movement and was the founding director of Midwest Academy, a leading training center for organizers.
In 2000, she was the founding director of NAACP National Voter Fund that helped to increase African American turnout.
She was the Acting Director of AMOS: A Jewish Social Justice Partnership, designed to move social justice to a more central role in the Jewish community. In 2008, she was the Director of the AFL-CIO’s Campaign for Health Care Reform. In early 2009, ran the campaign to pass the Obama Budget. She was the Director of Americans for Financial Reform, working to regulate the financial industry (and passed Dodd/Frank legislation and win the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau). She has directed campaigns on Immigration, Marriage Equality, Social Security and other issues. She has worked on electoral campaigns and was the Democratic National Committee’s Training Director, did national Progressive and Seniors Outreach in the Biden and Harris Presidential campaigns. She is now working with Battleground Alliance to win in about 40 marginal congressional districts and build a long-lasting organization.
There is a film about her life: Heather Booth: Changing the World that has been on PBS and seen around the country. She is a member of Democracy Partners.
She and her husband, Paul Booth (of blessed memory), have two remarkable sons and daughters-in-law and five precious grandchildren.
Senator Chris Van Hollen
Congressional Champion of Justice
Elected to the United States Senate by the people of Maryland in November 2016, Chris Van Hollen is committed to fighting every day to ensure that our state and our country live up to their full promise of equal rights, equal justice, and equal opportunity.
Senator Van Hollen believes that every child deserves the opportunity to pursue their dreams and benefit from a quality education, and that anyone willing to work hard should be able to find a good job. That's why his top priorities include creating more and better jobs, strengthening small businesses, and increasing educational and job training opportunities for individuals of all ages and in every community.
Senator Van Hollen started his time in public service as a member of the Maryland State Legislature, where he became known as a tenacious advocate for everyday Marylanders and someone who was unafraid to take on powerful special interests on behalf of working people. In 2002, he was elected to represent Maryland's 8th Congressional District. In the House of Representatives, he served as a member of the Democratic leadership and was elected by his colleagues to be the Ranking Member of the House Budget Committee and protect vital interests like Social Security and Medicare.
A tireless fighter for the people of Maryland, Senator Van Hollen has also become known for working hard to find common sense solutions to difficult national issues. In January 2015, he released a comprehensive plan to address the problem of growing inequality in America and provide a blueprint for building an economy that works for everyone, a goal that he will continue to fight for in the U.S. Senate.
Senator Van Hollen is proud to have worked successfully with members of both parties to pass bipartisan legislation whenever possible on issues of common concern, including expanding medical research, protecting the Chesapeake Bay, fighting childhood cancer, and passing the ABLE Act to assist families with children with disabilities.
Chris Van Hollen is a graduate of Swarthmore College, the John F. Kennedy School of Public Policy at Harvard University, and Georgetown University Law Center where he attended night school. He and his wife, Katherine Wilkens, are the proud parents of three children—Anna, Nicholas, and Alexander.
Maya Wiley
Civil Rights Leader
Maya Wiley is a nationally respected civil rights attorney and activist who has dedicated her life to the fights for justice, equality, and fairness.
Wiley’s father was a leader in the civil rights and economic justice movements, and she has been a leader inside and outside government. Serving as the first Black woman counsel to the mayor of New York City, she helped deliver on civil and immigrant rights. During her tenure, the city also saw an expansion of minority/women-owned business enterprises contracts. Following her time at City Hall, Wiley moved to academia as a faculty member and senior vice president for social justice at the New School University. While there, she chaired the New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB). As chair, she led the release of the “hold” on proceedings against Daniel Pantaleo whose illegal chokehold killed Eric Garner. That move led to the CCRB’s successful administrative prosecution of Pantaleo that resulted in his firing. Wiley’s tenure at the CCRB was marked by increased case closure rates, increased transparency, and an intense focus on public outreach so that potential victims of police abuse were aware of ways to seek the board’s assistance. In 2021, Wiley was a candidate for New York City mayor.
As a Henry Cohen professor of public and urban policy at the New School, Wiley founded the Digital Equity Laboratory on universal and inclusive broadband. She also served as a legal analyst for NBC News and MSNBC.
Early in her career, Wiley worked at the ACLU and the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc., where she focused on multiple racial justice issues. She also worked in the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Following the September 11 attacks, Wiley co-founded the nonprofit Center for Social Inclusion, an organization that focused on transforming structural racism into fair opportunity at the intersection of race and poverty as it relates to education, the digital divide, land use planning, the green economy, and more. Wiley was also a senior advisor on race and poverty at the Open Society Foundations.
Wiley earned her B.A. from Dartmouth College and her J.D. from Columbia Law School. She lives in Brooklyn with her partner, Harlan, and their two daughters and cats.
Naama Lazimi
Knesset Democrat
Naama Lazimi is an Israeli politician and Member of the Knesset for the Democrats and previously for the Labor Party. Previously, she was a member of the Haifa City Council and vice chairman of the Student Association at the University of Haifa. She is a feminist, pro-peace social democrat, and an advocate for LGBT rights.
Aziz Abu Sarah
Peace Activist and Author
Aziz Abu Sarah is a peace builder, cultural educator, serial entrepreneur—Co-Fonder of InterAct International and MEJDI Tours, author and international speaker.
Harnessing the transformative power of travel, in 2009 Aziz cofounded MEJDI Tours—originators of the Dual Narrative™ and a leader of responsible travel. Aziz’s educational and conflict resolution work throughout the world has earned him the titles of National Geographic Explorer and Ted Fellow. He has written opinion pieces for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Al-Quds, Haaretz, and has been published by National Geographic, CNN, TED, and Al Arabiya. He has been named one of the 500 most influential Muslims in the World by the Royal Strategic Centre in Jordan each year since 2010.
His book, Crossing Boundaries - A Traveler’s Guide To World Peace, was released in July 2020. Co-author of the 2018 publication, Strangers, Neighbors, Friends: Muslim-Christian-Jewish Reflections on Compassion and Peace, Aziz continues to be at the forefront of peace and reconciliation efforts in conflict zones. Aziz has worked in 60 countries, including Afghanistan, Colombia, Syria, and the Balkans.
He has served as Executive Director at the Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution, George Mason University and as the Chairman for the Parents Circle Family Forum, representing the organization at international governmental organizations such as the European Parliament. He is the cofounder of InterAct International, an NGO with the mission to build lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians by 2030—through fostering genuine understanding and creating spaces for meaningful dialogue.
Charlotte Clymer
Activist and Writer
Charlotte Clymer is a writer, activist, and military veteran. She's the founder of "Charlotte's Web Thoughts," a bestselling, award-winning Substack newsletter on politics, religion, foreign policy, and culture. She has received the 2025 Military Reporters & Editors Award for Commentary/Opinion, the 2024 EPPY Award for Best Political/News Blog, and the 2024 NLGJA Excellence in Blogging Award. She was previously a Political Fellow at the Georgetown Institute of Politics and Public Service and a press secretary at the Human Rights Campaign. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Running Start, an organization dedicated to training young women in high school and college to pursue careers in politics. She is a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations and proudly hails from Texas. She is a graduate of Georgetown University (Hoya Saxa!) and resides in Washington, D.C.
Tom Feldman
NJN Board Co-Chair
Tom Feldman is a retired attorney from Denver. Tom served for 12 years as a board member of Americans for Peace Now, one of NJN’s predecessor organizations. Active in his local Jewish community, Tom has served since 2017 on the Colorado Jewish Community Relations Council. As a local peace activist, Tom has sat on J Street Colorado’s executive committee since 2012 and twice served as the Chapter’s co-chair. In 2021, J Street Colorado honored Tom with the Hil Margolin Champion of Peace Award for his work advancing peace and justice for Israelis and Palestinians.
As an attorney, Tom specialized in labor and employment law, as well as Social Security disability claims. He briefed and argued several major cases in both Federal and Colorado courts. Tom was a contributing author of The Practitioner’s Guide to Colorado Employment Law. He previously served on the board of directors of the Colorado Plaintiff Employment Lawyers Association (PELA).
Tom is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley and the Washington College of Law of The American University in Washington, D.C. He lives in Denver with his wife, Jan.
Nomi Colton-Max
NJN Board Co-Chair
Nomi is proud and excited to be one of the first co-chairs of the New Jewish Narrative. Most recently, Nomi was the Executive Board Chair and Vice President of Ameinu. After serving several years on the Board, Nomi was elected Vice President for Programming of the American Zionist Movement in the spring of 2021 and was reelected by acclamation last 2023. She also serves on the World Zionist Organization Expanded Executive and is involved with Brit Eytz- the World Zionist Union of the Labour Movement and the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations. Nomi grew up in the Habonim Dror youth movement in Canada, and both her professional and personal development have been centered on Israel and the Middle East.
Trained as a foreign policy analyst specializing in the Arab World and the Persian Gulf, Nomi speaks frequently on the subjects of current events in the Middle East and Israel. Nomi earned her undergraduate degree at McGill University and a master's degree from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). She has lived, worked, and studied in the region and speaks Hebrew, Arabic, and French.
A past president of Congregation Beth El in South Orange, New Jersey, Nomi continues to be a lay service leader. She has also served on the MetroWest Jewish Community Relations Council, and Nomi and her husband Harold were honored with the Star of Essex award in 2015 for their service to the Jewish community and contribution to the lives of Essex County residents. Nomi and Harold are the proud parents of two young men who need to come and visit more often.
Dina Kraft
Journalist and Author
Dina Kraft is an award-winning journalist, podcaster and the co-author of the New York Times bestseller, "My Friend Anne Frank" together with Hannah Pick-Goslar. She is an international correspondent for The Chrisitan Science Monitor and has covered Israeli and Palestinian politics and society for over two decades. Dina is drawn to stories featuring unlikely connections, dual narratives and the impact of conflict on ordinary lives. She was formerly the opinion editor of Haaretz English and a host and creator of the podcast, "Groundwork" about Israeli and Palestinian peace activists.
Rabbi Scott Perlo
Rabbi at Adat Shalom
Rabbi Scott Perlo (he/him) became Rabbi at Adat Shalom in August, 2024. He is a leader in the field of Jewish open outreach. He’s taught Torah to thousands of unaffiliated Jews, their partners and those interested in Jewish life of any background. Prior to coming to Adat Shalom, Scott worked primarily with Millennials, addressing the specific needs of the next generation of Jewish life.
Benjie Porecki
Musician
Benjie Porecki is one of today's most versatile Hammond B-3 organists and keyboard artists, blending jazz, blues, funk, soul, and R&B into a sound that is both deeply rooted and distinctly his own. Equally at home leading his own groups or collaborating with legendary artists, he has performed and recorded with Carlos Santana, Buddy Guy, Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, Kirk Whalum, Tom Scott, Maysa, Pieces of a Dream, Angie Stone, Nnenna Freelon, and many others. His latest album, Faster Than We Know, has spent 14 weeks on the JazzWeek Top 50 national chart, reaching No. 19 and continuing to establish him as one of contemporary jazz's most compelling voices.
Jeff Weintraub
Musician
Jeff Weintraub is a D.C.-area jazz vocalist whose interpretations draw not only on the Great American Songbook but also expand conventional understandings of that term to include blues, pop and even American folk tunes from the distant and more recent past. His arrangements and sound reveal an eclectic musical curiosity that he showcased in his 2024 album, “In Case You Missed It.” Jeff has performed for many years in Washington-area music venues and also sings Jewish liturgical music.
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