The Right Choice(s)
By Jill Cousins
With so many wonderful women in Central Florida’s Jewish community, it can be a daunting task to choose just one to honor at Shalom Orlando’s largest fundraising program, the annual Choices event, now in its 29th year. So at this year’s Choices dinner, Shalom Orlando decided to honor five women on February 9 at Harriett’s Orlando Ballet Centre. The theme was Women Who Shape Our Community for the betterment of themselves, their families, and our area.
“We wanted to honor women who have truly shaped our community,” says Carol Feuerman, development director for Shalom Orlando. “What they have accomplished has had a powerful and positive impact.”
Let’s meet the Women Who Shape Our Community:
Laura Abramson
Laura has been actively involved in Orlando’s Jewish community since 1987 when she moved to Central Florida and met her husband, Mark. The couple shared a passion for helping to build Jewish continuity. Now the mother of three grown children, Laura is a former nonprofit professional with a passion for Israel. She was one of the founding members of a new young adult chapter of Women’s American ORT (now World ORT) and served on the national board of the Young Leadership Development Program.
After being part of the second class of the Bornstein Leadership Group in 1995, Laura became inspired to get more involved in the community. That same year, she returned to Israel for the first time since she was 16 years old, and that trip built her passion for supporting Zionism and Israel. Over the years, Laura has received numerous leadership awards and has served on many boards in the Jewish community including the Jewish Community Center, Congregation Ohev Shalom, Jewish Academy of Orlando, and The Jewish Pavilion. Professionally, Laura served as Orlando director of the Jewish National Fund from 2013-2020 raising funds for various programs in Israel.
“I am honored to be recognized for helping build community,” Laura says. “Jewish continuity has always been important to me.”
Idit Lotringer
Idit was born and raised in Israel, but when the opportunity arose for her to relocate to the thriving and diverse city of Orlando in 2009, she embraced it. With a bachelor’s and master’s degree in education, Idit made an immediate impact at the Jewish Academy of Orlando as the Hebrew and Judaica director.
While excelling in her professional role, she felt compelled to do more to preserve and promote the rich culture of Israel and to strengthen Jewish identity in the area. That’s how Idit discovered the Israeli American Council (IAC), an organization committed to fostering a strong and united community among Israeli-Americans. In 2018, Idit accepted a position with the IAC and was named regional director of Central Florida. In that role, she has been making a meaningful impact in Central Florida’s Jewish and Israeli communities. Idit shares her love of Israel through celebrations of Israeli culture and heritage so it is preserved and celebrated in the United States while also fighting anti-Semitism.
“I am truly honored to be accepting this award, and I am filled with gratitude for everyone who has helped me get to this point,” Idit says. “I am committed to doing my part to ensure that the Jewish community continues to grow and flourish.”
“If you look at all the important work that has happened in the
Central Florida Jewish community, there were Women Who
Shape our Community at the table. That holds true today.”
Harriet Weiss
As the only Jewish child in her Jersey City neighborhood, Harriet never forgot what it felt like to be teased by the other children. It was the late 1940s, after World War II, and it was Harriet’s first taste of anti-Semitism. She was very popular in high school, but there were only three Jewish children in her class. So when Harriet became a mother herself, she swore she would not allow her children to feel the discomfort she experienced.
Harriet first got involved with Jewish organizations in New Jersey, and then when the Weiss family moved to Orlando in the 1970s, she became a board member of the Congregation of Reform Judaism and The Roth Family JCC for 10 years. After the last of her three sons graduated from high school, Harriet was hired by the JCC working as the cultural arts director and senior and singles director for many years. She produced more than 20 plays – even acting in a few of them – and brought many comedians and celebrities to Orlando’s Jewish community. Harriet is currently on the executive committee of the Central Florida Jewish Film Festival, now in its 25th year. She is celebrating 46 years as a volunteer in Orlando!
“It’s an honor to be recognized for volunteering and working in the Jewish community,” Harriet says.
Ronny Halperin-Shisgal
For almost two decades, Ronny has been working and volunteering to make a difference in Central Florida’s Jewish community. The married mother of “four wonderful ladies,” she says, Ronny is also a certified counselor for parents of young kids and teens. She is one of the founders of Orlando’s Friends of Israel Scouts and volunteers as co-head of the Tzofim chapter. For several years, Ronny worked as a counselor at Kinder Konsulting & Parents Too, and for the past 19 years she has held a variety of teaching positions at the JCC preschool, Jewish Academy of Orlando, and Congregation Ohev Shalom. Ronny has also been involved with many different committees at Ohev and worked as a group facilitator for the Israeli American Council’s adult leadership program for three years. For the past year, Ronny has worked with the International School for Parenting as an adviser and group facilitator.
“As a mother, an educator, and a therapist, I feel it’s my mission to be the role model my students deserve and represent the values I wish for them to follow,” Ronny says. “It is really exciting to get our community’s recognition, and I hope more people will join. I am honored to stand together with these four amazing women who dedicate themselves to a greater cause.”
Rachel Gebaide
Despite being a busy local attorney, wife, and mother of two, Rachel has always found time to be an active member of Central Florida’s Jewish community for the past 25 years. A native of Jacksonville, she is the immediate past president of Congregation Ohev Shalom and previously served on the boards of the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando (now Shalom Orlando), Jewish Family Services, Central Florida Hillel, and the Tampa Orlando Pinellas (TOP) Jewish Foundation, where she served as vice president - legal.
As a teen, Rachel was active in B’nai B’rith Girls (BBG) and spent the year between high school and college as the International N’siah (president) of BBG. Her first volunteer role after moving to Central Florida was as advisor to Orlando Waldflowers BBG #326, followed by service on the board of directors of B’nai B’rith Youth Organization (BBYO). A graduate of the University of Florida and The George Washington University Law School, Rachel sits on the Lowndes law firm’s executive committee and chairs the firm’s employment law practice group.
“Shalom Orlando has honored a number of amazing women over the years, many of whom were – and still are – role models for me,” Rachel says. “If you look at all the important work that has happened in the Central Florida Jewish community, there were Women Who Shape Our Community at the table. That holds true today.”
Story was originally published in print in Spring 2023.