Team

Meet our team

Our dedicated board reflects the Australian Jewish community’s diverse religious traditions and political perspectives – all united by a shared commitment to Zionism and Jewish identity.

Jeremy Leibler

President

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Jeremy Leibler was elected President of the Zionist Federation of Australia in 2018 and since then has provided strategic leadership during critical moments for Israel and the Australian Jewish community.

Beyond his ZFA role, Jeremy serves as a Governor of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and as a Director of the Spotlight Foundation.

In his professional career, Jeremy is a senior corporate lawyer and Partner at Arnold Bloch Leibler, where he specializes in mergers and acquisitions, shareholder activism, and corporate governance. His professional expertise and leadership have been widely recognized, including by legal publications such as Chambers Global and The Legal 500 Asia Pacific. Jeremy is a non-executive director of ASX listed Thorney Technologies Ltd, member of the Australian Takeovers Panel and member of the Corporations Committee of the Business Law Section of the Law Council of Australia.

He previously served as Deputy Chair of Leibler Yavneh College and as a Board Member of Zionism Victoria and the United Jewish Education Board.

Jeremy holds a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) from Monash University, where he was awarded the Supreme Court Prize and served as Editor of the Monash University Law Review. He has also completed executive education at Harvard Business School.

Jeremy lives in Melbourne with his wife Andrea and their four children.

Alon Cassuto

Chief Executive Officer

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Alon Cassuto is Chief Executive Officer of the Zionist Federation of Australia (ZFA), working to strengthen the Australian Jewish community’s connection to Israel and build a confident, inclusive and future-focused Zionist movement.

Since taking on the role, Alon has focused on empowering the next generation of Jewish leaders, expanding access to long-term Israel experiences, and ensuring strong communal representation in the face of rising antisemitism. His approach is rooted in collaboration, a belief in the strength of institutions, and a commitment to Jewish peoplehood.

Born in Jerusalem and based in Melbourne, Alon holds a double degree in Law and Arts from the University of Melbourne. He began his career as a lawyer before moving into strategy and leadership consulting, where he advised Australia’s top executives and organisations on strategy, transformation and performance.

Alon is a committed Zionist and respected community leader. He previously served as Chair of the Young Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce and held senior leadership roles in the Australasian Union of Jewish Students, Zionist youth movements and led multiple Israel programs. He has long championed initiatives that bring young Jews into deeper engagement with Jewish life, Israel, and community responsibility.

Fluent in English, Hebrew and Italian, Alon is a regular media spokesperson and public advocate on issues relating to Zionism, Jewish identity, and antisemitism in Australia.

He lives in Melbourne with his wife and their two children.

Daniel Jenshel

Board member

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Daniel combines the skills of business, strategy and marketing with the passion and knowledge of a long involvement with impact in communal positions.

Over the last 20 years Daniel has been involved in the Melbourne Jewish community from early volunteering with Jewish Care to a founding member of the big brother- big sister program.

Daniel has worked with youth and donors in the establishment of escape on chapel Jewish youth facility in the early 90’s together with his involvement as a board member and leader in the Bnei Akiva youth movement.

Daniel’s passion extended to working and leading UJEB as president for 5 years, in conjunction with his time as a 5 year board member on the Melbourne Jewish Care board.

Communal work currently also involves a advisory member of CCARE and founder of the Men’s Haven group and co presenter of the Men’s Talk podcast on Spotify.

Daniel’s skills and competencies have culminated as portfolio owner and lead of Israel Programs on the ZFA board, working with key staff and suppliers to enhance product delivery and grow the annual participants on these gap year programs to enhance Jewish engagement and the love of Israel in our youth.

Adele Stowe Lindner

Board member

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Adele leads a national governance and leadership organisation and has worked across homelessness, refugee support and educational equity. She holds a Master’s in Community Work from the University of London and a Master’s in Leadership from Deakin University. Her career centres on scaling for-purpose organisations for innovation and impact. A Zionist youth movement graduate, Adele spent a gap year in Israel and later studied at Hebrew University. She worked in London for over a decade and, passionate about pluralist Jewish life, led Limmud UK inclusive text study initiatives. Adele has also served on her synagogue and Maccabi Tennis Club boards.

Josh Itzkowic

Board member

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Josh has been a Board Member of the ZFA since May 2024, based in Sydney. Josh has spent significant time in Israel with his family and as a member of Habonim Dror and participated in the Maccabiah Games in 2017. Josh was living in Tel Aviv with his young family on 7 October.

Josh’s professional career spans investment banking, real estate, capital markets and technology. He is currently General Manager, Asset Management at Scentre Group.

Josh was elected as Chairperson of the Commerce sub-committee at the ZFA Biennial in 2024.

Lauren Blecher

Board member

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Lauren is Chief Corporate & Governance Officer at the National Basketball League – responsible for its legal, governance, compliance and integrity functions. Lauren is a commercial lawyer with experience in M&A investments across sports, media and wagering. Lauren has held leadership roles in Australia and London where she worked in private equity and digital media. Throughout her career, Lauren has played an active role in contributing to community through committee and board roles at various not for profit organisations including the AICC Young Business Forum, Leeds United Foundation, Cranbourne Country Club Sports Committee, Larita Academy and was a co-founder of Project A and The Nappy Collective.

Orli Zahava

Board member

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Dr Orli Zahava is President of the Zionist Council of New South Wales and Vice President of the Zionist Federation of Australia. She has served on the Board of ZCNSW since 2019, with a focus on strengthening community engagement as well as broader advocacy and representation of the Jewish community in public and political spaces.

Orli is also Chair of Jewish Life at Emanuel School, where she has served on the Board since 2018, working to enhance Hebrew language education, Jewish Studies, and informal Jewish learning.

She holds a doctorate from UNSW, where she lectured and researched in international relations, with a focus on the politics of international law, treaty negotiation, and the evolution of global norms. Earlier in her career, Orli worked in public affairs at the Australia/Israel Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) and was General Manager of the Australian National Playwrights’ Centre, supporting the development of new Australian theatre through its flagship annual conference.

Orli also curates and presents a monthly world music radio show, which she has hosted for over a decade, reflecting her passion for music and cross-cultural collaboration.

A graduate of the Habonim Dror youth movement, Orli draws inspiration from her Israeli heritage and from her Saba, a lifelong shaliach who worked across Australia, the U.S., South Africa, and Europe to promote Aliyah and Jewish connection to Israel.

She was in Israel on 7 October 2023 and began her term as ZCNSW President shortly after returning to Australia.

Ben Simon

Board member

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Ben Simon has served as the Honorary Treasurer of the Zionist Federation of Australia since 2018, bringing over 20 years of experience in accounting and consulting, along with a deep and enduring commitment to communal service. He is a partner at Rose Partners, where he leads a team delivering expert advisory, tax, and valuation services across a range of industries. Ben has held positions on numerous community boards and previously served as Federal Mazkir of the Netzer Youth movement, reflecting his long-standing dedication to Jewish engagement and leadership. He is passionate about fostering relationships built on candour and trust, and contributes broad expertise in finance, strategy, and governance.