Meet the team

Senior Management
Chaim Mikael Guttermann

Chaim Mikael Guttermann

Director

Born and raised in Copenhagen, Rabbi Guttermann is a seventh generation Dane. His father, Mr. Avrohom Guttermann, was a prominent businessman and leader of the Jewish community in Copenhagen where he also ran a Yeshiva High School for Russian boys.

After learning in Yeshiva Chayei Olam in London, Rav. Guttermann enrolled in The Jerusalem College of Technology, graduating with a degree in Electrical Engineering. Following a three and a half year Shlichut (Israeli educational mission) in Denmark he made Aliya and was hired as the director of Shuvu.

David Blachman

David Blachman

Chairman, UK

David was born in Copenhagen, Denmark – grew up in a small community together with his close friend, Chaim Mikael Gutterman. David studied, in London for 3 years and then continued on to Israel for a further two years.

David has many years of professional experience as both an investor in the in the property market and in the Baby Products Industry,  supplying Mothercare, Toys r Us and many other top brand & general retailers. In more recent years David has been spent more time focusing on Shuvu, which is where his real interests lie.

Abraham Biderman

Abraham Biderman

Chairman N.Y

Mr.  Abraham (Abe) Biderman was hand-picked by Rabbi Pam to serve as Chairman, from Shuvu’s day one.

Born in Berlin to Holocaust survivors, he grew up with an awareness of his responsibilities to Klal Yisrael, and to the eternity of the nation.

Over the past 40 years Mr. Biderman has served in many senior financial positions, and also in many public positions of New York City, including special advisor to Mayors Koch and Guliani, Housing Commissioner of New York City, Commissioner of Finance for New York City, and Chairman of New York City’s Employee Retirement System. He remains very close to former Mayor Guliani, as well many other government officials including US Senators, Congressmen and Mayors.

Today he serves as Chairman of Eagle Advisers, LLC (since 2003), and  Managing Director of Palladium Capital Advisors, LLC., as well as serving on the board of several public companies listed on the United States stock exchanges.

Mr. Biderman is also a Vice President of Agudath Israel of America, member of the Presidium of Beth Medrash Gevoha, Vice President of the Claims Conference, where he is the representative of Agudath Israel World Organization, as well as a member of the board of many other non-profit and philanthropic organizations.

Mr. Biderman is a Certified Public Accountant, and graduated with a B.A. Degree in Investment Banking and Accounting from Brooklyn College in 1970.

He lives with his wife Sarah in Brooklyn, New York.

Joseph Hoch

Joseph Hoch

Chairman, NY

Dr. Hoch joined Mr. Biderman as Chairman of Shuvu in the year 2010, when the growth of the network and the workload necessitated appointing a Co-Chairman. Dr. Hoch was the natural choice for the position, following his very close relationship with Rabbi Pam zt”l, and longtime devotion to Shuvu.

A professor of physics, he currently serves as CEO of Park Drive Equities in Queens, New York, where he lives with his wife Aviva.

Abraham Schurder

Abraham Schurder

CFO

Abraham was born in England where he qualified as a CPA. After which, he joined the firm of FishcerSassoon & Marks and soon become a partner.

Following his heart Abraham moved with his family to Israel where he worked as a senior audit partner in KPMG Somekh Chaikin.

As a senior audit partner Abraham provided economic, consulting’ business and accounting advice to major Israeli companies in a variety of business sectors. Among many clients were Supersol, Property and Building Corp., Discount Investment Corp., Pazgas, Danshar and many other companies in the energy, industry, communications and real estate sectors.

After 25 years at KPMG Somekh Chaikin, Abraham went on to establish Schurder Consultancy which provides developing businesses with total support solutions according to each company’s specific needs, requirements and demands.

Education Team
Brocha Weinberger

Brocha Weinberger

Educational Supervisor

American-born, Brocha Weinberger spent several years in Russia with her husband assisting and educating Russian Jewry before joining Shuvu in Israel. Having mastered the Russian language and accumulated extensive experience in Jewish education, she is highly qualified to supervise Shuvu’s elementary schools. Although the schools are located throughout the country, she makes a point of visiting each school at least once a month.

Admin Team
Aliza Rosenfelder

Aliza Rosenfelder

UK office
Natpoint Ltd

Natpoint Ltd

IT
Mrs Miriam Landau

Mrs Miriam Landau

Fundraising & Events Manager
Bella Schon

Bella Schon

Fundraising Manager, - US office

Bella brings over 20 years of experience to her pivotal role as Fundraising Manager at Shuvu. Bella bring boundless energy, enthusiasm and dedication to her job which is encompasses many varied fundraising events and campaigns.

Bella lives with her husband and children in N.Y.

Aytan Himelstein

Aytan Himelstein

PR

After graduating from Bar Ilan University with a BA in psychology, Aytan took a turn for the insurance world where he worked for 15 years in the Centurion Insurance Agency in Jerusalem. From there he moved to Shuvu, where he’s been working in its public relations department since 2008. He served in the IDF completing the Hesder program through Yeshivat Har Etzion. He lives with his family in Beit Shemesh.

Board & Trustees, U.KBoard N.Y

Board
 
Yomi Cohen
Yossi Cope
Gavriel Emanuel
Yonathan Fisher
Gavriel Green
Eli Inglis
Yisorel Pels
Eli Posen
Danny Sanger
Eli Seliger
Sebastian Ereira

Trustees
Henry Last
Yitzchok Kruskal
Danny Blum
Aryeh Melinek

Heshy Arem,
Shea Bernath,
Prof. Yisroel Blumenfrucht,
Shlome Chaimovits,
Baruch Cywiak,
Yosef Davis,
Binyomin Drew,
Dr. Yaakov Ebin Z”L,
Yitzchok Eckstein,
Aaron Elbogen,
Yaakov Elbogen,
Bernard Englard,
Rabbi Shlomo Feigenbaum,
Moshe Fuchs,
Rabbi Avrohom Garfinkel,
AJ Ginsburg,
Mendy Greenberger,
Shimmy Greenberger,
Rabbi Boruch Greisman,
Rabbi Mechel Gruss,
Betazalel Gutman,

Akiva Herskowitz,
Baruch Hertz,
Aryeh Herzig,
Naftali Hirsch,
Rabbi Avi Klein Z”L,
Elly Kleinman,
Yossie Kohn,
Moshe Kut,
Dr. Seymour Lachman,
Rabbi Israel Lefkowitz Z”L,
Shimon Lefkowitz,
Yitzy Leshinsky,
Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz,
Henry Lowenthal,
Rabbi Naftali Miller,
Rabbi Nosson Motechin,
Rabbi Mordechai Neustadt,
Rabbi Aron Pam,
Ari Parnes,
Boruch Penn,
Yossi Rakower Z”L,

Avraham Rieder,
Yussie Rieder,
Shmuel Rimmer,
Benjy Roberts,
Dov Schechter,
Rabbi Elias Schwartz Z”L,
Getzel Segal,
Menachem Shayovich,
Eli Schindler,
Rabbi Moshe Silberberg,
Sheldon Silver,
David Singer,
Jay Spinner,
Chaim Stern,
Yitzchok Sussman,
Gedaliah Weinberger,
Avi Weinstcck,
Moshe Weiser,
Jerry Weissman,
Shlomo Werdiger,
Reuven Wolf,
Hirsch Chaim Wulliger,
Erwin Zafir