Meet the Israel Justice Organization Team

When he was 9 years old the Nazis invaded Poland. Jerry was forced to enter in the Auschwitz concentration camp and witnessed unspeakable tragedy. Loosing his mother and father shortly after due to the conditions. With an incredible life story of perseverance, Jerry has become a leading outspoken voice on antisemitism and other important issues to the Jewish people. Notably, Jerry refuted the comparison of Trump's MSG rally to a Nazi rally, calling President Trump a mensch. 

Farley Weiss was the main Jewish advisor to Senator Jon Kyl on the creation of the Jerusalem Embassy Act, legislation enabling the embassy relocation, and had involvement up until the moving of the embassy to Jerusalem. He released a book on this that has blurbs from Ambassador Mike Huckabee, Alan Dershowitz, Joe Lieberman, and many others called "Because it's just and right". 

Farley Weiss is the Past President of the National Council of Young Israel and Past President of Young Israel of Phoenix. He is President of the Intellectual Property Law Firm of Weiss & Moy and was a former volunteer law clerk at the Israeli Supreme Court in the Summer of 1988 for Deputy President Justice Menachem Elon.

Dr. Joseph Frager has been a Physician in New York for 45 years. He has served the Jewish Community for nearly as long. He received the coveted Bernard Revel Award for Communal Affairs from Yeshiva University. He is a former First Vice President of the National Council of Young Israel. He organized the Israel Day Concert in Central Park following the Salute to Israel Parade for 25 years. He has written extensively. 

Jonathan W. Burkan has worked in the financial services industry for over 25 years. He currently serves as a Senior Vice President at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, managing over $1B in client assets. 

In 2019 and 2025, Jonathan received a Presidential appointment to serve on the United States Holocaust Memorial Council (Board of Trustees) in Washington, D.C.. In addition to his current role on the Board, he is an active member of the Museum's Audit Committee, contributing to governance and oversight initiatives. He earned his MBA with a concentration in Finance from Vanderbilt University's Owen Graduate School of Management and holds a BA in Government from Skidmore College.

Rabbi Ambassador Sir Michael Melnicke, KCN, is a distinguished healthcare executive, public servant, and interfaith leader with nearly five decades of experience in nursing home administration, regulatory oversight, and community leadership. A graduate of Telshe College with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Rabbi Melnicke has held nursing home administrator licenses in multiple states and has been repeatedly appointed by the New York State Department of Health as a receiver and administrator to stabilize, restructure, and elevate underperforming facilities. Throughout his career, he has successfully overseen the acquisition, renovation, and management of numerous nursing homes and rehabilitation centers, consistently achieving excellent survey records and significantly improving quality of life for residents.

Beyond healthcare, Rabbi Melnicke has devoted his life to public service, interfaith outreach, and law enforcement chaplaincy at the federal, state, and local levels. He serves as Ambassador at Large for the Nation of Grenada and has been honored as a Knight Commander (KCN). As a chaplain to numerous agencies such as ATF, U.S. Marshals, FLETC, USPP, NYPD(H), PAPD N.Y.N.J., NJTP, and various other law enforcement agencies-including establishing the chaplaincy for FBI and LAPD—he provides spiritual guidance, crisis counseling, sensitivity training, and support to officers and their families of all denominations. A respected board member of education- Board of Trustees of LIU-medical- Board of NYSFA- and Jewish organizations such as NY Board of Rabbis.

David Bukzin brings more than three decades of experience advising businesses across all stages of their development. A Certified Public Accountant, David began his career in 1986 and played a pivotal role in building his firm, Marcum LLP, into the 13th largest accounting and advisory organization in the United States. During his tenure, the firm expanded to more than 4,000 employees with offices nationwide. David ultimately served as Vice Chairman before the firm’s sale in 2024, retiring the following year after supporting the leadership transition. 

David is a graduate of Baruch College and resides in Westchester, New York. He previously served on the Boards of the Westport Country Playhouse and The Community Synagogue of Westport.

Vladimir Jaffe is a former Soviet citizen with a master’s degree in chemical engineering. In the USSR, he was active in Jewish circles, dissident movements, and international media—at significant personal risk—and was interrogated at KGB headquarters in 1985. He emigrated to the United States in 1988 and is now a successful entrepreneur. He is the owner of Palace Imports, a company specializing in solid wood furniture sourced from Africa, Europe, South America, and Mexico, sold online through retailers such as Macy’s, Wayfair, Bed Bath & Beyond, Walmart, and others. Since becoming a U.S. citizen in 1993, Vladimir has remained politically active and is deeply involved in supporting Jewish organizations and initiatives.

Phil Kurzner, MD is a physcian and health policy leader with more than three decades of experience in clincal practice, health system governance, and public service. He earned a BA from Stanford University and an MD from Baylor College of Medicine, completing surgical and urologic training at Yale New Haven Hospital. D.r Kurzner practiced urological surgery for 32 years with the Southern California Permanente Medical Group, with an emphasis on surgical oncology, and held senior leadership roles including Board Director, Regional Coordinating Chief of Urology, Chief of Urology at West Los Angeles, and Director of Surgical Services. 

His early work in cross-border pediatric cardiac screening programs shaped a lifelong commitment to mission-driven care. He chaired the California Commission on Aging and served on the Los Angeles County Hospital and Health Commission. Now based in Nashville, he supports artificial kidney research initiatives at Vanderbilt University and UCSF and brings to nonprofit boards a pragmatic, outcomes-focused perspective grounded in medicine, governance, and public policy.