“We’re one.” That was the message shared on the bimah of Sinai Temple in Los Angeles, where Rabbi Erez Sherman welcomed Voice of the People CEO Shirel Dagan-Levy for a moving Shabbat conversation about community, diversity, and shared purpose.
In his opening remarks, Rabbi Sherman reflected on his own experience as a council member:
“I like to say it's the best kept secret of Israel that you're not going to hear about. It's 150 Jewish leaders of all ages, from literally around the world, that was actually chosen by an algorithm.”
The two met in person in Haifa in March 2024, when Rabbi Sherman was selected as one of the 150 members of the global council and met his group, and the rest of the council, at our VOP Conference. Eight months later, that connection has blossomed into something much larger.
“It really has become family,” he said.
Shirel, who had just been introduced to the community of Sinai Temple, described the experience as both moving and affirming:
“I think I'm very, very far away from home, and yet I feel at home. Seeing so many people that in a second I feel are my family, it’s just amazing.”
The conversation turned to the origins of Voice of the People. Initiated by Israeli President Isaac Herzog, the council was envisioned as a network of new Jewish leaders from Israel, North America, and the rest of the world. Their charge: to tackle the most urgent challenges facing the Jewish people.
“It was a great idea before the war, and it became much more relevant after,” Shirel explained.
Post October 7, that mission has taken on even greater urgency. As Shirel described, the power of the initiative lies in its diversity:
“In those 150 people, we have people from the age of 19 to 82, secular and ultra-Orthodox, people from business, Jewish Federations, education, media, VC, storytellers, everything. That’s how we bring creativity and innovation to the Jewish world.”
When Rabbi Sherman asked how people can engage more deeply with the work of the President and VOP, Shirel offered a clear invitation:
“To be proactive. The opportunity we got post October 7 is that we received so many new voices, people who said, ‘I never dealt with my Jewish identity before, and now it’s the most important thing to me.’”
Voice of the People is currently nearing the end of its first phase, where 10 working groups, each assigned a core issue, are developing actionable solutions.
The groups are now preparing to pitch their ideas, 26 in total, to a panel of professionals, with the goal of launching field pilots and presenting the most promising projects to President Herzog in June 2026.
“I kept telling my team, this train has left the station. Just look at what’s going on. The new connections, the energy, it’s happening.”
Shirel also offered a glimpse into what it’s like to work closely with President Herzog:
“He sees himself not only as the President of the State of Israel, but the President of the Jewish People. His heritage, his grandfather being the first Chief Rabbi, his own work at the Jewish Agency, he really feels responsible for the prosperity of all Jews.”
The message that resonated most powerfully throughout the conversation was one of unity, not uniformity, but shared commitment.
“We do have problems. But if we can do things together, keep our different voices, and respect one another, we can achieve anything we want.”
Prior to her role at Voice of the People, Shirel served as the CEO of Embraceit, VP of Business Development and Strategic Customers at IBC Optical Fiber Telco Company and as CFO/COO at MAOZ. A certified lawyer since 2002, Shirel graduated from Tel Aviv University Law School and began her career at GKH Law Firm, specializing in high-tech and corporate law.
A part of Team 8 (Jews & Non Jews relations), Rabbi Erez Sherman oversees the Sinai Temple Israel Center, as well as directs the David and Angella Nazarian Youth Fellowship, empowering the next generation of Jewish leaders. Named 5 top Visionary for Israel by The Jerusalem Post, Rabbi Sherman is also the host of Rabbi On The Sidelines, a podcast exploring the intersection of sports and faith.
