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Cultivating the Next Generation of Jewish Leaders
FEW THINGS GIVE JEWISH
FEDER ATION more pride
than seeing young Jewish
leaders realize their poten-
tial. That is why on Sept. 16
the Jewish Federation of Greater
Philadelphia was thrilled to
honor three outstanding volun-
teers with its Young Leadership
Awards: Alison Benton, Jonathan
Alexander and Jonathan Korman.

“Since 1959, the Jewish
Federation has acknowledged
our finest young leaders with this
distinctive recognition,” Jewish
Federation Board co-chair Gail
Norry said at the awards presenta-
tion. “All three recipients embody
the spirit of service and commit-
ment to Jewish community.”
At the awards ceremony, which
took place during the Jewish
Federation’s Board of Trustees
meeting, each awardee was intro-
duced by a former award winner.

Alison Benton, the recipient of
the Mrs. Isidore Kohn 2020 Young
Leadership Award, has been
active in the Philadelphia Jewish
community since she moved to Center City in 2003. Since 2014, she has served
on the Board of Trustees, Women’s Philanthropy Board and NextGen Board.

She has also gone through the Women’s Leadership Development Program and
served on the committees for the Jewish Publishing Group, Israel Engagement
Grants and Community Engagement.

Ensuring that there is a strong Jewish community in the Philadelphia region
today and for future generations to come is very important to Benton, and that
fuels much of her work with the organization. Professionally, she has more than
13 years of marketing and advertising experience, primarily in the health care and
higher education industries.

She is a strategic marketing manager for Drexel University Online, where
she develops and implements marketing strategy for a portfolio of more than
50 online degree and certificate programs. Benton recently completed her MBA,
which was a lifelong goal.

Jonathan Alexander, the recipient of the Myer and Rosaline Feinstein 2020
Young Leadership Award, grew up in Syracuse, New York, and is a graduate of
Temple University. His work with the Jewish Federation began in 2010 when he
participated in the Leadership Development Program. Since that time, he has
served on the NextGen Board for the past nine years, holding positions as high
as campaign chair. Alexander has also served on the Commission for Jewish Life
and Learning for the past six years.

Among his other volunteer work, Alexander is actively involved with the
Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity Alumni Group of Philadelphia. Professionally,
he is a Certified Financial Planner™ professional with a mission to provide
22 SEPTEMBER 24, 2020
Photo by Robb Quatro
straightforward, easily understandable financial advice in a fiduciary manner.

Alexander’s practice focuses on young families and people heading into retire-
ment. He resides in Bryn Mawr with his wife Jessica and son Max.

Jonathan Korman, the recipient of the Jack Goldenberg 2020 Young Leadership
Award, has served in a variety of leadership roles on behalf of the Philadelphia
Jewish community over the past 10 years. He is a member of the Board of Trustees
of Jewish Federation, serving on the Committee for Jewish Life and Learning, the
Day-School Task Force and the Nominations Committee, and a member of the
Regional Board of the Anti-Defamation League.

Korman was also a member of the most recent cohort of Jewish Federation’s
Legacy Philanthropy Program and the Philadelphia cohort of the Wexner
Heritage Program. Prior to joining the Board of Trustees, Jonathan served for
nearly a decade on the Board of Directors of Hillel of Greater Philadelphia and
one of its successors, the Greater Philly Hillel Network.

Professionally, Korman is a partner in the Philadelphia office of Holland
& Knight, focusing his practice on representing national and regional banks,
nonbank lenders and corporate borrowers in a wide variety of syndicated, club
and bilateral financings.

He lives in the Graduate Hospital section of Center City with his wife
Alexandra and their daughter Miriam.

To ensure a strong Jewish future, Jewish Federation cultivates the next genera-
tion of leaders through programs designed for different ages and stages. For more
information on NextGen involvement, contact NextGen Director Max Moline at
mmoline@jewishphilly.org. JEWISH EXPONENT
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM