Each year, Jewish Women International proudly honors an extraordinary group of trailblazing Jewish women who are redefining leadership, shaping industries, and lifting up their communities. The 2025 Women to Watch are bold thinkers, changemakers, and visionaries whose work is building a more equitable, compassionate, and empowered future. We are thrilled to introduce this year’s honorees, women you’ll want to know, celebrate, and follow.
Join us in Washington, DC from Sunday December 14th through Monday the 15th, for two meaningful days of connection, conversation, and community. The weekend begins with our signature conference on Sunday, offering dynamic sessions on leadership, impact and so much more. Then, on Monday, we come together for our annual luncheon, where we will honor the 2025 Women to Watch, extraordinary Jewish women making a lasting impact in their communities and beyond.
Attend one or join us for both! Whether you are coming to celebrate, learn, network, or be inspired, reserve your spot today and be part of this unforgettable gathering.
Women to Watch Weekend Schedule of Events
Leadership Conference
Sunday, December 14th
11:00 a.m. Registration opens
The first 100 people to check in for the conference will receive a copy of Zibby Owen’s book, On Being a Jewish Woman Now
11:45 p.m. On Being a Jewish Woman Now
Opening brunch and keynote address featuring Shir Davidovicz, Prof. Pamela Nadell, Zibby Owens, & Gilly Segal
Moderated by Mimi Rocah
1:30 p.m. Workshops for women of all generations
Click here for workshop details
4:10 p.m. Play You, The Role of a Lifetime: Unpack the conference for confidence, connection and impact
Closing session with Pam Sherman
5:15 p.m. Wine and cheese reception
6:00 p.m. SDT Reception
Join your Sigma Delta Tau sisters for a Hanukkah toast! It’s the perfect time to celebrate sisterhood and shine together.
Click here to RSVP
8:00 p.m. Grab your favorite comfy clothes, pour a glass of wine, and join us for a laid-back, book club–style evening as we dive into Jean Meltzer’s newest novel, The Eight Heartbreaks of Hanukkah.
Get your copy of The Eight Heartbreaks of Hanukkah now!
Women to Watch Symposium
& Gala Luncheon
Monday, December 15th
9:00 a.m. Registration opens
9:30 - 10:45 AM Leadership Symposium
Moderated by Laura Rebell Gross
11:00 AM - 1:45 PM Women to Watch Gala Luncheon
Emceed by Erica Keswin
*For security purposes, only confirmed attendees will receive the full address and hotel details.
Meet the 2025 Women to Watch Honorees
Featured
Also featuring:
Lisa Schneider
Founder of Pearl & Rose
Event Chair
Laura Rebell Gross
Executive Leadership Coach
Symposium Moderator
Erica Keswin
WSJ best-selling author
Women to Watch Emcee
Sponsors
Presenting Sponsor
Bender Foundation, Inc.
David and Julie Silver, David and Nan Bender, Barbara Bender, Jason A. Belinkie, Jena Belinkie Riley, Jake Bender, Nikki Bender Cole
Believer
Robin* & Jeremy London
The Marsh Family
Zibby & Kyle Owens
Builder
Michelle Keck Carlson*
Mauree Jane & Mark W. Perry
Advocate
Vivian* & Raymond Bass
Robert & Carol Burman Family Foundation
Dan J Epstein Family Foundation, Marina Rostein & Sean Lynch
Laura Rebell Gross* & Jonathan Gross
Erica & Jeffrey Keswin
Mimi Brodsky Kress*
The Levin Family
Sharon Marcil & Tom Monahan
Honey Nashman*
Stephanie Nashman*
Natalie* & Jonathan Silverstein
Natalie*, Eric, Noa, Phoebe, & Eli West
Melissa Widen
Champion
Anonymous
Gildenhorn-Speisman Family Foundation
Karen Greene*
Annette Kaplan
Bobbi Rebell Kaufman* & Neil Kaufman
Stephanie Kaplan Lewis*
Logan Levkoff & Lou Cortes
Devon Walker Rishon
Miriam (Mimi) Rocah*
Ilene Rosenthal*
Rachel Braun Scherl
Lisa* & Brett Schneider
Charles & Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies
Amanda* & Mark Segal
Rabbi Susan Shankman*, Washington Hebrew Congregation
Pam* & Neal Sherman
Deena* & Larry Silver
Sharon*, David, Jayme & Ben Slotkin
Leslie* & Dennis Speisman
Ellen Stone
Courtenay*, Ed, Madison & Sophie Wallach
Women of Vision, Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia
Sustainer
The Banner Team of Compass
Marcella Cohen
Marla & Marc Feldman
Joy & Marc Gerber
Michael & Suzanne Klugerman
Diane Radin
Lisa Reiner
Sigma Delta Tau
Stacey Segal
Ally
Heidi Brodsky
Diamonds Direct
Amy Jaller Gleklen
Lisie & Michael Gottdenker
The Fund for Women and Girls at the Jewish Community Foundation of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington
Sheryl Rosensky Miller
Oneg
Jen Maxfield Ostfeld & Scott Ostfeld
Susan & Mickey Segal
Beth & Leonard Sloan
Elizabeth & Evan Slotnick
Irene Small
Charles E. Smith Life Communities
Friend
Anonymous
Susie & Michael Barnello
Ambassador Stuart & Wilma Bernstein
Lauren & Craig Colton
Dr. Douglas Forman & Susan Forman
Andee Forster
Simone Joy Friedman
Margie Glancz
Barbara Guterman TGIF
JCRC of Greater Washington
Jessica Karp
Leslie Lane
Nancy Lascher
Ronald & Joy Paul
Ellen & Ralph Levin
The Pinchuk Family
Gail Rubinson
Ellen Tillman
Elizabeth Wagner
Andrea Wolf, Alisa Rosenberg & Rachel Brem
Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity
Scholarship
These sponsors generously funded a scholarship for a young woman to attend Women to Watch.
Susannah Alfred
Wendy Feldman Block
Candace Chazen
Toby Graff
Anna Isaacson
Carole Jablon-Bernardi
Conner Jacobs
*Pearl Society members support JWI with a minimum annual gift of $6,000. In addition to the benefits of Champion sponsorship, this giving level also includes invitations to special gatherings throughout the year with women like our Women to Watch honorees.
Questions? Contact Sara Hefez at [email protected].
Many thanks to Michael Kress of MBK Photography and Stormy Peterson of Stormy Peterson Photography for expertly capturing the weekend.
See the full gallery from Women to Watch 2024 here.
Not on our mailing list yet? Sign up here to receive your personal invite for our event.
2025 Bender Fellows
These incredible women were selected as Bender Fellows in recognition of their outstanding leadership and deep commitment to JWI’s mission. As members of the Young Women’s Impact Network (YWIN) boards, they embody what it means to give boldly — sharing their time, talent, and treasure to guide our work, champion our programs, and model the transformative power of women lifting up women.
Susannah Alfred
Rosalie Baseman
Alyssa Berman Bender
Emily Chaiet
Lillian Cohen
Zoe Colman
Shir Davidovicz
Goldie Davoudgoleh
Heather Epstein
Eva Farber
Danielle Flatt-Eisenberg
Amy Friedman
Sydney Gart
Sami Ginzberg
Mara Glik
Rachel Goldberg
Elise Goldstein
Leila Gordon
Alyssa Green
Hannah Greenwald
Dani Harkavy
Rina Harosh
Ariel Haus
Erin Horwitz
Jenn Kalker
Julia Katz
Esther Kaydanovsky
Molly Kazan
Isabel Kornman
Lauren Kravec
Bethany Lewis
Darby Malkin
Lauren Marx
Abby Matlin
Emily Moss
Yael Moyal
Elise Munerman
Alissa Neubauer
Melissa Oxenhandler
Sara Parower
Vanessa Robin
Lauren Rosenblum
Anna Cecilia Rosenkranz
Taylor Ross
Samantha Schafrank
Alyssa Schor
Elvera Schwartz
Allyson Silver
Raizi Simons
Elizabeth Slotnick
Hannah Spevak
Sari Weinstein
Rachel Yakobashvili