Nick is thrilled to step into the role of Programs Manager at Stand Up, bringing a deep passion for education, community engagement, and social justice. His role focuses on creating transformative educational opportunities that empower Jewish youth to care for their community while extending solidarity to others.

For the past couple of years, Nick has led Stand Up's Indigenous partnerships programs, including Derech Eretz, our 20-year-old flagship program connecting Jewish young adults with the communities of Toomelah and Boggabilla. Captivated by the history and wisdom of First Peoples, he is passionate about strengthening relationships between Australian Jewish and Aboriginal communities.

Nick's background in experiential education was seeded during his years at Habonim Dror, where he developed leadership skills that enable him to harness Jewish education to inspire meaningful social action. When he's not working, he's out surfing or dancing to live music.

Bill is a highly effective executive leader with extensive operational and strategic experience across health and community services. Bill’s deep commitment to social justice is well suited to his role as Stand Up.

Originally trained as a Division 1 Registered Nurse, Bill holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) (RMIT), Graduate Diploma Industrial Relations/Human Resource Management (RMIT), and an Associate Diploma Occupational Health & Safety (RMIT). Bill is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD). 

Bill is passionate about value-based leadership and how he can influence the development of a “good society”. Driven by a personal objective to care more than others think is wise, to risk more than others think is safe, to dream more than others think is practical, and to expect more than others think is possible, Bill is driven in his desire to create value through change.

Liat was the winner of the Gandel Young Leader Award 2014 (NSW). After completing the Stand Up ABC program, Liat was inspired to help asylum seekers. She initiated contact via letter writing with a young girl who was being detained on Manus Island. Through building a pen-pal relationship, she learnt about the conditions her friend was living in on Manus Island, with out much to play with and no toys. Following this, Liat arranged a toy drive at her school, Mt Sinai. Liat held a fundraising campaign in order to post the hundreds of toys to Manus Island. We are very proud of Liat and her incredible effort and initiative!

Abby completed the Stand Up ABC course in 2014 and was awarded the Gandel Young Leader Award 2014 (Vic). For her action project she started a little social enterprise called Abbacookie. Each month she bakes cookies, sells them, and donates 25% to support people with disabilities. She and her family were inspired by the program and decided to organise a special, cross-cultural celebration for her Bat Mitzvah. She compiled a cook book with Jewish and Sudanese recipes, and then had a fantastic challah baking party at the Stand Up Sudanese Homework club. Abby is a true mensch and her dedication to Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) is admirable and inspirational.

Many young people think, I don’t need to change the world. How am I going to change it if I’m only 12 years old? Someone else can change the world. If everyone thinks like that, and no one stands up to make a difference, the world will never change.

Avital was the winner of the Gandel Young Leader Award in 2015. She held a violin and opera concert to raise more than $1600 for the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation. She also participated in an Anzac Day sleep-out and dawn service, held a challah bake for important women in her life, and prepared meals for families in need at Our Big Kitchen. Mazel tov Avital, we are so proud of your amazing work!

Anna Berkowitz was awarded the Gandel Young Leader Award 2016 (Vic). She used her artistic skills to host an art exhibition at home with the help of family and friends and raised funds in support of Stand Up and the Lort Smith Animal Hospital. Great initative Anna!

Keira Davis won the Gandel Young Leader Award 2016 (Vic). Keira took action by hosting a book stall at her school during Book Week. She raised money to support Indigenous Australians through the Australian Literacy & Numeracy Foundation. Mazel tov Keira!

Jonathan Francis was the winner of the 2016 Gandel Young Leader Award (NSW). For his Stand Up ABC inspired action project, Jonathan shared his grandfather's story of survival with his classmates at the Lane Cove Public School, to encourage broader awareness about the impact of the Holocaust.

This year I took part in Stand Up ABC and I learned that you can’t wait for things to occur. You have to do them yourself. I wanted my classmates to realise that the Holocaust isn’t just horrible pictures you see at the movies or on the Internet. It happened to real people and affected some of the people they know.

Mazel Tov to Ariella Cappe, one of our outstanding Stand Up ABC graduates, who received the Gandel Young Leader Award 2017 (NSW). Ariella's creative action project - art school holiday program for kids - raised over $1600 for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. Well done Ariella!