We are thrilled to announce the appointments of Melissa Jane Kronfeld (MJ) and Dr. Marvin Belsky as Co-Presidents of the New York Metro Chapter!

MJ is a Ph.D. candidate in the Division of Global Affairs at Rutgers University, where she is completing a dissertation on American national security in the Twenty-First Century.

A New York City native, MJ received a B.A. in International Relations from George Washington University, as well as a M.S. in Global Affairs from New York University and Rutgers University. MJ has lectured on American foreign policy and national security issues in the Political Science department at Rutgers, as well the Center for Global Affairs at New York University. In 2012, she was awarded the first place in the Richard A. Clarke National Security and Counter-Terrorism Scholarship contest. Her winning monograph, “Killing Them With Kindness: A Softer Approach to Preventing Violent Extremism and Countering Radicalization in the War on Terrorism,” was featured in the Journal of Terrorism and Security Analysis and was presented at the annual Syracuse National and International Security Conference in 2013. In 2014 she was awarded the Rutgers University Walter F. Weiker scholarship celebrating student who posses both academic excellence as well as a commitment to exceptional extracurricular activities or contributions to the University or society. A journalist and editorialist,

MJ has been featured in the Politico, The Daily Caller, Government Security News, Fox News, Fox News Channel, Fox Business, World Jewish Daily, and the New York Post, and in 2013 she was named one of the “36 Under 36” by The Jewish Week. MJ is also engaged in numerous community endeavors including serving as an Advisory Board Member for the Nomi Network, Made In A Free World, and Strength to Strength; a Board Consultant to Girls Heath Ed; the founding member and she is the co-chair of the Nexus Global Youth Summit’s Working Group on Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery and the Young Professional Board’s Vice President of Strategic Development at Stand With Us. She also served as the Vice President of the Young Leadership Group at Save A Child’s Heart for four years and the New York Development Coordinator for the Nexus Youth Summit for two years. MJ is currently the Co-President and the Young Professionals Chair for the New York chapter of the Zionist Organization of America and a member of the Council of Young Jewish President, the Republican Jewish Coalition and the Women’s National Republican Club. She has worked on fundraising efforts dozens of charities, non-profits, non-governmental organizations, and important initiatives. MJ founded the Tweet4Shalit campaign (in support the family of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit) in 2009, as well as the New York Teddy Bear Bash (in support of the families of Sandy Hook, Connecticut) and the New York Young Leaders for Sandy (in support of the victims of super-storm Sandy) both in 2012. She launched Party for A Purpose, a boutique social impact consultancy in Manhattan, in 2014.

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Dr. Marvin Belsky is a physician and served in private practice in Manhattan for 44 years after serving in the U.S. Army from 1952 to 1954, stationed at Waltham Army Hospital, Mass. Marvin served on the clinical staff of NYU Tisch hospital since 1958, and retired in 2000.

Marvin has been a committed member of the ZOA for over 26 years, participating in all its activities, including Washington lobbying, the annual Brandeis Awards Dinner Gala and Israel Day Parade. And most particularly helping to organize Coalition Against Gush-Katif Expulsion.

Marvin has traveled to Israel many times, with missions, including Shurat Hadin, AFSI, ZOA, Ohr Torah Stone as well as with his grandchildren and his wife, Miriam.

Most recently Marvin has been a part of the core group of the Jewish Rapid Response Coalition organizing protests at the Metropolitcan Opera against the production of The Death of Klinghoffer as well as the Times Square Rally against Iran Nuclear Deal.

In addition to membership in ZOA and AFSI, Marvin has been a supporter of many Zionist causes, including the Hebron Fund, Jerusalem Reclamation Project, One Israel Fund, Stand With Us, Fund for Israel, and Friends of Gush Katif.