Presenters 2024

Melissa Lantsman is the Member of Parliament for Thornhill, elected in the 2021 Canadian federal election. She currently serves as the Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada under the leadership of Pierre Poilievre.

Melissa was born and raised in Thornhill by immigrant parents who came to Canada from the Former Soviet Union in the 1970s. She has been an advocate and volunteer in her community since her youth. Before being elected to office, she was one of Canada’s most sought-after public affairs executives and served on several charitable boards.

Melissa was a regular TV commentator and talk radio host. She is a graduate of the University of Toronto, an avid Blue Jays fan, and is fluent in English, French and Russian.

Alex Yentin is a New York State licensed psychotherapist and an active presenter in the Jewish community of New York and around the world including many Limmud conferences. He holds BA from Ben Gurion and Bar Ilan University (Israel), MA from New York University and has completed postgraduate studies for Clinical and Group Psychotherapy. Alex works as an individual and group psychotherapist in New York City and is passionate about psychology, sex education, and equal opportunities for all.

Ronit Weinreich is an educator who specialized in dance. It is her passion and her mission to serve as an ambassador, to bring Israeli dance, music and culture to our community.

Ilya Akselrod came to Israel from Minsk in 1990 at the age of six. At the age of 15 he became involved with KVN. Participates in”Comedy Battle” in Russia and manages a stand-up project in Israel. He hosts a morning television show on Channel 9.

Rabbi Daniel Korobkin is the spiritual leader of the BAYT (Thornhill), one of the largest synagogues in North America. He received his Master of Arts degree in medieval Jewish and Islamic thought from UCLA’s Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, and his Master of Science degree from the Johns Hopkins University School for Engineering at the Applied Physics Laboratory. He was an adjunct professor at Muhlenberg College.  He is the author of the new translation of the classic philosophic work The Kuzari: In Defense of the Despised Faith. Currently, Rabbi Korobkin also serves as the president of the Rabbinical Council of America.

Rivka Campbell, a Jew of Jamaican descent born and raised in Toronto, seeks to build community among Jews of Colour in Canada while opening dialogue among the mainstream Jewish community about the experience of Jews of Colour and Jewish Diversity. She is the co-founder of the group Jews of Colour – Canada.

Rivka is a recognized speaker on Jewish Diversity and has been interviewed by CJN and other publications numerous times. Rivka is filming a documentary on Jewish Diversity. She is the host of the Canadian Jewish News podcast called “Rivkush”. The only Jew of Colour hosted podcast with a focus on Jews of Colour discussing diversity, Judaism, and Israel.

Rivka has lectured at Limmud conferences, synagogues, JCCs, community groups and Hebrew Schools. She is the Executive Director for Beth Tikvah Synagogue and an Executive Committee member of the North American Association of Synagogue Executives (NAASE).

Andy Réti is a child survivor of the Holocaust. Born in 1942 in Budapest, Hungary, he was only two years old when his mother and grandmother were forced out of their home in Hungary and into a Jewish ghetto. Andy’s father and grandfather had already been moved to a forced labour camp. He was liberated from the Budapest ghetto on January 18, 1945, by the Soviet Red Army. He and his mother, grandmother and grandfather survived the horrors of the war through good fortune and grit. They immigrated to Canada shortly thereafter. Andy attributes his survival to the courage, resilience and sacrifice of his mother and grandmother. He believes that “every Holocaust survivor’s story is a love story; the love of life, family and freedom.”

Yoga and fitness coach with over 20 years of experience. Former athlete. World fitness championship silver medalist and Master of Sports of International Class in Fitness.

Graduated from the National University of physical education and sports ( Kyiv, Ukraine ). Studied physiology, nutrition, movement biomechanics, and rehabilitation in depth.

Implemented yoga into the training program of Olympic athletes as well as actively partnering with youth hockey team and youth women soccer team.