bonita Nathan Sussman
Bonita Nathan Sussman, known to everyone as Rabbanit or just plain Boni,
serves as Vice President of Kulanu, a group that deals with returning, emerging and isolated Jewish communities around the world.
She and her husband Rabbi Gerald Sussman have traveled extensively throughout the globe
to support and welcome communities in their journeys to be become Jewish and become part of the Jewish people.
Her photos and videos have been published and appear in documentaries and she has been published in various venues.
She serves as a guest lecturer on topics related to her travels
and about successes and challenges around developing new Jewish communities around the world.
Visit Bonita Nathan's Sussman YouTube channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCezJM2DIEV_x4DJl9nyinbA
Kulanu http://kulanu.org/about-kulanu/index.php
The Rabbinical Court of the Diaspora, Bet Din Tzedek Latfustot Yisrael (BADATSLI)
http://rabbinicalcourtdiaspora.weebly.com/
Rabbi Gerald Sussman
http://www.rabbisussman.com/
serves as Vice President of Kulanu, a group that deals with returning, emerging and isolated Jewish communities around the world.
She and her husband Rabbi Gerald Sussman have traveled extensively throughout the globe
to support and welcome communities in their journeys to be become Jewish and become part of the Jewish people.
Her photos and videos have been published and appear in documentaries and she has been published in various venues.
She serves as a guest lecturer on topics related to her travels
and about successes and challenges around developing new Jewish communities around the world.
Visit Bonita Nathan's Sussman YouTube channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCezJM2DIEV_x4DJl9nyinbA
Kulanu http://kulanu.org/about-kulanu/index.php
The Rabbinical Court of the Diaspora, Bet Din Tzedek Latfustot Yisrael (BADATSLI)
http://rabbinicalcourtdiaspora.weebly.com/
Rabbi Gerald Sussman
http://www.rabbisussman.com/
Bonita's ProJects
|
Photos: Bonita in
Cameroon, India, Cote d'Ivoire, Papua New Guinea with Rabbi Gerald Sussman |
Education
Bonita is a graduate of Ramaz High School, has a B.A from Yeshiva University, Stern College, a master degree from Columbia University in the study of Religion and a masters degree from the Jewish Theological Seminary in Jewish Education with a certificate in School Administration and Supervision. She has also studied in Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Bernard Revel, Yeshiva University and Union Theological Seminary, NYC.
Conferences
- International Conference of Jewish Geneological Societies, 2017
- African Studies Association, "To Convert or not to Convert, that is the Question," December 8, 2016
- Institute for Sephardi and Anousim Studies, an International Conference on Anousim, "Kulanu and Anousim" September 7-8, 2016
- Van Leer Institute, Research Workshop, "Concerts, Returnees and Adherents: New Ways of Joining the Jewish People" November 3-4 2014
- FIU, Center for Global Jewish Communities, Roundtable, "Conference on Black Jews and Black Judaism", February 23, 2014
- FIU, Center for Global Jewish Communities, "Jews and Color Symposium" January 24, 2016.
- Hadassah Symposium, NYC featured speaker September 2014
Published Places
Over time I have written several pieces for the Kulanu Magazine. The articles can be found on the Kulanu web site. They cover all of my travels. Two recent ones "Where have all the Torahs gone?" tells about my role in distributing Torahs around the world and "Tzidkaniot: Righteous Women in Kulanu Communities" highlights some of the fabulous Jewish women I have met on my journeys. To view more of my writings go to the Kulanu web site and type my name in the search bar. I have also been published in other venues.
Photos
This is how it started.
The first trip I trip I took with my husband in 2008 was to meet the Bene Ephraim in India. We didn't know what we would find there. Though we were not the first to visit, we were the first to stay for close to a month. I thought, how can I document what we see? I bought myself a Panasoniuc Lumix camera,, of course from the close out shelf, and a tape recorder and off we went, not knowing how to use either.
I began clicking away.
Many of my photos have are found on the Kulanu Phanfare site, which I believe is the largest online repository for photos of emerging communities around the world. I hope to add some of my best ones to this site. Some of the photos have been published in books, articles and journals and a few have been exhibited.
Youtube videos
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCezJM2DIEV_x4DJl9nyinbA
The first videos I took were around the baking and eating of matza in India, which was one of the most meaningful and moving experiences of my life. When Miriam, a sort of Rebbitzen to the community in India asked me to teach her how to bake matzos, I thought this must get captured on film. My first video captured the baking and the most moving one, I think I ever took was of the community eating real matza for the first time.
Since then, I have captured in a very amateurish way significant moments in may travels and not so significant ones too. The better ones are on my youtube channel. The Barbara Walters in me had me begin to interview leaders and members of the communities when I visited them or when they stayed with me in my home on Staten Island. The only thing I regret I didn't begin this earlier.
It was my intention with both my photos and videos to provide documentation to this incredible new phenomenon in Jewish history for friends, historians and others who are interested in Judaism and ways it is evolving around the world.. I had not known when I began that it would play a role for others in professional ways.
Radio
Zev Brenner's Talkline Communication Radio July 5, 2016
Nachum Segal Network, Rivka Abbe Show
Phil Fink, Radio J, June 15, 2016 Broadcast
Rabbi Radio with Rabbi Barbara Aiello, March 6, 2016
Other Activities
Israel Bonds Breakfast on Staten Island
Women's Seder at the Bernikow JCC, Staten Island
Building Bridges Interfaith Seder Committee. For both seders I have written the Haggaddah.
For twenty-five years, I served as the editor of the "Jewish Voice of Staten Island" the newspaper of the Council of Jewish Organizations (COJO) and wrote a column "Kol Isha: A Woman's Voice in the Jewish Voice “and will be given the COJO life time achievement award August 2018.
Over time I have written several pieces for the Kulanu Magazine. The articles can be found on the Kulanu web site. They cover all of my travels. Two recent ones "Where have all the Torahs gone?" tells about my role in distributing Torahs around the world and "Tzidkaniot: Righteous Women in Kulanu Communities" highlights some of the fabulous Jewish women I have met on my journeys. To view more of my writings go to the Kulanu web site and type my name in the search bar. I have also been published in other venues.
Photos
This is how it started.
The first trip I trip I took with my husband in 2008 was to meet the Bene Ephraim in India. We didn't know what we would find there. Though we were not the first to visit, we were the first to stay for close to a month. I thought, how can I document what we see? I bought myself a Panasoniuc Lumix camera,, of course from the close out shelf, and a tape recorder and off we went, not knowing how to use either.
I began clicking away.
Many of my photos have are found on the Kulanu Phanfare site, which I believe is the largest online repository for photos of emerging communities around the world. I hope to add some of my best ones to this site. Some of the photos have been published in books, articles and journals and a few have been exhibited.
Youtube videos
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCezJM2DIEV_x4DJl9nyinbA
The first videos I took were around the baking and eating of matza in India, which was one of the most meaningful and moving experiences of my life. When Miriam, a sort of Rebbitzen to the community in India asked me to teach her how to bake matzos, I thought this must get captured on film. My first video captured the baking and the most moving one, I think I ever took was of the community eating real matza for the first time.
Since then, I have captured in a very amateurish way significant moments in may travels and not so significant ones too. The better ones are on my youtube channel. The Barbara Walters in me had me begin to interview leaders and members of the communities when I visited them or when they stayed with me in my home on Staten Island. The only thing I regret I didn't begin this earlier.
It was my intention with both my photos and videos to provide documentation to this incredible new phenomenon in Jewish history for friends, historians and others who are interested in Judaism and ways it is evolving around the world.. I had not known when I began that it would play a role for others in professional ways.
Radio
Zev Brenner's Talkline Communication Radio July 5, 2016
Nachum Segal Network, Rivka Abbe Show
Phil Fink, Radio J, June 15, 2016 Broadcast
Rabbi Radio with Rabbi Barbara Aiello, March 6, 2016
Other Activities
Israel Bonds Breakfast on Staten Island
Women's Seder at the Bernikow JCC, Staten Island
Building Bridges Interfaith Seder Committee. For both seders I have written the Haggaddah.
For twenty-five years, I served as the editor of the "Jewish Voice of Staten Island" the newspaper of the Council of Jewish Organizations (COJO) and wrote a column "Kol Isha: A Woman's Voice in the Jewish Voice “and will be given the COJO life time achievement award August 2018.