By: Renée Rockford
President & CEO
“Beyond touching and important,” said one of our CHOICES attendees upon the honoring of five esteemed professionals – all women—who are leading some of Colorado’s largest Jewish communal organizations, and who have taken on extraordinary roles over the past two years. It is so fitting that this week’s Haftarah (connected to parsha Beshalach) is about Devorah, who is described as a “mother in Israel” and a “woman of torches,” highlighting her active role as a leader and prophet. She is the only female judge mentioned in the Torah.
At JEWISHcolorado’s biennial event for women, I found myself wanting to pause and say thank you—to honor leaders who stepped into roles that were unanticipated, unintended, and, at times, unimaginable after October 7th. These women shape institutions, mentor future leaders, and guide our community through uncertainty and change. They do so with resolve and humility—balancing strategy with heart, and responsibility with grace. Here are the women we honored:
Linda Foster, President & CEO of Jewish Family Service. Over the past two years, JFS has met unprecedented levels of need across more than 30 programs: food security, housing stability, mental health care, aging services, refugee resettlement, disability services, and so much more. In the face of enormous uncertainty, JFS never wavered. Nearly 340,000 services were provided to more than 48,000 individuals.
Elyana Funk, Executive Director of CU Boulder Hillel. Elyana stepped into her role in June 2024, and since then, she has guided Jewish life on campus through an exceptionally complex moment—while also ushering in growth and renewed energy.CU Boulder is home to more than 3,000 Jewish undergraduates. Under Elyana’s leadership, Hillel’s reach has expanded by nearly 50%, engaging over 1,000 students and launching one of the nation’s first Hillel Service Corps programs. Her student-centered leadership ensures Jewish life on campus remains vibrant, welcoming, and strong.
Lindy Eichenbaum Lent, President & CEO of Rose Community Foundation— Lindy Eichenbaum Lent has served as president and CEO of Rose Community Foundation for the past eight years, advancing inclusive, engaged and equitable Greater Denver communities through philanthropy rooted in Jewish values. Over the past two years, the Foundation’s work has strengthened the local Jewish nonprofit ecosystem, elevated conversations around antisemitism, responded to urgent community and public health needs, and directed vital dollars to safety net clinics statewide during the Medicaid crisis. In 2025, the foundation celebrated its 30th anniversary, surpassing $460 million in grantmaking since the Foundation’s inception.
Melanie Pearlman, President & CEO of the Mizel Institute and CELL- the Counter Terrorism Education Learning Lab. Through these platforms, Melanie leads a nationally recognized center for counterterrorism education and community preparedness. Under her leadership, CELL launched the world’s first permanent museum exhibit focused exclusively on threats to US security, and expanded its impact far beyond the museum walls through education, public-private partnerships and through CELL’s Community Awareness Program, or CAP training, which has been deployed at major national events including the NFL Superbowl, impacting the safety of thousands of people.
Susan Rona, Regional Director, ADL Mountain States. In January 2025, Susan stepped into her role at a moment of historic challenge. Antisemitic incidents in Colorado rose by 48%—far outpacing the national increase. Susan has led with courage and clarity—expanding education, strengthening law enforcement partnerships, and empowering students and communities to confront hate. Her leadership meets this moment with impact and resolve.
These women’s leadership reflects our deepest Jewish values—arevut, responsibility for one another; chesed, lovingkindness in action; and tzedek, the pursuit of justice. Because of them, our community is stronger, more resilient, and more hopeful.
My thanks to them and to all those who work on behalf of our Jewish community. Shabbat Shalom!
Please email Renée Rockford at rrockford@jewishcolorado.org with questions or comments.