2026 ANNUAL CONFERENCE AGENDA

All times listed below are EST.
 This is a draft agenda and is subject to change.

Tuesday, June 2

Welcome Reception
Location: Hilton Garden Inn Long Island City New York

Wednesday, June 3
Location: UJA-Federation of New York

9:00 am - 10:05 am
Breakfast
Opening Session: The Jews at America 250: Where are we, how did we get here and where are we going?
Pamela Nadell, renowned historian of American Jewish history, in conversation with Gidi Grinstein, founder and president of Reut Group, a think tank currently focused on the future of the American Jewish community.

Speakers: Pamela Nadell, historian, researcher, and author

Gidi Grinstein, founder of Reut Group and president of Reut USA

10:05 am - 10:15 am
Networking Break

10:15 am - 11:05 am
Editorial Breakout Session: Jewish Institutions: What are they Good For? How Can They Thrive Going Forward?

10:15 am - 12:00 pm
Business Breakout Session: Setting Your Strategy Bootcamp
Speaker: Alison Go

11:05 am - 11:15 am
Networking Break

11:15 am - 12:00 pm 
Editorial Breakout Session: The Future of Jewish Community: Engaging Gen Z and Millennials

12:00 pm - 12:25 pm
Newsmaker Moment

12:30 pm - 1:15 pm
Lunch and JNS User Session

1:15 pm - 2:05 pm 
Editorial Breakout Session: The Future of American Jewish Political Identity: Where Do We Go From Here?

1:15 pm - 2:05 pm 
Business Breakout Session: Unlocking the Revenue Potential of Community-Building
Speakers: Kevin S. Adelstein, President, Publisher and CEO, Cleveland Jewish News
Rebecca Phillips, Publisher, 70 Faces Media

2:05 pm - 2:20 pm
Newsmaker Moment

2:20 pm - 2:30 pm 
Networking Break

2:30 pm - 3:25 pm
Editorial Breakout Session: The Jewish View from Broadway: A Conversation with Tovah Feldshuh

3:25 pm - 3:40 pm 
Networking Break

3:40 pm - 4:30 pm
Sessions

4:30 pm - 4:40 pm 
Networking Break

4:40 pm - 5:25 pm
Sessions

5:25 pm - 6:00 pm
Travel to JCCC

6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Networking Event at JCC of Manhattan

7:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Executive Committee Dinner (By Invitation Only)

Thursday, June 4
Location: Center for Jewish History

9:00 am - 9:15am
Breakfast
General Session: New York Politics

Speakers: Julie Menin, Speaker of the New York City Council

10:00 am - 10:45 am
Editorial Breakout Session

10:00 am - 10:45 am
Business Breakout Session: Telling Our Story at a Time of Upheaval
Speakers: Geoff Schiller, Chief Revenue Officer of Vox Media
Howard Mittman, Former CEO of Bleecher Report

10:45 am - 11:00 am
Networking Break

11:00 am - 11:45 am
General Membership Meeting

11:45 am - 12:30 pm
General Session: Orthodox/Haredi Media

12:30 pm - 1:15 pm
Lunch and JTA User Session

1:15  pm - 1:45 pm
Newsmaker Moment

1:45 pm - 2:30 pm
Editorial Breakout Session: Telling Jewish Stories Through Food and the Arts

Speakers: Beejhy Barhany, Chef and owner of Tsion Care

Ari'el Stachel, Grammy and Tony Award Winner

1:45 pm - 2:30 pm
Business Breakout Session: Selling Value When Price is the Advertisers' Only Focus
Speaker: Ryan Dohrn, Emmy winning sales and leadership motivational speaker

2:30 pm - 2:45 pm
Networking Break

2:45 pm - 3:30 pm
Editorial Breakout Session

3:15 pm - 4:00 pm
Business Breakout Session: 7 Ways Not to Get Ghosted After a Great Advertiser Meeting
Speaker: Ryan Dohrn, Emmy winning sales and leadership motivational speaker

3:30  pm - 1:45 pm
Sponsored Session - Center for Jewish History

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Tour of the Center for Jewish History

6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
45th Annual Simon Rockower Awards Reception & Dinner Gala
Location: Center for Jewish History

Friday, June 5

Site Visit/Field Trip