Julie Franklin Elevated to Board Chair and Rena Kopelman to Vice Chair

February 11, 2025 — OneTable, a national non-profit organization that makes community accessible, inclusive, and meaningful for all through peer-led Shabbat dinners and their signature digital platform, has announced Jill Aschkenasy, Victoria Kimerling Oliphant, and Bruce Newman as new board members as well as current board members Julie Franklin as board chair and Rena Kopelman as vice chair.

“OneTable’s mission and success have been critical to bringing Jewish joy into the world,” said Franklin. “Through the power of peer-to-peer engagement, we’re serving more people than ever before — showing the true power of community building through Shabbat. We’re poised for an exciting future, now with the help of the passion and expertise Jill, Victoria, and Bruce will bring to the board.”

About Jill Aschkenasy
Jill Aschkenasy is a dedicated philanthropist, social entrepreneur, and community volunteer with a passion for Jewish philanthropy and addressing the basic needs for underserved communities. She is the founder of Our Closet in Your Neighborhood (OCIYN) which merged with the Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Greater Philadelphia (JFCS), where it now operates as a comprehensive basic needs program. Prior to that, she served as an assistant district attorney in Manhattan’s Domestic Violence Unit and volunteered with the Innocence Project. She earned her J.D. from the Benjamin Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University and her B.A. degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She resides in Pennsylvania with her husband, Paul, and their four children: Kate, Ben, James, and Charlie.

“The visionary approach of adapting Jewish culture to meet people where they are, while fostering a deep and meaningful sense of Jewish identity, deeply resonates with me,” said Aschkenasy. 

About Victoria Kimerling Oliphant
Driven by a passion for philanthropy and a deep commitment to Israel and the Jewish people, Victoria Kimerling Oliphant is a seasoned non-profit professional and lay leader. She runs Kimerling Creative, a consultancy dedicated to empowering women-led nonprofits and small businesses, and serves remotely as the marketing consultant and assistant director of Israel advocacy & engagement for the Birmingham Jewish Federation. She holds an M.P.A. from George Washington University and a B.S. degree in nonprofit management from Indiana University, and enjoys life in Atlanta with her husband, Phil, and their beloved dogs, Queso and Pepper.

“I absolutely love how OneTable brings the Jewish community together,” said Kimerling Oliphant. “Shabbat is a testament to the beautiful diversity of our community in that no matter where we are in the world or our level of observance, we can all make Shabbat our own in a way that is meaningful to us.”

About Bruce Newman
Bruce is currently a principal of consulting firm Addison Feen Insight, as well as a senior advisor to Graham Partners and a founding partner of Entrepreneur Partners. As an engaged investor and operator, he has led businesses including Northern Brewer, Peachtree Business Products, Amerifile, Bayshore Marketing, Franklin Mint, and Paramount Citrus. Bruce earned his M.B.A. from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and his B.S. degree from the University of Wisconsin. He is a long-time member of YPO/YPO Gold, is married to Laurel, and is the proud father of two sons.

“Shabbat is an opportunity to set aside dedicated space for gratitude and a moment to bless our children and their friends,” said Newman. “We have been long-time supporters of OneTable because we focus on the development and expression of Jewish identity in young people.”

About Board Chair Julie Franklin
Julie is a community activist and investor who is passionate about education, social justice, and children. She has mentored over 100 students through the Posse Foundation, Teach for America, Women of Tomorrow, and Achieve Miami. She co-chairs the Advisory Board of The Center for High Impact Philanthropy (CHIP) at the University of Pennsylvania, is on the Advisory Board of The School of Social Policy and Practice (SP2), and is an active member of the Trustee Council for Penn Women. She is a director of the Center for Entrepreneurial Jewish Philanthropy and on the Boards of Teach for America – Miami Dade and the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and currently resides in Miami with her family.

About Vice Chair Rena Kopelman
Rena is an advisor, strategist, and philanthropist in the non-profit community who advocates for Jewish education and identity-building programs, including by serving on the board of Perelman Jewish Day School and the national boards of Hillel International, Jewish Federations of North America, and OneTable. Trained as a corporate lawyer, Rena has worked with numerous organizations on governance and strategic planning and created the Kopelman Foundation with her husband to fund early-stage, entrepreneurial social projects. She has been involved in several Israeli television and film productions, in hopes of using the power of storytelling to change perspectives. She mostly lives in Philadelphia, from where she and her husband launched two emerging adults.

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About OneTable

OneTable’s mission is to make Shabbat dinner accessible to tens of thousands of people who otherwise would be absent from Jewish community. OneTable provides hosts and guests with easily accessible tools and resources, making these rituals not only attainable, but sustainable.