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Larisa Boas, 47, Shorefront Jewish Community Council executive director
Larisa Boas, 47, is the executive director of the Shorefront Jewish Community Council in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. Recently, the social services organization has seen a dramatic surge in needs within the local community, says Boas, as a result of the pandemic, inflation and other current economic challenges, and the arrival of thousands of new Ukrainian immigrants settling in the area. Herself an immigrant from the former Soviet Union, Boas has been working in the city’s Jewish nonprofit sector for more than 20 years; she is also involved with the Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island’s COVID-19 Disparities grant where she oversees teams of community health workers in both Coney Island and the Rockaways focused on eliminating COVID-19 racial and ethnic disparities. She lives in Midwood, Brooklyn.
For the full list of this year’s 36 to Watch — which honors leaders, entrepreneurs and changemakers who are making a difference in New York’s Jewish community — click here.
Tell us a bit about your background.
As a young girl, newly emigrated to New York, my family initially settled in the heart of Borough Park in the hopes of living the American dream with the religious freedoms that enable us to embrace our Jewish identity. I attended a private Orthodox school not far from home. My grandparents were all Holocaust survivors and although I did not fully understand what that meant as a child, I do remember the tattoos on their arms. My parents possess an incredible work ethic and I grew up watching them helping and supporting others in any way that they could.
Who is your New York Jewish hero?
My parents are my New York Jewish heroes. Together with my elderly Holocaust survivor grandparents and two little children, they immigrated from the former Soviet Union in search of a better life and religious freedom. Despite starting a new life with no English language, professional career or financial support, they demonstrated an unwavering commitment to their Jewish roots, family and a strong belief in the power of hard work and determination. Throughout my upbringing, they instilled in me a deep belief that anything is possible if you set your mind to it. Their dedication to creating a brighter future for their family is an inspiration to all who know them, and they are truly deserving of this title.
What’s a fun/surprising fact about you?
I am a mother to four children and grandmother to three incredible grandsons.
How does your Jewish identity or experience influence your work?
My Jewish identity permeates everything that I do; it is who I am.
What is your favorite place to eat Jewish food in New York?
Pescada, a local neighborhood restaurant, has the most amazing desserts.
What are three spots in NYC that all Jewish New Yorkers should visit?
There is no way to only pick three spots!
1) The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island on a beautiful spring day — you start with the ferry ride and the ocean views, pack some snacks and lunch that you can enjoy on the beautiful grounds, and enjoy learning about all of the history packed into this destination.
2) Broadway — many early producers, composers and writers were Jewish and there have been countless Jewish-themed plays and musicals over the years.
3) A stroll down 13th Avenue in Borough Park, Brooklyn — although there have been many changes since my family lived above one of the shops in the early 1980s, it exudes all things Jewish, from the variety of shops to lots of kosher restaurant options to just people watching.
How can people follow you online?
@larisaboas on Instagram or on LinkedIn.
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The post Larisa Boas, 47, Shorefront Jewish Community Council executive director appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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Italy Says It Stands Ready to Train Police in Gaza
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani speaks during an interview with Reuters in Rome, Italy, April 15, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane
Italy stands ready to help train police forces in Gaza and elsewhere in the Palestinian territories, its foreign minister said on Monday, as Rome aims to play a role in stabilizing the Middle East.
“We are ready to train a new Gaza police force, and we are also ready to train a Palestinian police force,” Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told a news conference in Rome.
He confirmed that Rome was ready to participate as an observer in US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace initiative, and Italy had been invited to attend a meeting of the group this week in Washington.
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Alleged Bondi Beach Gunman Makes First Court Appearance
People stand near flowers laid as a tribute at Bondi Beach to honor the victims of a mass shooting that targeted a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach on Sunday, in Sydney, Australia, Dec. 16, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Flavio Brancaleone
A man accused of opening fire on a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s famed Bondi Beach in an attack that killed 15 people appeared in court for the first time on Monday, Australian media reported.
Naveed Akram, 24, faces 59 charges over the Dec. 14 attack, including 15 counts of murder, 40 counts of wounding with intent to murder, and a terror offense.
Police allege he carried out the mass shooting with his father Sajid, 50, who was shot dead at the scene.
During a brief status mention at a Sydney court on Monday, Akram appeared via video link from Goulburn Correctional Center, a maximum-security prison southwest of Sydney, where he is being held on remand, media reported.
Akram wore prison greens and sat mostly in silence during the proceedings. He spoke only to acknowledge that he heard a discussion about extending non-publication orders for the details of the victims.
Outside court, Akram’s lawyer Ben Archbold said his client was doing “as well as he can be” given the “very onerous conditions” in prison.
Archbold said it was too early to say how Akram would plead and that he had not discussed details of the alleged attack with him.
“I haven’t spoken to him about the attack in that regard,” he told reporters.
“All that we’re doing at the moment is starting the process … we’re waiting for the brief to be served; there’s nothing more I can say.”
Archbold added that he had visited Akram in prison.
“He’s just a client, and he’s a client that needs to be represented. And we don’t let our personal view get in the way of our professional obligations. The matter has been adjourned; I have nothing more to say.”
The case is expected to return to court in April.
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Israel Post-War Economy to Grow Further in 2026 After 3.1% Gain in 2025
Israeli national flags flutter near office towers at a business park also housing high tech companies, at Ofer Park in Petah Tikva, Israel, Aug. 27, 2020. Photo: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun
Israel‘s economy grew 3.1% in 2025, official data showed on Monday, rebounding from a 1% pace in 2024, with growth expected to accelerate sharply as long as a fragile Gaza ceasefire holds.
Growth last year was led by a 7.1% rise in investment and a 5.9% gain in exports, along with a modest uptick in consumer spending. Heavy state expenditure during the two-year Gaza war, particularly on defense, gave an added boost to the economy, economists noted.
“The economy is recovering,” said Yonie Fanning, chief strategist at Mizrahi Tefahot Bank. “The indications for the first quarter of 2026 are also positive – you see that in the trade balance data, etc. So, I think it … sets the basis for continued recovery.”
Israel‘s economy in 2025 outpaced an OECD average of 1.7% and 2% growth in the United States. It also was above the Bank of Israel‘s estimate of 2.8%. The central bank projects a 5.2% growth spurt this year.
“What you’re seeing now is excess demand coming after the war, which is coupled with an increase of supply also, for example, in real estate. And so, you see that in investment, and you should see that more going forward in 2026,” Fanning said.
Per capita growth was 1.7% in 2025.
In the fourth quarter, gross domestic product grew an annualized 4.0% from the prior quarter, powered by a 33% jump in exports following an October ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian terrorist group Hamas.
“This is relatively robust print, especially the business sector activity, impacted by a strong contribution from net exports,” said Leader Capital Markets Chief Economist Jonathan Katz.
A Reuters poll of economists had forecast an annualized 2.6% rate in the final three months of 2025.
Third-quarter GDP was revised to an annualized rise of 12.7% from a prior estimate of 11.1%.
The GDP data follow data published on Sunday showing Israel‘s annual inflation rate eased to 1.8% in January – its lowest level since June 2021 – from 2.6% in December, increasing pressure on the Bank of Israel to lower short-term interest rates next week for a third straight meeting.
Following the inflation data, “most people [in the market] don’t expect it to stay on hold,” Fanning said.
The shekel was flat at 3.09 per dollar, close to a 30-year peak hit earlier in February. Tel Aviv share indices gained as much as 0.3%.