‘Mensch’ is a Yiddish word – the language spoken by Jews in Eastern Europe before WW2 – meaning a good and upstanding person. Someone who has integrity,
honour and a sense of right and wrong.
We believe that we all have the power to ‘make a difference’ whether big or small through our professional work,
by volunteering our time or by offering financial or in-kind support.
‘Mensch’ is a Yiddish word – the language spoken by Jews in Eastern Europe before WW2 – meaning a good and upstanding person. Someone who has integrity, honour and a sense of right and wrong.
We believe that we all have the power to ‘make a difference’ whether big or small through our professional work, by volunteering our time or by offering financial or in-kind support.
‘Mensch’ is a Yiddish word – the language spoken by Jews in Eastern Europe before WW2 – meaning a good and upstanding person. Someone who has integrity, honour and a sense of right and wrong.
We believe that we all have the power to ‘make a difference’ whether big or small through our professional work, by volunteering our time or by offering financial or in-kind support.
THE MENSCH NETWORK
Through the Mensch Network we offer capacity-building training, networking opportunities, mentorship and incubation, profiling and collaboration. This results in increased impact of our member’s work, promotes best practice and creates a sense of community in what can often be the lonely work of change-making!
THE MENSCH COMMUNITY
The Mensch Community casts a wider net building bridges to connect the Jewish community to the wider South African and international communities. By engaging in our, and our Network’s social impact projects and programmes, together we can create sustainable change in South Africa.
THE MENSCH NETWORK
Through the Mensch Network we offer capacity-building training, networking opportunities, mentorship and incubation, profiling and collaboration. This results in increased impact of our member’s work, promotes best practice and creates a sense of community in what can often be the lonely work of change-making!
THE MENSCH COMMUNITY
The Mensch Community casts a wider net building bridges to connect the Jewish community to the wider South African and international communities. By engaging in our, and our Network’s social impact projects and programmes, together we can create sustainable change in South Africa.
MEET THE BOARD MEMBERS
MEET THE BOARD MEMBERS
JONATHAN HENNING
CHAIRPERSON
Jonathan Henning is passionate about entrepreneurship and business strategy. With a strong financial background and a keen eye for risk, he helps guide Mensch to secure a strong financial position. He has a deep sense of the inequalities within our society and has worked with social enterprises tackling issues such as food security, poverty, education and recycling. Jonathan understands the enormous potential social initiatives can have on socio-economic upliftment.
GEENA KOPPING
TREASURER
Recently appointed as Treasurer of the Mensch Board, Geena Kopping brings a strong financial and impact-driven perspective to the role. She completed her CA articles at Allan Gray Limited in 2023 before transitioning to Allan & Gill Gray Philanthropy towards the end of 2024. There, she works in impact measurement and evaluation, impact data, and organizational performance, supporting the philanthropy’s mission to foster entrepreneurship in South Africa. She is passionate about leveraging data-driven insights to drive meaningful social and economic change.
Dr LISA PLIT
BOARD MEMBER
Dr Lisa Plit has worked as a consultant in environmental law for over 25 years, working with corporates to embed sustainability within their strategic objectives. She created SA’s first Sustainability Index of listed companies and has worked with JSE on their Socially Responsible Investment Index. She also tutors at Oxford University’s Leading Sustainable Corporations Programme at the Saïd Business School. Lisa has worked in Jewish Education both in SA and Singapore, and has served on various NPO and corporate boards. She holds an LLM in Environmental Law for the LSE in London and a PhD from Macquarie University, Sydney.
MICHELLE STEIN
BOARD MEMBER
Michelle Stein is Head of Institutional Advancement at Zeitz MOCAA, where she oversees marketing and communications, philanthropy, and membership. Previously, she worked for a range of charities in the UK including The British Museum and The Commonwealth Secretariat, where she built relationships with some of the UK’s most philanthropic families. She is a graduate of the Adam Science Foundation Leadership Programme, a longstanding Limmud volunteer and an organising member of London independent minyan Grassroots Jews.
DR DVORA DAVEY
BOARD MEMBER
Dr. Dvora Joseph Davey is an infectious disease epidemiologist with over 20 years of experience in maternal and newborn health research and programme evaluation. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Division of Infectious Diseases in the Geffen School at UCLA.; and an Honorary Associate Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Cape Town. She is passionate about evidence based programming to give back to communities to improve their health and wellbeing, including volunteering to be part of the solution and improving community development.
KEVIN JAMES
BOARD MEMBER
Kevin James is the CEO and founder of GCX, a leading sustainability solutions company helping businesses unlock value through strategy, data intelligence, and innovation. With nearly 20 years of experience in corporate sustainability, Kevin combines visionary leadership with practical execution to guide global companies toward measurable impact. Passionate about purpose-driven growth, he champions technology and data as catalysts for building resilient, sustainable businesses across Africa and beyond. Kevin is a board member of GBCSA and other social enterprises and NGO’s.
RYAN DAVIS
BOARD MEMBER
SU LUBNER
BOARD MEMBER
Su Lubner is a multi-award-winning composer, music therapist, and educator with over 40 years of global experience. She’s composed for acclaimed shows like Takalani Sesame and Intersexions, and contributed to education and therapeutic interventions through NGOs and health organizations. Holding an MA in Creative Arts Therapies, Su works with Parkinson’s and MSA patients using tai chi, movement, and mindfulness. She co-created a therapy manual and champions cross-cultural, creative collaborations for social impact.
SHELAGH GASTROW
BOARD MEMBER
Shelagh Gastrow advises South Africa’s philanthropy and non-profit sectors, with a focus on governance and financial sustainability. She mentors non-profit and university leaders on strategy, fundraising and board management, while assisting individuals, foundations and financial institutions in advancing their philanthropic goals. A strong advocate of independent philanthropy, she believes it plays a vital role in addressing social issues beyond the reach of government and market forces.
MEET THE MENSCH PROFESSIONAL TEAM
GINA FLASH
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Gina is the founder and Executive Director of Mensch. She was previously the Communications and Social Change Manager for the Cape South African Jewish Board of Deputies, managing the organisation’s communications and social justice community development. Previously she worked in design and communications running her graphic design business with clients in corporate and non-profit sectors.
JODI RAMSAY
NETWORK COORDINATOR
Jodi is an experienced project manager and community builder with over 15 years’ experience in education and training in both the non-profit and corporate worlds. Jodi previously developed and managed a national school-based HIV and AIDS education programme, and is well versed in B-BBEE accreditation assisting corporates with their BEE compliance and transformation processes.
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