Jeremy Fletcher
CEO
Matt Marks
Head of Community Engagement
Matt joined BNJC after several years at the Kollel Halacha in Yeshivat Har Etzion and teaching on Yeshiva programmes across Jerusalem. He holds a Master’s degree and Semicha, and has completed fellowships with Mizrachi UK, LSJS and OUJLIC. Passionate about Jewish education for all ages, Matt has taught in schools across the UK and now leads on community engagement at BNJC. He lives in Brighton with his young family and is proud to contribute to the revitalisation of Jewish life in the city.
Sarah Rose
Head of People & Operations
Sarah’s background is in HR and operations, and she specialises in helping non-profits build strong foundations for their teams to thrive. Since joining BNJC, she has played a central role in developing the organisation’s internal systems and supporting its strategic growth. She is Co-Chair of Limmud Festival, one of the UK’s leading cross-communal Jewish events, and sits on JW3’s Young Advisory Board. Sarah also continues to volunteer with Jewish charities across the UK and beyond.
Jasmin Aziz
Head of Marketing & Communications
Jasmin leads BNJC’s marketing and communications and has been part of the team since the beginning. With a background in events, fundraising and Jewish communal work, she brings a creative and strategic approach to growing our reach and impact. After relocating from London, Jasmin is passionate about futureproofing Jewish life in fringe communities and spotlighting Brighton a place others can see as home, now and for generations to come.
Sheerelle Marks
Families and Education Manager
Born and raised in London, Sheerelle has recently moved to Brighton from Israel with her husband Matt and four wonderful daughters, to support Jewish Education at BNJC. A lifelong educator, Sheerelle is passionate about supporting Early Years development and imbuing our community centre with lifelong Jewish learning for all ages.
Joel Azulay
Community Development Officer
Joel relocated to Brighton to make an impact in community development at BNJC. He brings broad experience, having led youth programmes at Tribe and developed informal education at JFS. At Queen Mary University, he helped adopt the IHRA definition, organised Holocaust survivor talks, and volunteered at food drives. Now part of the Adam Science Leadership Programme, Joel is passionate about creating a vibrant space for young Jews to connect and build community. Outside of work, he enjoys paddle, cricket, and catching matches at the Sussex County Ground.
Ally Goldberg
Events Officer
Ally comes from a background in events & business development, and is a passionate advocate for the Jewish community. She is excited to help BNJC to develop a diverse and accessible programme of events for the community. She’s also a freelance writer, with a focus on life as a Jewish person, and how Judaism can intersect with other areas of people’s lives and identities.
Howard Kaye
Marketing Executive
Howard brings a unique blend of entrepreneurial spirit and digital creativity to BNJC. With a background in building restaurants from the ground up, he’s developed a sharp eye for branding, storytelling, and creating content that connects. He’s especially passionate about using social media to tell powerful stories, and his skills in photography and videography help bring our vibrant community to life. Outside of work, Howard is a musician, DJ, personal trainer and a very proud new dad.
Bridget Kyffin-Walton
Head of Shoresh Nursery
Bridget has over 30 years of experience in early years education, including founding and running a successful nursery in Brighton for two decades. Her career has taken her from nannying in New York to working in forest schools, supporting children with special educational needs, and mentoring early years professionals across the sector. Bridget is passionate about creating joyful, nurturing environments where both children and educators can thrive. She’s excited to bring her experience and energy to the next chapter of Shoresh Nursery. When she’s not working, you’ll often find Bridget reading, pottering in the garden, out in the wild, or spending time with her family.
George Afentakis
Head of Novellino Brighton
Head Chef George Afentakis was brought up in Crete but is a long-time Brighton resident. As well as owning Adelphia in Preston Street and former owner of Skara in the Marina, he has been active in catering in the UK for the last 28 years.
Meet our trustees
Our board of trustees volunteer their time and expertise for BNJC, united in a shared vision to help us build a vibrant Jewish community for Brighton & Hove.
Michael Davids
Chair
Michael has over 30 years’ experience in financial services and equity markets. He is Chair of Brighton & Hove Jewish Housing Association, trustee of Helping Hands and a member of the Brighton & Hove Holocaust Education Project. Michael was born and raised in Brighton and has a long involvement in the Jewish community. His late father was Chairman of Brighton and Hove Hebrew Congregation (BHHC), and he has served many terms on their board himself.
Natasha Isaac
Trustee
Natasha is a Brighton-based barrister working primarily in family law. Aside from her current role as trustee for the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance, she has also been involved in the Jewish Museum, Tzedek and Jewish Women’s Aid as well as sitting on her synagogue board. Natasha and her husband have recently moved to Brighton to be nearer their jobs and close family and have enjoyed becoming a part of the local community
Justin Bohm
Trustee
Justin qualified as a chartered accountant with Andersen. He is currently the CFO of a consultancy business, having worked for a number of listed, PE-backed and private companies in the marketing, telco and recruitment sectors as well as acting as a governor and subsequently trustee of his children’s primary school. Justin brings a deep understanding to the role, having been an advisor to the project to regenerate the Brighton and Hove community for a number of years and is excited to help BNJC realise its vision.
Marc Sugarman
Trustee
Marc has had a distinguished 17-year tenure on the stock market, managed a consultancy and family office, and contributed his skills as a Non-Executive Director of Brighton and Hove Albion FC, as well as being a Trustee for Albion in the Community, Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis (OMS), and the Bloom Foundation. His deep connection to Brighton inspired him to help futureproof the local Jewish community, leading him to spearhead the creation of BNJC.
As Marc transitions into the role of Trustee, his legacy as BNJC’s founding CEO over the last decade remains pivotal. His unwavering passion and commitment have been instrumental in shaping BNJC’s current success and future aspirations.
Raymond Simonson
Trustee
Raymond is CEO of JW3, London’s Jewish Community Centre and cultural hub. A professionally qualified Community & Youth Worker, he has 30 years’ experience in informal Jewish education, leadership development, and community building. He was the first full-time Executive Director of Limmud, playing a key role in developing Limmud International as a global movement. Previously, he was the Jewish Agency’s UK Director of Informal Jewish Education, working with thousands of educators and youth leaders in the UK and Israel. He sits on advisory and trustee boards of various charities and mentors young community leaders.
Ellisa Estrin
Trustee
Ellisa has dedicated her career to the fields of fundraising, marketing, and communications. With a background in advertising and a decade-long tenure at Jewish Care, she is passionate about serving the community through strategic campaigns and brand development. As the current Director of Fundraising & Marketing for Jewish Care and Trustee for Essex & Herts Air Ambulance, Ellisa brings a wealth of expertise to her role at BNJC and is excited to support our organisation thrive.
Yael Breuer
Trustee
Originally from Rehovot, Israel, Yael has lived in Brighton for over 30 years. With a background in journalism, she has contributed articles to publications across the UK and beyond and exercises her interviewing skills on Brighton’s TV channel, Latest TV. Alongside journalism, Yael is also a Hebrew teacher & translator, and is particularly proud of the best-selling book she co-authored, ‘Hilarious Hebrew: The Fun and Fast Way to Learn the Language’. Yael is enthusiastic about supporting BNJC in realising its vision to enrich the local cultural landscape through its diverse programme of events.