While she was born and raised in New York City, her parents are Israeli, and she spent many summer and holiday vacations visiting family in Israel.
Given her work in the nonprofit sector as an accountant, her penchant for all things Israel, and her recognition of AMIT’s unique model transforming the lives of children through education, it was only a matter of time and the stars aligning just so that Ms. Landau would become involved in the Los Angeles chapter of AMIT.
Dafna, 36, is the Chair of the LA NewGen Board, which is made up of young people in their 20s to 40s who care about Israel, its children, and its future.
“What attracted me to the cause,” said Ms. Landau, mother to 3-year-old Elijah who moved to Los Angeles four years ago with her husband, Jonathan, “is seeing the huge impact AMIT is having on these students’ lives. There are so many organizations that help young adults navigate their educational journeys, but I had never heard of or seen in practice any such educational model as what AMIT is doing.”
“Knowing that even after they graduate and move onto future endeavors, the AMIT students carry with them all the knowledge and educational resources they were given, their lives are really changed forever.”
“There is a long-lasting impact. AMIT is a family,” she said.
In her role as NewGen Chair, Dafna hopes to “spread the word” about AMIT and its mission. She said she first learned about AMIT through Liron Yadin, the Western Region associate director, whom she met shortly after she arrived in Los Angeles when she was trying to meet new people and get involved in Jewish causes. The two bonded over coffee as mothers-to-be, and Ms. Yadin introduced Ms. Landau to AMIT and invited her to join the organization’s young leadership effort.
It was a perfect fit for her.
“There are so many young professionals who want to get involved but they don’t know how, or they don’t know the channels, so I hope to spread the word as much as possible about what AMIT is doing and the events that it runs,” she said.
Since taking the helm of AMIT LA NewGen as board chair, she is aiming high.
“I hope we can recruit a lot of young Los Angelenos and spread the word on this incredible organization’s work,” Dafna said. “I’m proud and honored to be a part of AMIT and looking forward to many more great things to come.”
