About Us
Returning the Sparks creates opportunities to transform people's connections with Judaism, with Israel, and with one another.
We seek to inspire you to discover your individual contribution to Am Yisrael, and to raise up the sparks of holiness that are yours to return.
Staff Members
Arinne Edelman, Executive Director
Arinne@ReturningTheSparks.org
Arinne Edelman has worked in the Jewish non-profit sector for over 15 years, including serving as the Executive Director of Northeastern Hillel and Director of Regional Services for Hillel Council of New England. She is the recipient of the Torchbearer Award from Synagogue Council of Massachusetts, the Exemplar of Excellence Award from Hillel International, and the Israel Educator Award from the Consulate General of Israel to New England. Arinne holds a B.A. in Psychology from Smith College, an M.Ed. from Cambridge College and served as a Jewish Organizing Initiative fellow.
Board Members
David Gemunder
David Gemunder serves as the Executive Director of the Gemunder Family Foundation. He has served on the Board of Governors for Hillel International and the Board of Directors of The Secure Community Network, and currently serves on the Board of Trustees of The TOP Jewish Foundation (a Florida-based community foundation) and the Advisory Board of the Jewish Future Pledge. David received an A.B. in History and an A.M. in Social Sciences from The University of Chicago and a J.D. from Vanderbilt University. He has practiced law for more than 25 years and has been admitted to the Florida and Ohio bars. David has held leadership positions with the American Bar Association, and currently serves as a member of the Nonprofit Organizations Committee of its Section of Business Law.
Ilana Snapstailer
Ilana Snapstailer is the Religious School Director at Temple Emanuel of Newton. She has over 15 years of experience teaching in every Jewish denomination and both informal and formal settings. Previously, Ilana served as Executive Director of Kesher Newton, Associate Regional Director of the Anti-Defamation League in New England, and as Director of Academic Affairs at the Consulate General of Israel to New England. Ilana holds a B.A./M.A. in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies from Brandeis University with a Massachusetts State Certification in Elementary Education and a minor in Hebrew. Based on her own Jewish education experience, Ilana is passionate about bridging the knowledge and skills gap between Jewish supplementary school and Jewish day school students.
Gilad Skolnick
Gilad Skolnick is the Regional Director of Advancement for American Friends of Leket Israel. Previously, he served as Regional Director of IAC New England, Executive Director of Northeastern Hillel, and the Director of Campus Programming at CAMERA. Prior to that, he served in the IDF, as a Corporal in the Spokesperson’s Unit. Gilad received an M.A. from the University of Delaware in Urban Affairs and Public Policy and B.A. degrees from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst in History, Communication, and Judaic Studies. His junior year was spent studying at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.