Officers
Dr. Charles Springfield – President
Charles spent 35 years practicing Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine and Emergency Air Medical transport in NY, Northern California and Florida leading multiple hospital emergency rooms and transport systems.
Charles has been a member of JSL since its inception. He has made numerous trips to Latvia over the years early on with his father, Steven Springfield, a founding member and first President, as an aide to Steven. A few of the highlights include The World Jewish Latvian Gathering, as well as dedication ceremonies for the Choral synagogue the “Wall of Tears” memorial and the dedications at Rumbala and Bikernicke.
Charles became President of Jewish Survivors of Latvia in June 2023 upon the retirement of David Silberman and recruitment by the board. A highlight of his first 2 years includes speaking at the July 4 Holocaust Memorial Day in Riga representing JSL
Charles lives with his wife, Gail Springfield in Delray Beach, Fl. His son Adam lives in Northern California and has made the trip to Latvia twice. Nieces Alexis and Nicole are in Orlando Florida. Daughter Rachel, husband Eric and grandchildren Reagan and Captain live in Santa Rosa Beach, FL.
David Silberman – President Emeritus
David Silberman was born in Preiļi, Latvia in 1934. He is an accomplished writer, researcher and Jewish activist. He escaped death when the Germans invaded Latvia and went on to gather and publish extensive testimonies and documents from survivors of the Holocaust in Latvia. Silberman lives in New York and a more extensive bio of his published works and accomplishments can be found here.
Dr. George Schwab – Vice President
Dr. George D. Schwab is an American political scientist, editor, Holocaust survivor, and academic. He was the president of the National Committee on American Foreign Policy, an American non-partisan foreign policy think tank. He co-founded that organization in 1974 and served as its president from 1993 to 2015, and was the editor of its bimonthly journal, American Foreign Policy Interests.
In 1984, Dr. Schwab co-founded the Jewish Survivors of Latvia and in 2021 released a personal memoir “Odyssey of a Child Survivor: From Latvia Through the Camps to the United States” which can be purchased here. In 2024, 60 Minutes interviewed him for their piece on the Cap Arcona which you can see / read here.
A more extensive biography can be found here.
Dr. Ivar Brod – Secretary and Editor of The Latvian Jewish Courier
Ivar was born in Latvia in late June 1941, while his parents were fleeing the Nazi invasion. After the war, his family returned to Riga, where he completed high school and later majored in chemistry at Riga Technical University. Following two years of military service and three years of post-graduate program, he earned a PhD and began working at the Research Institute of Applied Biochemistry in Olaine, near Riga. He worked there until immigrating to the United States with his family in 1993. He enjoyed a successful career, advancing from engineer to chief of the laboratory. During this time, he authored and co-authored more than 50 patents related to the development and production of biochemical substances. In 1989 he was awarded The Latvian State Prize.
After the revival of the Latvian Jewish Community in 1989, he became the administrative manager of the Kinnor Jewish youth ensemble, touring with them in Russia, Israel, Germany, the United Kingdom, Denmark, and the United States. After immigrating to the U.S., he worked at a small pharmaceutical company until his retirement in 2013. Upon his arrival in New York, Ivar became deeply involved with the Jewish Survivors of Latvia community, eventually serving as editor of The Latvian Jewish Courier magazine. He devotes much of his free time to researching the achievements of Latvian Jews both in their homeland and abroad. In 2021, he translated and published the Russian edition of Professor George Schwab’s memoir titled Odyssey of a Child Survivor. In 2024, his research culminated in the publication of Prominent Latvian Jews in the USA.
Board of Trustees
Aelita Fitingof – Chairwoman of the Board
Aelita Fitingof Neihausen, is a second-generation Holocaust survivor and singer who has dedicated her life on stage to preserving Jewish history and traditions. She emphasizes the importance of passing the torch from generation to generation — “if we forget the past, we have no future.”
Aelita is a tireless supporter of Holocaust survivors and throughout her career has raised more than $7.5 million for the State of Israel. She works with Holocaust survivors primarily in the U.S., Canada, and Latvia, but also in Israel.
During the pandemic, Aelita gave online concerts for Holocaust survivors living in the Greater New York area and Florida. Her latest production “Songs from the Heart” takes one on a family journey spanning three continents, intertwining timeless Yiddish songs, American pop “à la Yiddish,” and Broadway favorites. It was featured as part of the great Yiddish actor Avi Hoffman’s “Yiddishkayt Initiative” Purim festival, after which it was posted to YouTube and viewed all over the world.
Aelita has recorded 8 albums, sung in 16 languages, and is recognized among the “100 Golden Voices of History” by EuroNews. To learn more, you can visit aelitamusic.com.
Simon Gizunterman – Treasurer
Born in Latvia in 1946, Simon graduated from Riga Technical University and began his career working for several major manufacturing plants in Riga. In 1990, he and his family emigrated to the United States, where he applied his expertise in electrical engineering while working for electric utility companies in New York.
Simon developed a strong connection with JSL, contributing in many capacities, including organizing and conducting annual JSL Yizkor meetings, publishing articles in the Courier magazine, and creating a membership database to help maintain active records. In 2021, he was elected Treasurer of JSL.
Now retired, Simon enjoys traveling, attending cultural events, participating in sports, and spending time with friends. He also honors the memory of his family, as all his grandparents perished in the Holocaust.
Lawrence Kruglyak – Board Member
Lawrence Kruglyak is an Associate at Vista Equity Partners. Prior to Vista, he was an Associate at J.P. Morgan, where he focused on Alternative Investments Client Coverage and Strategy. He holds a BS in Finance from The College of New Jersey.
A first-generation American, Lawrence’s family immigrated to the United States from Latvia and Lithuania in the 1980s and 1990s. Shaped by stories of resilience and tradition from his family’s Eastern European roots, he remains deeply connected to his heritage. Previously, he served on the Gala Committee for Friends of the IDF – Young Leadership NYC.
Outside of work, Lawrence is passionate about travel, food, and the outdoors. He enjoys exploring New York City’s changing restaurant scene, cycling, and skiing, and has recently taken up marathon running.
Raphaela Neihausen – Board Member
Raphaela Neihausen produced the Oscar-nominated short film Joe’s Violin (about Holocaust survivor Joseph Feingold) and the feature documentary Miss Gulag. She is co-founder and executive director of DOC NYC, America’s largest documentary festival. She co-hosts WNYC’s Documentary of the Week and executive produces the podcast Pure Nonfiction. She has served as the founding executive director for several festival startups including the Montclair Film Festival, Split Screens Festival, and 51Fest. Prior to her film career, she worked for seven years at Mercer Management Consulting (now Oliver Wyman), advising Fortune 100 companies on strategic growth. She holds a BSFS/MA from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and lives in Montclair with her family.
Raphaela’s entire family comes from Latvia and over 40 of her ancestors were murdered during the Holocaust. She grew up surrounded by their stories and is committed to honoring their memory.
Prior Leadership
FOUNDER
Max Kaufmann*
CO-FOUNDERS
Prof. Howard Adelson*
Leo Kram*
David Packin*
Prof. George Schwab
Eleonora Schwab*
Prof. Gertrude Schneider*
Steven Springfield*
Peter Springfield*
* = Deceased