AlmaLinks e-Magazine

Yom Ha'atzmaut 2025

⏱ Avg. Reading Time: 4 min

Dear AlmaLinks Family,

On the heels of Yom HaZikaron, with the weight of memory still in our hearts, we step into Yom Ha’atzmaut with pride, resilience, and unwavering hope.
The story of Israel is one of courage, sacrifice, and vision—a story that continues to unfold through each of us. And within the AlmaLinks community, that story is alive and growing.

Over the past months, our AlmaLinks community has shown up with heart and purpose. From local gatherings and global sessions to AlmaLinked meetups and meaningful one-on-one conversations, the AlmaLinks spirit—rooted in connection, support, and shared values—shines stronger than ever.

In this issue, you’ll find highlights from recent events, stories from inspiring members and leaders, and a look ahead at what’s to come. Together, we’re building something deeply meaningful—and your presence is at the center of it all.

As we celebrate Israel's independence, we honor the legacy of those who built this nation, mourn the brave who gave their lives for it, and recommit ourselves to shaping a future filled with strength, unity, and purpose.


Happy Yom Ha’atzmaut. Am Yisrael Chai.

With gratitude,
Hadrat
On behalf of the AlmaLinks Team

Highlights

AlmaLinked Sessions

Explored key topics such as high-performing teams, 2025 market trends, sustainability tech, and food innovation.

1,000+ Connections

Facilitated meaningful one-on-one interactions between members.

Voices That Matter

Spotlighting Israeli and Jewish leaders and causes in these challenging times.

Philly Chapter Update

Welcoming new chapter leadership.

I recently became part of AlmaLinks and was impressed by its members’ focus on supporting others. I also found the live and online events inspiring, relevant, and specific enough to be both effective and interactive. One of the most valuable aspects is the one-on-one meetings with AlmaLinkers, which provide me with food for thought and the opportunity to meet some terrific people.

Amichay Gross

Co-Founder and Executive Chairman MARINE EDGE, Israel

Upcoming events

Contributions

By supporting AlmaLinks, you’re investing in a global community.
Your contribution helps us spark a ripple effect of meaningful connections, shared opportunities, and resilience-building across the Jewish world.

Thank you for being part of something bigger. 
Click for donations:

Israel

To make a tax-deductible donation

International

To make a donation via PEF elsewhere around the globe (tax-deductible in the US only)
✉️  For more details

With gratitude, the AlmaLinks community

Meet the Leaders Behind Our Philadelphia Chapter

Shelby Zitelman

Senior VP at Zitelman Partners, and Co-Founder and President of Soom Foods

“I've learned that our Philadelphia Chapter is a selfless group that is invested in one another's success.”

What do you do professionally, and what’s your area of expertise?

I serve as the Senior Vice President at Zitelman Partners and am also the Co-Founder and President of Soom Foods. While these are two very distinct ventures—one in real estate investing and the other in the CPG space—they’ve both shaped my professional journey in meaningful ways.
Although it’s hard to pinpoint a single area of expertise, I’ve spent significant time in both industries and developed a strong foundation in strategic planning, operations, and business development at a high level.

What’s one of the most memorable moments from your time leading the Philadelphia Chapter?

I really enjoyed our gathering at Roger's office and the fascinating conversation with Fred Fox about planning for change and navigating uncertainty. The discussion felt especially timely and relevant given today’s ever-evolving landscape.

What’s something you’ve learned from leading the chapter, and how do you feel about passing the torch?

I've learned that our Philadelphia Chapter is a selfless group that is invested in one another's success. Leading the Philadelphia Chapter alongside Marc has been an absolute pleasure. His leadership, partnership, and friendship have taught me so much. Now, I couldn’t feel more confident passing the torch to Josh and Scott—I know they’re going to do a fantastic job!

Marc Prine, PhD

Industrial/Organizational Psychologist

“The amount of vulnerability and honesty in the room was incredible…Just giving space in that moment shows the power of our community and how we are truly lucky to be involved with such great people.”

What do you do professionally and what’s your area of expertise? Any tips you’d share?

I’m an industrial-organizational psychologist specializing in leadership assessment and organizational transformation, particularly in private equity settings.
My tip: never underestimate the power of aligning people strategy with business strategy—it’s where real impact happens.

What’s one of the most memorable moments from your time leading the Philadelphia Chapter?

I would have to say the first session we had post October 7th. We had no agenda other than to be there for each other. The amount of vulnerability and honesty in the room was incredible. People were asking questions like, "what if you saw one of your clients post pro-Hamas propaganda on social media?" Just giving space in that moment shows the power of our community and how we are truly lucky to be involved with such great people.

What’s something you’ve learned from leading the chapter, and how do you feel about passing the torch?

After 3 years, I am very excited to see where Josh and Scott take the chapter. I am forever grateful for Shelby Zitelman, co-chair and partner the last 3 years. Becoming better friends with Shelby has been amongst the best parts of the job!

Josh Mastromatto

Co-Founder and CEO of Rego

“Some incredible members in Philadelphia and globally helped me close the knowledge gap in critical areas, which helped us achieve significant milestones. I aim to provide others with that level of support, connection, and community.”

Tell us about your background

I’m the Co-Founder and CEO of Rego, a Philadelphia-based B2B waste management analytics platform built for sustainability teams at large organizations. Before stepping into the tech world, I had a dynamic career in sports, playing Arena Football and Rugby 7’s.
During that time, I had the chance to visit my brother at Facebook’s NYC office—and that’s when I first fell in love with technology and its power to create meaningful change for people and communities. From there, I dove headfirst into learning everything I could about startups and innovation.

Today, I channel that passion into building tech solutions that drive real-world impact. I’ve found my niche in leveraging tools like AI and analytics to address waste management challenges in urban areas. Alongside running Rego, I also support early-stage entrepreneurs with strategy, MVP development, and public speaking. In everything I do, I aim to bring heart, grit, and a deep commitment to making a difference.

What does being part of AlmaLinks mean to you personally and professionally?

It means a lot personally and professionally, especially as a first-time founder with a non-traditional background. The group accepted me during a time when I was really struggling in business. Some incredible members in Philadelphia and globally helped me close the knowledge gap in critical areas, which helped us achieve significant milestones. I aim to provide others with that level of support, connection, and community.

As you take on this new leadership role, what are you most excited about?

I’m most excited to help build meaningful connections and insights between members and chapters. Shelby and Marc leave some huge shoes to fill, and I’m honored to work alongside Scott to build off of their success. Selfishly, I’m also excited to learn about and meet more AlmaLinks community members in both Philadelphia and globally.

Scott Berman

Entrepreneur & Venture Capital Investor

“AlmaLinks is an amazing organization with hundreds of smart, successful, kind and generous people. It brings together jews from all over the world that share common values and want to learn from each other.”

Tell us about your background

Entrepreneur, Venture Capital, Digital Marketing, NBA Basketball Stats, Game of Zen podcast host.

What does being part of AlmaLinks mean to you personally and professionally?

AlmaLinks is an amazing organization with hundreds of smart, successful, kind and generous people. It brings together jews from all over the world that share common values and want to learn from each other. It also provides a deeper connection for those of us who do not live in Israel but want to build lasting relationships with the business community there.

As you take on this new leadership role, what are you most excited about?

By stepping into this leadership role in Philadelphia, I’m excited to build on the strong foundation that Shelby and Marc created as co-chairs. I look forward to working alongside Josh to grow our community—welcoming new members, planning meaningful events, and creating more opportunities for us to connect and thrive together.

A heartfelt thank you to Shelby and Marc for leading with such dedication and heart.
And a warm welcome to Josh and Scott as they step in to shape the next chapter.
We’re excited for what lies ahead!

Past Events

AlmaLinked

Tapping into the Power of Our Community

At its core, AlmaLinks is about people — a community rich with exceptional expertise and experience across industries and continents.

Each month, we come together in an intimate setting to tap into the remarkable knowledge, ventures, and visions our members are shaping — and to inspire new ideas, connections, and possibilities.