Who We Are
 Survivor Support Now

October 7th, 2023 was a devastating wake up call to many US Jews, including myself. This is a deeply heartfelt mission for me as I'm one of those Oct. 8th Jews who was completely changed to the core by the events of October 7th. In the spirit of Tikkun Olam, I am resolved to make a difference by helping the survivors of the Oct. 7th massacre, Oct. 7th and Iran Wars and other recent horrific antisemitic and antizionist attacks and hope you will join us by engaging to support and provide the opportunity for much needed relief, recovery and spiritual renewal for them through our US based Host a Survivor program.​​​

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I had a bat mitzvah with a long torah reading as a kid and then at 17 first visited Kibbutz Revivim in the Negev for 3 months where I met Golda Meir's daughter Sarah, who taught Hebrew to my Ulpan class. A year later I returned to visit, and continued on to Kibbutz Ma'abarot in Netanya where I spent 2.5 months as a volunteer before leaving for a brief trip to Europe and then back home to NJ. 

My birth father Chaim 'Jimmy', (I was adopted as a baby by a 'Conservative Jewish' couple in NJ), was born in Poland in 1919 and moved with his parents to Israel in 1924, where as a young man he fought in the Irgun for Israel's independence. He later moved to New York City where he met my mother, but they didn't stay together.  On the other side, I remember hearing a story at a family reunion at my uncle's house in 1995, having found him only months after my birth mother passed away, of my great grandmother in Russia who during the pogroms, chased a Cossack on her roof with a metal pipe in her hand. So along with eleven first cousins, including multiple doctors, lawyers, artists, an engineer and a comedian descended from her, I think I have good genes, or at least am in good company.

I was more than halfway through completing an Aliyah application when I developed long Covid in Oct. 2022 (which lasted over 2 years), so decided to hold off on Aliyah. The weekend after October 7th, a friend from LA came to visit and as we discussed the horrific events in the Negev, I felt profoundly shaken and deeply connected in real time to the consciousness of Israel.  As we witness the continuing rise of antisemitism and antizionism since Oct. 7th, the need for unity supporting Israel by the greater global Jewish diaspora continues to grow exponentially. This is my effort to call upon those in our community and others that care, to join us in doing all we can to meet that need.

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With 25+ years working in various industries including financial services, real estate, tech and fine arts, as a prior FINRA Registered Rep, senior sales consultant and fine art gallery director, Suzanne has significant experience in operations and administrative management, developing and managing projects and new business initiatives in real estate and finance.  She earned a graduate level Paralegal Certificate from UCLA, a Masters in Art Education from Tufts University and a BFA from Rutgers University's Mason Gross School of the Arts, and is also a Certified Reiki Master having first studied under Evelyn Padma Morel in Cambridge, MA in 2007.

​Dr. Lani Kass, who is also on the STARRS Board of Advisors and the Global Youth Project Board, was most recently until 2021, Senior Vice President and Corporate Strategic Advisor for CACI International Inc, a $5B Fortune 1000 Information Solutions and Services company. Dr. Kass led corporate efforts to advance CACI’s presence and stature in the U.S. national security sector, as well as enhance and expand key client relationships. Working directly for the Chief Executive Officer, as well as the Chairman of the Board, she participated in the development of corporate strategy, positioning CACI for growth.

Prior to joining CACI in January 2012, Dr. Kass served as Senior Policy Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS). She was responsible for high-level assessments and analyses necessary to render the best military advice and execute the
integrated strategies, programs, and plans essential to America’s security.  Her foresight, expertise, and cross-cultural, multi-lingual skills were highly valued, particularly during international crises. Her contributions were recognized by both the Secretary of Defense and CJCS. She received the Joint Distinguished Civilian Service Award – the highest award granted to U.S. Government civilian employees. 

Dr. Kass also served as the Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force (CSAF), Senior Mentor to USAF Project CHECKMATE, and Director of the Cyber Task Force. She developed the intellectual concepts that led to the establishment of the U.S. Cyber Command which continues to underpin U.S. cyber strategy. She was awarded the prestigious Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service by both the Secretary of the Air Force and CSAF.

Dr. Kass’ other career highlights include appointment as the first woman Professor of Military Strategy and Operations at the National War College (NWC), National Defense University. During her 20 years of service at NWC, Dr. Kass educated several generations of senior-most strategic leaders. Her former students currently serve as service chiefs, combatant commanders, defense chiefs in allied capitals, ambassadors, agency directors, and senior intelligence officers. 

Dr. Kass has authored two books and 30 scholarly articles. She developed, directed, and taught graduate-level courses on a wide variety of national security subjects. She received
a doctorate from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Kaplan School of Economics and Political Science and Columbia University’s School of International Affairs. In 2014, Dr. Kass was elected to the Board of Women in Aerospace. In 2016, she was sworn in as a member of the Air University Board of Visitors’ Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) Subcommittee. In 2019, Dr Kass was elected to join the prestigious Washington Institute of
Foreign Affairs (WIFA) and the Board of Directors of Women in Defense. Earlier in life, Dr. Kass was a Major in the IDF.

Dr. Kass is a highly sought speaker in areas such as: Russia, the Middle East, China, terrorism/counter-terrorism, cyber, national security policy, and military strategy.

Norm Kass retired from the Department of Defense after completing a distinguished thirty-year career.  His military service included a tour of duty with First Field Force, Vietnam, for which he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal.  After his military service, Norm earned graduate degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University, and pursued a Ph.D at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. 

After returning to the United States in 1981, Norm joined the Department of Defense, where he developed critical elements of the Nation’s export control and technology transfer policies.  He rose to the position of a Deputy Director in the Defense Technology Security Administration. In that capacity, he represented the Secretary of Defense in both Interagency deliberations and international policy decision-making fora.

In June 1992, following a historic meeting between Presidents George H.W. Bush and Boris Yeltsin, Norm was appointed as the Executive Secretary and Staff Director of the newly established, Presidential-level, U.S.-Russia Joint Commission on Prisoners of War and Missing In Action (POW/MIA). In his nearly 19 years of service in that position, he designed, led and implemented a wide range of initiatives designed to account for the tens of thousands of American service-members still missing in action.  Norm worked closely with the National Security Council, the Department of State, the Intelligence Community, Congressional representatives, and the leadership of veterans' and POW family organizations. He negotiated directly with Russian and other international counterparts (to include Israel) at the highest levels, to gain access to individuals and historical documents necessary to accomplish the sacred mission of accounting for our POW/MIAs. His name and achievements were read into the Congressional Record and he was was honored with the Secretary of Defense’s Meritorious Service Award. His commitment to the accounting mission is reflected in a number of groundbreaking initiatives aimed at maximizing success.

After retiring from government service in December 2010, Norm founded Drywit LLC — a consulting service to market innovative technologies for successful integration into the global market place.  Drywit’s portfolio includes government relations, veterans’ affairs, international negotiations, cross-cultural communications, strategic planning, and risk management. Norm continues to contribute his time and expertise to the Department of Defense, POW/MIA families, and various research organizations.