Sophy Turkea Yurman is a senior educator with over 20 years of leadership in Jewish-Israeli education. A former IDF officer (Major) in the Education and Youth Corps, she held key roles in the field of Jewish cultural renewal in Israel, including at Alma – Home for Hebrew Culture and ANU – Museum of the Jewish People. Sophy holds a Master’s degree in Pluralistic Jewish Education and is a Mandel Leadership Program graduate. Since moving to the U.S. in 2016, she has been working with the Israeli-American Council (IAC) in various National Director roles, including the development of national programs and training initiatives, leadership development, and strategic planning in the areas of Israel education, Jewish identity, and community building. She currently serves as National Director of Community Engagement within the Civic Engagement and Fighting Antisemitism department, leading educational initiatives, community mobilization, and advocacy. Sophy lives in Los Angeles with her family and serves as VP of Education on the board of Beth Shir Shalom in Santa Monica.
