Founder and Executive Director
Masha Merkulova founded Club Z to provide teens with a platform to connect to Israel, Jewish history, Zionism, and one another. Born in the Former Soviet Union, Masha did not know that she was Jewish. As she grew up, she began to question her identity and embrace Zionism, realizing that it is a movement of justice that corrects many wrongs throughout history. Before founding Club Z in 2011, Masha spent more than a decade as a Jewish community activist in the San Francisco Bay Area, spearheading efforts to address antisemitism on campus and to advocate for Israel. During these years, Masha witnessed the need for teens to have a platform to connect to Israel and Zionism, which propelled the founding of Club Z. Masha is a commentator in print media, with op-eds published on FOX News, in the Jewish News Syndicate, and more. Her writing focuses on antisemitism, bigotry, and the delegitimization of Israel.
Dalia Ziada is an Egyptian award-winning writer, peace activist, and political analyst specializing in governance, geopolitics, and defense policy in the Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean. She has been globally recognized for her leading role as a civil rights activist in the Arab Spring revolutions of 2010-2011 and for her uncommon stance as an Arab Muslim intellectual in support of Israel’s war against Hamas in 2023.
Colonel Richard Kemp was a British infantry commander who spent most of his life combating terrorism and insurgency in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Balkans and Northern Ireland, where he was wounded in a terrorist attack. His name appeared on an Al Qaida kill list in 2013.
Rawan Osman is a Syrian-Lebanese/German activist advocating for peace with Israel. Rawan previously served on the executive committee at PeaceComms and as a speaker at SharakaNGO. Currently, she is studying Islamic and Jewish Studies at Heidelberg University and is the founder of ArabsAsk. Additionally, Osman serves as the Chairwoman of PostOctober7 e. V.
Shahar Azani is a veteran Israeli diplomat, passionate advocate for Israel and a frequent contributor to various media outlets focusing on Israel, Jewish issues and the Middle East.
Shabbos Kestenbaum is a student activist and the lead plaintiff against Harvard University, alleging pervasive and systemic antisemitism. He is a regular contributor on national media, has testified in front of the United States Congress multiple times, and lectures internationally on Jewish communal issues.