Council
Meet our Va’ad – Tamid’s Leadership Council
We are all grateful to these Tamid Council members, they are trusted advisors who dedicate their time, energy, and resources as representatives of our community. Todah Rabbah, thank you for the love and care you bring to Tamid.
Jason Carmel, M.D., Ph.D., Va’ad Co- Chair
Jason lives in Mamaroneck with his wife, Amanda, and their 2 daughters, Phoebe and Sasha, and son, Elias, who attend the Rye Neck schools. Jason is a neurologist and neuroscientist at Columbia University. He directs the Weinberg Family Cerebral Palsy Center and the Movement Recovery Laboratory. On the weekends, Jason can be found cheering his kids at their sporting events, cycling in northern Westchester and Connecticut, or assisting Amanda in her backyand garden. Amanda is an internist at Mount Sinai’s practice in Hudson Yards. The Carmels joined Tamid because of their connection to the Weiner Family through running and for their desire to have a close Jewish community where people know one another.
Sandee Walker, Va’ad Co-Chair
Sandee lives in New Rochelle with her youngest daughter, Remy, with her two older children on their own nearby in NYC. Her marketing career has spanned the worlds of fashion, art, summer camps and small businesses. She is currently focused on marketing events for a national law firm. She is honored to be a founding member of Tamid and feels she has truly found a community that shares her Jewish values.
Erica Aisner
Erica is a founding partner of Kirby, Aisner & Curley LLP where she practices corporate and consumer bankruptcy and commercial real estate law. Erica is a firm believer in giving back to her community, taking on pro bono representations, serving her neighborhood association, and volunteering her time with Hearts & Homes for Refugees. In addition to the Va’ad, Erica also serves on the Board of the New Rochelle Bar Association and the Zoning Board of Appeals for the City of New Rochelle. Erica resides there with her husband Michael, their children Mollie, Samantha and Andrew, and their dog Fred.
Amy Bass, Ph.D.
Amy is Professor of Sport Studies and Chair of the Division of Social Science & Communication at Manhattanville College. She is the author of four books, a frequent contributor to CNN, KCBS, and WAMC, and an Emmy winner for her work at the Olympics in London. A native of Massachusetts, she lives in New Rochelle with her husband Evan and daughter Hannah, and loves being part of the inclusive, flexible, and welcoming community that is Tamid, particularly the Friday night Shabbat gatherings.
Ana Lasser
After a long career as a commodity trader, Ana has retired with her husband Jim to White Plains. She fills her days baking an impressive array of cookies, cakes, and an occasional pie – as well as doting on her grandchildren. In addition to baking she reads (romances, historical fiction and mysteries), really enjoys travel (close to 60 countries so far), art and design (modern and mid-twentieth century), and loves learning about Jewish history and culture (including Tamid’s Talmud study). Ana has always been Jewish at heart and formally converted shortly after marrying Jim. She went on to convince him they should become b’nai mitzvah together. She hopes that participating in the Va’ad will strengthen the growth and
development of Tamid as it strengthens her own commitment.
Jim Lasser
Jim and his wife Ana live in White Plains and between them count 5 children and 9 grandchildren ranging in age from 3 to 18. He is an avid photographer, art lover, cook, mystery reader and between March and December he can frequently be found at Maple Moor Golf Course, trying to break par. Jim is retired after a career spanning three wildly different fields. He was a Wall Street analyst, ran a small computer consultancy and has been involved with education for the last 27 years – as a Board of Education trustee and for the last 12 years as President of the Nursery School of the JCC of Mid-Westchester where he is also on the Board. He feels that Tamid’s most precious gift is the freedom to express his Judaism without being constrained by ritual practice.
Lauren Hurwitz
Lauren is an award-winning Realtor in Westchester and also the cover story writer for Westchester Women Magazine. Prior to real estate, Lauren worked for the Martha Stewart brand followed by many years as a senior media relations strategist representing top clients including Amazon, OREO, and the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. In her free time, Lauren can be found cooking up a storm at home in New Rochelle for her husband and two children, biking the local roads, volunteering with the UJA or getting lost in the aisles of Home Goods. Lauren has known Rabbi Scott for almost a decade and loves connecting with young families at Tamid where her son goes to Hebrew School.