Leadership Team
Meet the Team
The JAQ team is led by a group of individuals deeply committed to building a vibrant Jewish future in Australia and to sharing Jewish arts and culture with audiences locally and globally.
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BOARD CHAIR
Jack Gringlas OAM is a highly respected engineer, entrepreneur and philanthropist whose career spans more than four decades of industry leadership, innovation and community service. As former Managing Director and owner of CMG Engineering Group, he built a global business and established it as an Australian market leader before its successful sale in 2010. He now chairs a portfolio of businesses across finance, manufacturing, hospitality and investment, while continuing his deep commitment to philanthropy through the Gringlas Family Charitable Fund.
A longstanding contributor to Jewish and broader Australian community life — including three decades on the board of Bialik College — Jack brings strategic vision, energy and a lifelong dedication to building enduring institutions to his role as Chairman of the Jewish Arts Quarter, which he sees as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shape Jewish cultural life for the future.
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BOARD DIRECTOR
Monica has been a passionate leader, volunteer & participant in the Melbourne Jewish community since her youth.
She has been involved in a wide gamut of Jewish communal organizations. She has been Chair of Young UIA ; a board member of Jewish Welfare ( now called Jewish Care) ; an Advisory Board member of the Australian Centre of Jewish Civilization at Monash University; a board member of JNF; and a Council member of Mount Scopus Memorial College.
She is currently a Board member of the Jewish Museum of Australia & on a ThinkTank for the Australian Jewish Fertility Network.
In her professional life, Monica was a corporate lawyer for Century Plaza & Visy Industries, specializing in property & commercial law. In recent years she was an advisor in philanthropy for Jewish causes.
Monica loves adventure travel; the arts & culture; skiing; & cooking for and with her family.
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BOARD DIRECTOR
CO-PRESIDENT OF KADIMAH JEWISH CULTURAL CENTRE AND NATIONAL LIBRARY
Joe has a deep-rooted commitment to Melbourne’s Jewish community and has dedicated much of his life to creating richer community engagement and participation.
Growing up on, or nearby, the stage at Kadimah and more recently acting as lead in Salt Pillar plays, Joe’s involvement with theatre and the performing arts is life-long and strong. For the past 32 years, Joe has been Co-President and Director of Kadimah Jewish Cultural Centre and National Library. He has also contributed in various roles to Melbourne’s Jewish organisations including Sholem Aleichem College, Saltpillar, March of the Living and SKIF youth movement.
In his professional life, Joe is a co-founder of ASX listed Spirit Telecom (ST1) and retains a consulting role in the telecommunications industry.
Joe loves performing on stage and cooking for his family. Having just become a grandfather, he takes great pleasure in doting on his new grandchild.
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BOARD DIRECTOR
CO-PRESIDENT - JEWISH MUSEUM OF AUSTRALIA: GANDEL CENTRE OF JUDAICA
A spiritually-inclined community leader, Gideon is the Director and Board President of the Jewish Museum of Australia: Gandel Centre of Judaica.
Keenly aware of the challenges facing Melbourne’s Jewish community Gideon has passionately pursued the creation of the Jewish Arts Quarter as a place where future generations can connect, learn and immerse themselves in Jewish arts, culture and history in a way that’s quintessentially Australian. He also hopes that by inviting the broader public to visit and experience the creativity and culture of the Jewish community, JAQ will foster greater tolerance and understanding.
With a law and corporate finance background, Gideon’s career has taken him from digital players SEEK (Australia) and Yahoo (US) to housing construction at Metricon, where he performed a variety of general management roles before becoming a non-executive Director. He ran his own business advisory firm, became the Chief Commercial Officer of hipages, Australia's leading home improvement and trade services, and is now running a private family investment office.
Gideon has a passion for travel and new cultural experiences and loves to keep healthy and active. He’s also a busy dad to his four children.
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BOARD DIRECTOR
SHOLEM ALEICHEM COLLEGE GOVERNOR AND DIRECTOR
Ben is a forward-thinking community leader for whom community service and engagement have always been an important part of life.
Ben's involvement in Melbourne's SKIF Youth Movement led to many years as lead organiser of the annual festival In One Voice, bringing thousands of people together in a vibrant event to celebrate the Jewish community and promote social cohesion and community understanding.
As the President for over 10 years, Ben helped shape the success of Sholem Aleichem College, overseeing two major building projects to accommodate enrollment growth.
Outside of his community activities, Ben is Managing Director of AFW Pty Ltd and has four children and five gorgeous grandchildren.
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HEAD OF ENGAGEMENT
Kylie Appel is a purpose-driven leader with a deep commitment to social impact, community empowerment, and cultural innovation. As Head of Engagement for the Jewish Arts Quarter, she plays a pivotal role in shaping a transformative precinct that will deliver lasting social, cultural, and economic value to both the Jewish and broader Australian community.
With a strong background in community development, philanthropy, and strategic engagement, Kylie brings a unique blend of heart and expertise to every initiative she leads. Prior to her current role, she was a key force behind Tikkun Olam Makers (TOM), a global humanitarian movement that designs and delivers open-source, affordable assistive technologies for people with disabilities and underserved communities around the world.
Kylie has also held senior roles at Make-A-Wish Australia and the Jewish Museum of Australia, where she was part of the leadership steering committee. At the Museum, she led impactful marketing strategies and spearheaded the launch of several internationally acclaimed exhibitions, helping to elevate the institution’s profile and reach.
Beyond her professional roles, Kylie serves on the Board of United Israel Appeal (UIA) Victoria, where she passionately advocates for the people of Israel—supporting initiatives that strengthen and sustain the heart of the Jewish world.
Kylie’s work is grounded in the belief that meaningful engagement and inclusive storytelling can build stronger, more connected communities. Her leadership continues to inspire change-makers and cultural institutions alike.
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PROJECT FUNDRAISING
Amanda is recognised as a senior local community leader with strong networking, fundraising and public speaking skills. She is passionate about growing the culture of philanthropy in Australia and elevating the importance of private giving.
She is a long-term Board Member of the United Israel Appeal and has been Co-Chair of the UIA Victorian Women’s Division since 2018.
Amanda sits on the NEXUS Australia and Philanthropy Australia New-Gen Committee and is an active Ambassador at various Not For Profit events. NEXUS is the leading global community, active in 70 countries, working to catalyse leadership and improve social innovation through philanthropy.
As a media lawyer at Minter Ellison, she advised private and public sector organisations on matters of defamation, privacy and risk management - and regularly appeared in all Victorian courts on behalf of The Age and Fairfax Media.
Amanda has Bachelor degrees in Law and Arts (Media and Communications) from the University of Melbourne. She is a busy mum of 3 young children - and a passionate Carlton Football Club supporter.
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CEO - JEWISH MUSEUM OF AUSTRALIA: GANDEL CENTRE OF JUDAICA
Committed to the exploration and celebration of the Jewish story, Sidra Kranz Moshinsky is a writer, researcher, educational leader and museum professional. She is the Director and CEO at the Jewish Museum of Australia. Sidra taught and led in Jewish education for fifteen years and is a founder of the Jewish Educators’ Network of Australia. Looking for opportunities to create bridges of understanding, Sidra is also a freelance contributor to The Jewish Independent and a board member of Kehilat Kolenu.