Gene Berkovich was born and grew up in Kiev, Ukraine in a family of refuseniks and came to the US as a teenager. He was raised with a strong sense of Jewish identity and pride, which helped him withstand many antisemitic encounters that he had faced in his youth. Gene’s upbringing and experience gave rise to his determination and dedication to the Jewish people and Israel, which has become one of the main points of his life. His love for Israel and the Jewish people led him to involvement on their behalf and eventual rediscovery of his Judaism and living a Torah-observant life.
Gene is a graduate of New York University, where he was a member of Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity, and SUNY Downstate College of Medicine, after which he completed his residency in radiology at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center. Gene is currently a radiologist and a faculty member in a department of radiology in one of the largest academic institutions and medical schools in the New York area. He lives in Woodmere, Long Island, with his wife and four children. Gene and his wife Polina transmitted their love for Israel to their kids — all of whom have graduated from or currently attend local Zionist yeshivas and feel very passionately about Torah, Jewish people and Israel. Gene’s oldest son has just completed a post-high school year in a yeshiva in Israel.
Over the years, Gene has been supporting various local, national and international Jewish as well as Israeli causes, ranging from medical and mental health volunteers for Israel to synagogue and community security to different organizations helping Israeli youth attain a better future (including those working with orphan girls, teenage boys from the former Soviet Union as well as the Charedi community). Gene also serves on the board of several Jewish organizations. Along with his wife Polina, he was recognized for his work with Bonei Yerushalayim Award from the American Friends of Ateret Cohanim in 2022.
In the past, he also translated multiple articles for Russian-language pro-Israel websites. A few of his articles and translations have been published in a New York based Russian-language Bukharian Jewish magazine. Recently, he has been a regular contributor and one of the editors of I on Israel blog, published by his synagogue, where he covered various Israel-related topics viewed through the eyes of an American Jew from the former Soviet Union. Gene also took an active part in the English translation of a multipart video guide to the Old City of Jerusalem for one of the leading Russian-speaking Israeli tour guides. Gene also took his love for Israel to radio, where for several months he has served as a host of I on Israel radio program on Zev Brenner’s Talkline Communications Network, covering Israeli news, culture, people, music and sharing his passion for Israel with his audience.
In addition to his love for Hebrew language, over the years Dr. Berkovich has developed a great appreciation for Arabic language. He has been studying Arabic language and learning about Islam and Arab culture for many years with the help of Professor Ahmed Eissawi, with whom he developed a very close friendship. Together, Dr. Berkovich and professor Eissawi learn about each other’s language, history, traditions and religion and try to find many things that they have in common.
Gene has been a member of the AZM board for the past two years. He was an alternate ZOA slate delegate at the 38th World Zionist Congress because he feels very passionately about the State of Israel and Jerusalem. Because of his past and his current life as an Orthodox Jew, Gene can comfortably and easily connect, identify and find common ground with all groups of Jews, be it a secular and sometimes anti-religious Jew from the former USSR, a member of Charedi community in Lakewood, or a Persian Jew from Long Island. Dr. Berkovich believes that with worldwide rise in anti-Semitism and growing efforts to delegitimize Israel, it is more important than ever to strengthen the Jewish State, advocate on behalf of Israel and Diaspora Jewry, and strengthen Israel’s ties with the Diaspora Jews, especially the younger generation. Dr. Berkovich believes that Israel is a home for every Jew, religious or secular, right or left, a true place that is vital for the future of our people.