Jewish Agency appoints first woman CEO
Amira Aharonovich, 47, replaces Alan Hoffmann and will also be the organisation's director general
The Jewish Agency for Israel appointed its first woman CEO.
Amira Aharonovich, 47, replaces longtime Jewish Agency CEO Alan Hoffmann and will also be its director general, the organisation wrote in a statement Friday.
The Jewish Agency handles key aspects of immigration by Jews to Israel for the state, and serves as a prime beneficiary of Diaspora donations to the Jewish state.
Aharonovich holds two degrees in business administration and has worked for the Jewish Agency in top management positions since she joined the organisation after completing her military service at the age of 20.
Josh Schwarcz will serve as director of external relations, the statement also said. Schwarcz , will continue to serve as secretary general, which he has held since 2001.
“I am leading The Jewish Agency toward a period of significant change,” Isaac Herzog, the agency’s chairman, said in the statement. “I’m confident Amira will be an outstanding CEO,” he added, and that “Josh will draw on his tremendous experience to lead his new areas of responsibility, both in Israel and around the world.”
Herzog, a former leader of Israel’s Labor party, was selected in June by the Jewish Agency’s board as the successor of Natan Sharansky, who had served as chairman since 2009.
For the first time, @JewishAgency has appointed a woman as its CEO, Amira Aharonovich. Josh Schwarcz will serve as Director of External Relations in addition to his role as Secretary General. Both will work under @Isaac_Herzog's leadership and bring change to the organization. pic.twitter.com/6iwiHG1Hat
— The Jewish Agency for Israel (@JewishAgency) December 20, 2018
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
