March 4, 2010 / 18 Adar 5770
The Jewish Agency is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Misha Galperin to a newly established senior position for Global Public Affairs and Financial Resource Development. The position consolidates into one the existing functions of External Affairs, Financial Resource Development and Marketing and Communications worldwide, as well as the Jewish Agency’s operations in North America. Dr. Galperin will be based in New York and will coordinate the Agency’s relationships with North American Jewish Federations, JFNA, JDC, and other North American Jewish organizations and communities as well as with Keren Hayesod and other Jewish organizations and communities in Europe, and worldwide.
A subcommittee of the JAFI Executive appointed by Chairman Natan Sharansky and Chairman of the Board Richard Pearlstone is in the process of restructuring its global external affairs and financial resource development efforts. At the end of the process the committee will propose recommended changes in structure to consolidate and upgrade JAFI’s capacity to develop partnerships and resources to support its mission in the rapidly changing global philanthropic environment.
Dr. Galperin has been serving as the CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington since 2001 is an associate member of the Jewish Agency’s Board of Governors since 2004. During his tenure, the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington earned the annual Sapir award five times in eight years for most outstanding achievement in Financial Resource Development from the Jewish Federations of North America. The Federation’s annual campaign had increased by about 70% between 2000 and 2008, it ran two very successful Israel Emergency Campaigns, supplemental campaigns for Ethiopian and Russian Jews and for disaster relief.
Dr. Galperin led a Strategic Planning effort in the community and has spoken and written widely on issues of Jewish identity, community building and, particularly on Jewish Peoplehood. In 2008 he co-authored with Dr. Erica Brown a pioneering book entitled “The Case for Jewish Peoplehood: Can We be One?” Prior to coming to Washington, D.C., Dr. Galperin had served as Chief Operating Officer of UJA-Federation of New York where, together with Dr. John Ruskay, he led a re-visioning and restructuring process.
“I am delighted that someone of Misha’s stature, reputation, intellect and skill has answered my call to help develop and implement our new vision for the Jewish Agency,” said Jewish Agency Chairman of the Executive Natan Sharansky. “His dedication and commitment to the Jewish People and his passionate belief in the critical importance of strengthening the individual and collective identity of young Jews in the Diaspora and in the State of Israel will make him an ideal partner in our collective enterprise.”
Born in Ukraine, Dr. Galperin immigrated to the U.S. in 1976 at the age of 18 and earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from New York University. He is married to Alisa Guyer Galperin and has four children.