Young Social Entrepreneur Is Sea Change From Abe Foxman
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Published November 06, 2014.
Washington In a bold move, the century-old Anti Defamation League has chosen a young social entrepreneur to serve as its new executive director, replacing Abraham Foxman when he steps down in July.
Jonathan Greenblatt, 43, currently serves as special assistant to the President and heads the White House Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation. In this position and in previous work Greenblatt has focused on building cooperation between private and not-for-profit sectors.
His selection marks a dramatic shift for the ADL, which under Foxman has built a reputation as the nations leading establishment voice on all issues relating to anti-Semitism, bigotry and inequality. The organization also staked out a position for itself as one of Israels strongest defenders, in particular against harsh critics of its policies toward the Palestinians.
Choosing Greenblatt is phenomenal for the ADL, said Jarrod Bernstein, former Obama administration liaison to the Jewish community. Bernstein, who worked with Greenblatt at the White House, described him as really smart, really technologically savvy, and added: He knows that Jewish organizations need dramatic change in order to stay relevant.
Greenblatt, in many ways, is the anti-Foxman.
Three decades separate the outgoing and incoming national directors. Foxman, a Holocaust survivor whose life was shaped by the tragedy, has devoted his career to Jewish organizational life in America. Greenblatt is a grandson of a Holocaust survivor, and while continuously taking interest in Jewish life, has chosen a career path focused on broader social issues.
When the ADLs succession committee began its search for a new national director, recalled Barry Curtiss-Lusher, the groups national chair who also headed the committee, one member said: We are looking for another Abe. At that point Foxman, who was also a member of the committee, intervened. He reminded members that he had not come out of the same mold as his predecessor, Nathan Perlmutter. His successor, Foxman told the committee, should not be required to be the next Abe.
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Anti-Defamation League Picks Fresh Face Jonathan Greenblatt as New Chief