NEW YORK (Press Release)–The Jewish Agency for Israel HAS announced the election of James S. Tisch, President and CEO of the Loews Corporation, as the next Chairman of its prestigious Board of Governors. Tisch is slated to replace Richard Pearlstone, who has served as Board of Governors Chairman since 2007. The Board of Governors is the legislative body of the Jewish Agency and is made up of representatives of Jewish communities from around the world, who meet three times a year in Jerusalem in order to set the organization’s policy
Tisch, 58, hails from one of the most prominent Jewish families in North America, owners of the Loews Corporation and generous donors to Jewish causes around the world. James Tisch has held key community positions, among them Chairman of the Board of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and President of UJA-Federation of New York. James’ father was Laurence Tisch, an enthusiastic supporter of the State of Israel, who passed away in 2003. The Tisch family was a partner in the CBS television network and Laurence served a number of years as the network’s President and CEO.
Chairman of the Jewish Agency Executive Natan Sharansky noted that James Tisch will be taking over as Chairman of the Board of Governors at a time of important changes in the organization, among them a general restructuring aimed at enabling the Jewish Agency to better help strengthen the connection between young Diaspora Jews and Israel and increase aliyah, particularly in light of the current de-legitimization campaign against Israel and a distancing of young Diaspora Jews from their Jewish identity.
Sharansky thanked outgoing Chairman Richard Pearlstone for his many years of dedication to the Jewish Agency and his contribution to the Jewish people and the State of Israel at important moments — particularly when he led the Jewish Agency in assisting the residents of Israel’s northern region after the Second Lebanon War and helping residents of Sderot and other communities bordering the Gaza Strip during Operation Cast Lead.
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Preceding provided by the Jewish Agency for Israel