The Jewish Agency for Israel’s Board of Governors on Sunday elected IDF Maj. Gen. (res.) Doron Almog as the organization’s new chairman of the executive and Mark Wilf as its new chairman of the board.
The vote took place during the quasi-governmental group’s three-day Board of Governors event in Jerusalem, where leaders have been addressing challenges including the rescue and immigration to Israel of over 30,000 Jews fleeing war-torn Ukraine; projects connecting Israel with Jewish communities around the world; and the renewal of Operation Zur Israel, which aims to bring 3,000 Ethiopian immigrants to the Jewish state, according to a statement released by the agency.
Almog previously served as the head of the IDF Southern Command (2000-2003). After leaving the military, he founded and served as chairman of the Adi Negev-Nahalat Eran Rehabilitation Village, named after his son Eran, who died at a young age from Castelman’s disease.
Eran was named after Almog’s brother, who fell in the Yom Kippur War while serving as commander of a tank unit defending the Golan Heights.
“Today I stand here before you as I am making my third commitment, to embark on my third Jewish journey—for the entire Jewish people, to reach the heart of every Jew on Earth and to instill pride in our Judaism and the State of Israel,” Almog told attendees at the opening plenary, referring to the events surrounding his late brother and son as the first two journeys.
“The connection between the State of Israel and global Jewry is of existential strategic importance. We will work together to increase aliyah and absorption, to build stronger connections with world Jewry, reinforce mutual commitment and love of humankind, and strengthen the weaker sections of Israeli society,” he said.
