Prominent American Jewish leader J. David Heller of Cleveland, Ohio and Boca Raton, Fla., has been appointed chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel’s board of governors. He succeeds Mark Wilf, who concluded a four-year term in the role on Oct. 25 at the Jewish Agency’s semiannual board of governors gathering.
Heller has held a range of senior positions in Jewish philanthropic and communal organizations. He served as national campaign chair of the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) and chair of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland. In 2009, the U.S. president appointed him to the United States Holocaust Memorial Council. He also serves on the boards of Parkwood Corporation, the Mandel Foundation, United Way of Greater Cleveland, Cleveland Foundation, American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, the University of Michigan Ross School of Business Dean Advisory Board and several Jewish institutions in northeast Ohio.
Alongside his communal work, Heller is president, CEO and co-founder of The NRP Group, a multifamily development company in the United States.
The Jewish Agency’s board of governors, composed of Jewish community leaders from around the world, is the organization’s policymaking body. Heller’s appointment comes as the Jewish Agency works to support Israel’s recovery and advance strategic initiatives in the north and south in the ongoing aftermath of the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, while strengthening the resilience of global Jewish communities amid a surge in antisemitism.
Heller said, “I am deeply honored to take on this responsibility at a time when the partnership between Israel and global Jewish communities is so vital to our shared future. Behind every effort to rebuild communities and strengthen Jewish life are people who need to know that they are not alone. I look forward to working with our partners and fellow board of governors members to help families recover, create opportunities in Israel’s north and south and deepen the connections that unite us as one Jewish people.”
Among other efforts since Oct. 7, 2023, the Jewish Agency and its partners in Israel and worldwide have assisted families affected by terrorism and missile attacks; business owners who suffered financial losses; reservists and their families who have shouldered a heavy burden; immigrant lone soldiers serving on active duty and in the reserves; and young people from northern and southern Israel.
These initiatives have been made possible through the partnership among the Jewish Agency, the government of Israel and world Jewry, with support from JFNA, Keren Hayesod, the World Zionist Organization, friends of Israel, donors and foundations in Israel and around the world.
The Jewish Agency’s executive chairman, retired Major General Doron Almog, said, “David brings a deep love for the Jewish people and extensive leadership experience to the Jewish Agency. I look forward to working closely with him as we continue to help communities rebuild and give people the support they need to look toward the future with hope. I also thank my dear friend Mark Wilf, whose compassionate and steady leadership helped us stand beside the people of Israel and Jewish communities worldwide during an extraordinarily difficult period.”
