The Jewish Agency may soon see a woman at its helm for the first time since its inception, as five of the eight candidates seeking the chairmanship are women. The Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency is expected to announce the new chairperson by the end of the month.
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Established in 1929 as the operative branch of the World Zionist Organization, the Jewish Agency for Israel is the largest Jewish nonprofit organization in the world. It is best known as the primary organization fostering aliyah – immigration – to Israel and absorption of Jews and their families from the diaspora in the country. Since 1948, the Jewish Agency has brought over 3 million immigrants to Israel.
The position of agency chairperson is considered highly influential and many have thrown their hat in the ring after Isaac Herzog stepped down to assume the position of president of the State of Israel.
The prime minister usually endorses a candidate, who must then be approved by the nominations committee and then by the agency's board of governors.
Currently seeking the position are former Blue and White MKs Omer Yankelevich and Michal Cotler-Wunsh; Head of the Museum of the Jewish People Irina Nevzlin, who is married to Likud MK Yuli Edelstein; Head of the Planning and Budgeting Committee of the Council for Higher Education Professor Yaffa Zilbershats; and Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Fleur Hassan-Nahoum; former Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon; former Likud MK Uzi Dayan; and former Ambassador to the US Michael Oren.
On Wednesday, Israeli media reported that former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni may also join the race, with the backing of PM-designate Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid. Lapid has since asked the agency to delay its decision because the candidate backed by his faction, Intelligence Service Minister Elazar Stern withdrew from the race on Tuesday amid a public outcry over controversial comments he made earlier this week suggesting that while serving as head of the IDF's Manpower Directorate, he ignored sexual harassment complaints that were made anonymously.
In a Facebook post announcing he was pulling out of the race, Stern wrote, "I apologize to anyone who has been hurt or offended by what I said and the interpretation given [to my words], and apologize to my family, which is standing firmly by me despite the difficulty. I will continue to do my best, wherever I may be, to ensure a better future for the State of Israel and the Jewish people."
The Jewish Agency's governing body comprises 10 members: five members representing WZO, three representing the Jewish Federations of North America, and two representing Keren Hayesod-United Israel Appeal.
The would-be chairperson needs to secure nine of the 10 members' votes to win the agency's leadership bid.
While the list of candidates is impressive, sources privy to the board's work said that as of Tuesday, no frontrunner has emerged.
The panel is expected to meet to vote on the issue on Oct. 24.
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