Joshua Nash named new chairman of Birthright Israel Foundation

NEW YORK—Birthright Israel Foundation has elected Joshua Nash, a leader in the New York Jewish and philanthropic community and member of its board of directors, as the next board chairman succeeding Dan Och, who has served as chairman since 2008.

The Foundation is the U.S.-based fundraising arm of the highly successful Taglit- Birthright Israel program, which has sent more than 400,000 young Jewish adults on free, 10-day educational trips to Israel since 2000.

“We are honored to have someone with Josh’s commitment and dedication assume the leadership of our board.  Thanks to the extraordinary vision of our founders and to the dedicated leadership of Dan Och, who has served as our chairman for the past five years, we are well positioned to move forward and achieve even greater success. I have worked with Josh and know his talents, his passion and commitment to our mission will allow us to go forward to achieve even greater things in the years ahead, said Foundation President, David Fisher.  “Dan Och, the outgoing chairman of the board, concurred.  “I am delighted to pass the torch on to a good friend, and an exceptional leader. It gives me great pleasure to leave this position knowing that our future is in the good hands of Josh Nash. I can think of no one better to carry our work forward.”

Nash will begin his term in January 2014. “I have been fortunate to serve on the Birthright Israel Foundation board for the past several years. That experience has greatly helped prepare me for the work ahead. I am privileged to succeed Dan Och, who hands me an organization at the cusp of achieving even more than it already has. This program has changed the lives of so many of our children and grandchildren. It is exciting and humbling to be given this opportunity.”

Nash is president of Ulysses Management, L.L.C.  He also serves as chairman of the board of AV Homes, Inc., a publicly traded real estate company based in Florida.  Previously, he was a general partner of Odyssey Partners, L.P., joining the firm in 1988, and served in that post from 1989 until Odyssey was liquidated in December 2007.

Nash follows a long family tradition of charitable involvement and commitment to the Jewish community.  Earlier this year, Joshua Nash received the inaugural Jack Nash Award from UJA-Federation of New York’s Private Equity Division, in honor of his father who was a highly respected leader in the Jewish community.

He serves on the boards of Carnegie Hall, The Ethical Culture Fieldston School, The Mount Sinai Medical Center, and is Chairman Emeritus of The Jewish Museum.  He is also a founding member of UJA–Federation of New York’s Investment Managers Division.

A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Nash resides in New York City with his wife, Beth, and two children.

Taglit-Birthright Israel sends Jewish adults between the ages of 18 and 26 to Israel to strengthen each participant’s Jewish identity.  The trip aims to build an understanding, friendship, and lasting bond with the land and people of Israel and to reinforce the solidarity of the Jewish people worldwide.  Since its inception, more than 400,000 Jewish young adults have taken part in Taglit-Birthright Israel from more than 62 countries, all 50 U.S. states, and from nearly 1,000 North American college campuses.