Hadassah picks next CEO

(JNS) — Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America has picked a veteran Jewish and nonprofit communal leader as its new CEO.

Naomi Adler, most recently the president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, will assume her new position on Tuesday. She replaces Janice Weinman, who retired at the end of June.

“Hadassah’s ability to assemble and engage a diverse membership is second to none,” said Adler, who also led two different United Way organizations in New York. “Whether it’s advancing Zionism, fighting anti-Semitism, fostering Jewish youth development, advocating for improved access to medical care or supporting the exceptional work done by Hadassah Medical Organization, Hadassah’s accomplishments are more essential than ever.”

A native of Rochester, N.Y., Adler is a former assistant district attorney and the mother of three college-aged sons. Her husband, Rabbi Brian Beal, is a congregational rabbi.

Under Adler’s leadership, the United Way organizations she worked with expanded a 2-1-1 crisis call center, initiated programs to effectively combat poverty, and led nongovernmental disaster planning and recovery efforts in the wake of 9/11 and several natural disasters.

Rhoda Smolow, president of Hadassah, welcomed Adler to the organization saying she is a proven “nonprofit leader with deep expertise in Jewish communal work and an impressive track record of community engagement, fundraising and advocacy, she is the ideal person to build on Hadassah’s past achievements, increase its global impact and take Hadassah into the next phase of its growth.”