Comings & Goings: New Milwaukee fed CEO and Limmud executive director, JDC COO to private sector

Hannah Rosenthal goes from the State Department to Milwaukee federation, Boston’s J. Michael Whalen is tapped as the new editor of the Jewish Advocate and Gideon Taylor leaves the JDC for the private sector.

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NEW YORK (JTA) — Here are some recent Comings & Goings in the Jewish community:

COMINGS

Shelley Marsh was appointed the executive director of Limmud. Marsh, currently the director of informal education for the United Jewish Israel Appeal, will be based in the United Kingdom with global responsibility, including for Limmud International. The organization also announced a new chair elect, Kevin Sefton, who will take over from Carolyn Bogush at the end of this year.

Boston native J. Michael Whalen was named the editor of The Jewish Advocate, replacing Steve Maas. Whalen, a journalist with more than 20 years of experience, most recently worked for The Milton Times. 

The Union for Reform Judaism announced new directors for its two specialty camps. Eric Lightman will direct the new URJ 6 Points Science and Technology Academy and Alan Friedman will oversee the 6 Points Sports Academy.

Hannah Rosenthal, the U.S. State Department’s anti-Semitism monitor from November 2009 until this month, has taken over as president and CEO of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation.

Scott Leemaster, a Detroit-area resident, was named president of the American Technion Society, which provides support for the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa. Leemaster, whose term began Oct. 1, is vice president and principal of the Warren, Mich.-based Madison Electric Company.

Rabbi Mark Diamond has been named director of the American Jewish Committee’s Los Angeles Regional Office. Diamond, who previously served as director of the Board of Rabbis of Southern California and on the senior management team of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, succeeds Seth Brysk, who left AJC after five years of service.

David S. Katowitz has been brought on to lead fundraising for Bend the Arc: A Jewish Partnership for Justice. The organization’s new director of development has previously worked with the UJA-Federation of Greater New York, UJA of MetroWest in New Jersey and the Union for Reform Judaism.

Jessica Sillins was recently elected a vice president on the board of directors of American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Sillins, a real estate executive, was a trustee for five years prior to assuming her new lay leadership role.

GOINGS

Gideon Taylor, chief operating officer of planning and budget at the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, is leaving the organization for a position in the private sector.

Rabbi Stephen Lewis Fuchs is leaving his post as president of the World Union for Progressive Judaism, the organization announced this month.
 

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