The Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg is excited to announce the hire of Zach Benjamin as its next President and CEO.
 
Zach brings more than 20 years of success in executive-level leadership, Jewish communal and Israel advocacy, strategic planning, and marketing and business development to Harrisburg. His most recent Jewish communal role was as the Chief Executive Officer of Jewish Long Beach, a growing and thriving Jewish community serving 15 municipalities throughout southern Los Angeles County and West Orange County, California.
 
“Our search committee was unanimous in our decision for Zach to lead this wonderful organization in this wonderful community,” said Abby Smith, Chair of the Federation’s Board of Directors. “Zach grounds his approach to leadership in Jewish values and immediately understood both the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead – and he is ready to jump in. We welcome him and his family with open arms.”

Zach is looking forward to joining the Harrisburg community, alongside his wife, Taina, and their daughter, Zoe, and to leading the Federation and partner agencies. He is especially excited to do so in the midst of the transition to the Alexander Grass Campus for Jewish Life, where the Symons Family Fitness Center opened earlier this month.
 
“The Federation has an opportunity to really leverage this transition to the Grass Campus and to elevate its profile as a Jewish communal institution and an organization in service to the greater good of the broader community,” Zach says. “It’s important to me to do what I can to help the Federation and the community to meet this moment.”
 
During his time in Long Beach, Zach oversaw the merger of the Jewish Federation and Jewish Community Foundation with the Alpert Jewish Community Center. He established new giving initiatives and significantly grew the organization’s donor base, endowments, and assets while leading the organization through the challenges and aftermath of the COVID pandemic.
 
In addition to his time in Long Beach, Zach served as the Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of New Mexico and has experience leading nonprofit organizations beyond the Jewish community. He’ll visit the Harrisburg community with his family the week of July 15th ahead of his official start with the Federation in mid-August.
 
“This was a family decision to come to Harrisburg. I’m a person who is dedicated to family and carrying out my family life in a way that’s consistent with Jewish values, in a place that’s nurturing, welcoming, and warm, and so we are so excited - all of us - to come and be part of the community,” Zach says. “I’m looking forward to what the future holds for Jewish life and for my family in Harrisburg.”

 

The Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg is excited to welcome Zach Benjamin as our next President & CEO. Read more about Zach in the July 12th edition of Community Review.