Judaism has a long tradition of helping those in need. Ariel Zwang heads the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), the Jewish humanitarian organization.
Over a century old, the JDC is operational in over 70 countries, providing aid and community support to Jews and working to “develop innovative solutions to Israel’s most complex social challenges.”
Zwang’s position in Jewish leadership shines not only in humanitarian aid. She hails from a family of educators and rabbis and is the current vice president of Congregation B’nai Jeshurun in Manhattan.
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Zwang wasn’t new to the CEO position either. She spent 12 years leading American social service agency Safe Horizon. Under her leadership, the company doubled its size. 250,000 people annually were impacted by Safe Horizon’s programs.
The JDC announced in October 2020 that Zwang would be taking up the position – the first woman to do so in the organization’s history. She started as CEO on January 2, 2021.
“I’ve spent my career working on behalf of those who don’t have all the basics that every human being deserves. And I have also lived my life knowing that we Jews are all responsible for each other, no matter the circumstances,” Zwang said at the time.
After a devastating earthquake struck Haiti on August 14, killing over 2,000 people, the JDC announced it would work with a local vendor to supply medical equipment to a hospital affected by the disaster.
“We are heartbroken over the tragic loss of life in Haiti and send our prayers to a people and nation in mourning yet again,” JDC CEO Ariel Zwang said in a statement. “As we have done so many times in the past, we’ll be there to offer care, healing, and opportunities to empower Haitians to build back better and safer.