Israel Museum names Eran Neuman as new director

Neuman succeeds James S. Snyder, who is ending his 20-year tenure as director to assume the newly created role of international president.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Eran Neuman (photo credit: COURTESY ISRAEL MUSEUM)
Eran Neuman
(photo credit: COURTESY ISRAEL MUSEUM)
The Israel Museum in Jerusalem announced Tuesday that Eran Neuman, the head of the architecture school at Tel Aviv University, will be its new Anne and Jerome Fisher Director.
Neuman was unanimously elected by the Museum’s Board of Directors, chaired by Isaac Molho, following a nine-month search and extensive review process of applicants from both Israel and abroad. He takes up his new post at the beginning of February.
Neuman succeeds James S. Snyder, who is ending his 20-year tenure as director to assume the newly created role of international president, working on behalf of the extensive network of International Friends of the Museum and focusing on relationships with sister institutions and collectors worldwide.
Under Neuman’s directorship, the Azrieli School of Architecture has emerged as one of Israel’s leading architectural schools. He is also the founder of the Azrieli Architectural Archive at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, and the co-founder of Open Source Architecture (OSA), an international research collaborative.
“Eran has the right mix of leadership experience, academic rigor, intellectual curiosity, and civic values needed to guide the Israel Museum into the future,” stated Molho. “His accomplishments stand as a demonstration of the kind of vision and vigor that will foster the continuing growth and success of the Israel Museum.”
Though an Israeli with a most impressive CV, Neuman does have a lot of experience in the US, having studied at the University of California and participating in international conferences at Princeton and Harvard universities.
Neuman is internationally recognized for his expertise in the field of postwar architecture, in particular the exploration of the impact of new technologies on architectural design, and also on architectural creativity in buildings that commemorate the Holocaust. He is also the author and co-author of several books.
“I am honored to be joining the Israel Museum at such an important moment in its trajectory,” stated Neuman. “I look forward to working with the outstanding team at the Museum and with its leadership to build upon the incredible accomplishments of my predecessor, James Snyder.”
“Eran is someone who knows how to build institutional resources, create collaborative initiatives, and bring new ideas to life,” noted Snyder. “He is both an innovator and a scholar, bringing essential talents to the Museum and, in turn, to the people of Israel and to our international visitors for whom the Museum reflects cultural values that resonate both locally and globally.”