February 13, 2007 / 25 Shevat 5767

Richard Pearlstone, a life-long activist in the Jewish communities of Baltimore and Aspen and grandson of one of the century’s leading American Jewish philanthropists Joseph Meyerhoff, was elected Tuesday (February 13, 2007) as the next Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency for Israel at its meeting in Jerusalem. Pearlstone will assume the position in June and will succeed Carole Solomon who held the position for the last four years.

Pearlstone, 59, is a member of the Executive Committee of the Jewish Agency and a former chairman of the Finance and Budget Committee; he has served as a member of the Board of Governors for over 13 years. Pearlstone also served as National Chairman and President of the United Jewish Appeal; in several leading positions in the Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore, including the campaign chair and member of its Board of Directors and Executive Committee; and is also currently President of United Jewish Appeal – Aspen. He is president of the Pearlstone Group, a real estate development and financial services company.

“I am proud to serve the Jewish people in this position,” Pearlstone said after the unanimous vote approving him for the position. “I will work to build on and strengthen the Jewish Agency’s partnership with the United Jewish Communities, the United Israel Appeal, Keren Hayesod and the World Zionist Organization.”

Pearlstone is a scion of the Meyerhoff family of Baltimore, which has been deeply engaged in philanthropy to Israel and Jewish causes for well over half a century, and contributes significantly to capital projects in Israel, endowing many public, cultural and educational buildings in communities throughout the country. Joseph Meyerhoff, the family patriarch and Pearlstone’s maternal grandfather, was one of the leading American Jewish philanthropists of the twentieth century and spearheaded at behest of Prime Minister David Ben Gurion the sale of Israel Bonds as a means to generating desperately-needed revenue for the fledgling state in the early 1950s.

Pearlstone will replace Carole Solomon, who served as Jewish Agency Chairman since 2003, and was a driving force behind the UJC’s Israel Emergency Campaign this summer, which generated over $300 million in pledged aid to Israel during the war in Lebanon. The position of Chairman of the Board of Governors, which is volunteer position held by a Board member from outside Israel, supervises the activities of the Jewish Agency and coordinates work of the Board of Governors, whose members are half Israelis and half Diaspora Jewry.

Pearlstone resides in Aspen and Baltimore and has three children and two grandchildren.

For more information, please contact Jacob Dallal, director of public relations at 212-339-6064 or 646-644-1205 or via e-mail at jacobd@jafi.org. Or Michael Jankelowitz, Liaison to the Foreign Press, Jewish Agency for Israel on his Mobile: +972-52-6130220;  Voice-mail: +972-2-620-2780; or via e-mail at michaelj@jafi.org