JNF streamlines for the future
A FORMER federal president has been chosen as the man to again lead the Jewish National Fund in Australia as it looks to the future.
A FORMER federal president has been chosen as the man to again lead the Jewish National Fund in Australia as it looks to the future.
Michael Naphtali (pictured) was again elected president at the annual JNF federal conference in Sydney last Sunday. He was sworn in with a new executive board, as part of several significant changes aimed at enhancing JNF’s fund raising, educational and cultural activities in Australia.
A new constitution was also discussed which, once approved, will bring modern governance practices to the organisation, making it more efficient and effective.
JNF chief executive Rob Schneider said the new board, constitution and structure would bring an exciting future.
“In a sense, this new board is a mix of the solidity of the past, coupled with the dynamism of the new younger leaders,” he said.
“As far as Michael is concerned, you could almost say [he’s] tried and tested. Michael is an ideal person to bridge the old with the new, the past with the present.
“He brings all the knowledge, a passion for Israel, commitment to the ideals of the JNF and I think that he’s going to be a solid pillar for us to look to as the younger leadership start to steer the ship.”
Naphtali told The AJN: “The only way that organisations can still be effective after 110 years is continually refreshing and reinventing themselves, and so it’s always exciting to be part of that process.
“I think we’re all looking forward to the next exciting episode.”
He said he intended to ensure effective governance and operations, keep harmonious relations between the state branches and maintain best practice principles.
“I think we’re well on the way to that, I think [outgoing federal president] Grahame Leonard did an outstanding job bringing that,” he said.
Leonard said he was leaving JNF in good hands. “I have every confidence in our new team. We have some excellent new people, and younger people involved in our two major states, in NSW and Victoria, and I’m quite excited about the potential there.”
With his next challenge centred on implementing the recommendations of the recently released Jewish Continuity Report, Leonard said his proudest successes with JNF were the new constitution and structure.
“I’m still on the board of JNF as immediate past president and I get a lot of satisfaction out of being able to serve the community,” he said.
GARETH NARUNSKY
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