Who Earns What

The Forward is out with its annual salary survey of U.S. Jewish organizational professionals. And, in a companion article, they look at the “complex, corporate-style compensation packages” that exist in many organizations:

The salary of the top executive at the Birthright Israel Foundation in 2014 was half a million dollars. He took home much more.

First there was his bonus, a $90,000 chunk awarded, according to a vague statement from a Birthright spokesperson, based on “key metrics and benchmarks.” Then there was the deferred compensation he accrued, which totaled another $37,000.

All told, David Fisher earned or accrued well over $600,000 that year.

Complex, corporate-style compensation packages like Fisher’s are increasingly standard for top-rank leaders of Jewish not-for-profit organizations. Incentives such as bonuses and complex tax structures like deferred compensation plans, transported over from the for-profit sector, are now becoming the norm for top executives at large Jewish charities.