JNF-USA has engaged longtime Jewish philanthropic leader and Chicago native Richard Wexler to professionally lead the mega-gift fundraising of $300 million for a new education village in Israel to better connect Israel to the global Jewish community.

Wexler previously chaired the Board of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, its Jewish United Fund and Community Relations Council. He served as Chairman of the National Conference on Soviet Jewry, and National Chair of the Operation Exodus Campaign, and National Campaign Chair of the United Jewish Appeal. Internationally, he served on the Boards and Executive Committees of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and Jewish Agency for Israel, where he also Co-Chaired the Israel Department and served on the Board of the Ethiopian National Project. Wexler also Chaired the United Israel Appeal and as Founding Chair of the Jewish Agency for Israel North America.

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Nicole Nevarez, a Jewish educator, trainer and facilitator, and most recently New York Director for Moving Traditions, has been named Director of B’Kavod, a grassroots, multi-pronged initiative dedicated to ending gender abuse and harassment in the Jewish communal workplace.

B’Kavod, an initiative of The Good People Fund and the Jewish Women’s Foundation of New York, has fostered and developed two specific projects – Safe Respectful Workplace training, and Infoline, which serves as a place for individuals to both report and receive support around abuse-related incidents.

In addition to coordinating these channels and resources, the Director’s office is a clearinghouse to make available to anyone in the Jewish world additional resources to guide them towards securing the professional support they need.

Nevarez has held multiple leadership and department head positions for Jewish organizations and nonprofit theatres. In addition to her work with B’Kavod, she provides independent consulting to mission-critical organizations to support them in reflecting their mission and values in internal processes and culture. She also teaches, facilitates, presents and coaches privately on a variety of social emotional topics, including teen wellness, Jewish values, women’s empowerment, career development, self-discovery and more.