American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) CEO David M. Schizer has announced plans to return to Columbia Law School in 2020. After a three-year leave from the University, he returns to keep his tenured seat on the law faculty. Schizer’s service at JDC has been marked by measurable achievements including increased fundraising, the reorganization of JDC’s former Soviet Union (FSU) operations, and a new planning process for JDC’s programs. He will continue to serve as CEO until the end of 2019. A search committee is currently in formation.

Under Schizer’s leadership, JDC increased its fundraising from individuals and foundations by 45% over two years; maintained life-saving care to tens of thousands of needy elderly Jews in the FSU while modernizing its social welfare center operations and developing new care models; and created a new zero-based budgeting process to guide global program planning. In this time, JDC also launched a capital campaign to upgrade its flagship Lauder-JDC International Jewish Summer Camp at Szarvas; developed a growth plan for JDC Entwine to further catalyze Jewish responsibility among young Jews; dedicated Israel’s largest social innovation hub to target new solutions to social challenges; and initiated a program to share Israeli ag-tech with African farmers.