Daniel S. Loeb, a major Jewish philanthropist and billionaire founder of hedge fund Third Point, has been tapped to chair the Museum of Jewish Heritage’s board of trustees, beginning Oct. 27. 

Loeb has supported causes throughout the Jewish world, focusing heavily on Jewish education in recent years. In December, he shifted funding from his alma mater, Columbia University, to Yeshiva University, donating $1 million at the school’s Hanukkah Dinner fundraiser. He also created the Loeb Scholars Program at Yeshiva University and contributed to various Hillel chapters and Chabad centers. 

“It is an honor to step into this role at such a fraught moment,” Loeb said in a statement. “Everywhere we look, anti-Semitism is on the rise, affirming the crucial importance of the Museum’s mission: remembrance and education, but also vigilance and pride.”

In 2022, Loeb won the Gustav L. Levy Award at UJA-Federation of New York’s Wall Street Dinner, 

Elected on Aug. 18, Loeb will become the museum’s third board chair, succeeding Bruce Ratner, who has held the position since 2014. 

Beyond education, Loeb is currently a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and has donated to a variety of Jewish and Israeli causes including the Aleph Institute, United Hatzalah and the City of David. Loeb was also involved in launching and funding the Community Security Initiative, which since 2019 has supported security efforts for Jewish communities and institutions throughout the New York  metropolitan area. 

Ratner, who has served on the museum’s board since 1996, will continue to serve on the board, to “transition leadership responsibilities,” according to the statement. 

During his tenure as board chair, Ratner doubled the museum’s fundraising revenues and launched several exhibitions including “Auschwitz: Not long ago. Not far away,” a traveling exhibition that came to New York after a run at Madrid’s Arte Canal Exhibition Centre. In January, the museum also announced “Survivor Stories,” a project using artificial intelligence to preserve the memory and stories of Holocaust survivors. 

“I am immensely proud of all we have accomplished together to preserve memory and promote education in these challenging times,” Ratner said in a statement. “I am confident that under Daniel Loeb’s leadership, the Museum will continue to honor its mission and ensure that future generations gain a deeper understanding of the Holocaust and its lessons for humanity.”