Milwaukee Jewish Federation President and CEO Miryam Rosenzweig says the core mission remains unchanged
Milwaukee Jewish Federation leaders marked a year of rising antisemitism, expanding community security and deepened engagement with Israel at the organization’s annual meeting June 18 at the Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center.
Board Chair Judy Coran presided over the evening, which doubled as a leadership transition and a first public look at the 2024–25 Milwaukee Jewish Community Study, conducted by Brandeis University. (See story, here)
Coran reflected on her two-year tenure as board chair, saying the role had been “an honor, a privilege, a tremendous learning experience, and a deeply rewarding journey.” She framed her term around five priorities: strategic planning, a new community study, security, combating antisemitism and engaging Jewish youth.
After “an exhaustive national search,” she said, the Federation hired a strategic planning consultant to help develop a 10-year vision for the community. That work is now in its first of three phases and will be guided by findings from the community study, which provides the most detailed local data since 2011.
Coran underscored the security challenge facing the community, noting that antisemitic incidents in Wisconsin have risen more than 900% since 2015. In response, the Federation created the Wisconsin Jewish Security Network as a standalone LLC “with a singular mission: protecting our Jewish community and the institutions that sustain it.” That effort has been funded through a mix of local philanthropy, national Jewish grants and significant state and federal dollars, including federal security grants for synagogues and institutions.
President and CEO Miryam Rosenzweig, in her report, connected today’s work to the federation’s 124-year history and early 20th-century roots in the “federated system.” She cited a 1926 campaign that raised the equivalent of about $6.5 million in today’s dollars and argued that the Federation’s core mission remains unchanged: “We take care of the needs of the Jewish people and build a vibrant Jewish future.”
Rosenzweig described the Federation as the “organization behind the organizations” — the convener, connector, safety net and often first responder to crises facing Jewish life. She also highlighted how security costs, if not carefully managed and diversified, could crowd out other priorities such as Jewish education, camp and senior services.
Annual Campaign Chairs Tanya Arbit and Jamie Miller reported that the campaign had raised nearly $7 million, with 12 days remaining and donors continuing to increase their gifts. Rosenzweig noted that the Federation raises an additional roughly $13 million annually for other needs beyond the core campaign.
The meeting also featured remarks from Moshe Katz, board chair of the Jewish Community Foundation, and Mark Goldstein, chair of the Governance and Nominating Committee, who oversaw the election and renewal of board members.
Incoming Board Chair Sara Hermanoff told attendees she feels “uniquely prepared” to lead as the Federation prepares to launch a strategic plan grounded in the new community data. Citing decades of involvement on allocations, planning and women’s philanthropy, she praised the “best-in-class” professional staff and emphasized collaborative leadership between lay and professional partners.
“Our sons are a beautiful reflection of the best of this community,” Hermanoff said, describing her family’s embrace by Milwaukee’s Jewish institutions after moving here 27 years ago. “This is my way of saying thank you.”
Remarks closed with Coran returning to the podium and the Federation inviting the community to delve deeper into the full Milwaukee Jewish Community Study, which will guide planning “today, tomorrow, always.”
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