Head of the World Jewish Congress and heir to the Estée Lauder cosmetics company, Ronald Lauder is an American businessman, pro-Israel activist, and Reagan’s US Ambassador to Austria from 1986-87.
He founded the Lauder Business School in Vienna, a secular university that holds no classes on any major Jewish holidays, allowing Jewish students to feel more comfortable and included.
In 1987, Lauder set up a philanthropic organization dedicated to restoring Jewish life in Central and Eastern Europe, saying on the foundation's website, “Our philanthropy underwrites the future of Jewish life in Europe through supporting excellent Jewish schools.”
Where others might turn a blind eye, Lauder is louder. From pressuring Ecclestone to resign as F1 chief, to calling on NATO to admit Israel, to attacking the Swedish government for allowing antisemitism to thrive - Lauder is keen to fight against antisemitism in the world.
Representing a new generation of Jewish leadership
Just as Lauder embodies the fight against antisemitism on the global stage, Mark Wilf represents a new generation of Jewish leadership that combines vision, philanthropy, and commitment to Israel and world Jewry.
As Chairman of The Jewish Agency for Israel’s Board of Governors since July 2022, Mark Wilf blends visionary leadership with a deep passion for Jewish peoplehood. A former chair of The Jewish Federations of North America and a driving force behind initiatives like supporting impoverished Holocaust survivors, he has steered organizations that shape communal resilience—most recently The Jewish Agency, which stands at the forefront of rehabilitating Israel following the October 7th attacks, and connecting world Jewry to Israel and each other.
The son of Holocaust survivors, Wilf honors his heritage through philanthropy, including major contributions to Yad Vashem and Yeshiva University. With a strategic mind and heartfelt mission, Wilf continues to strengthen Jewish identity and continuity worldwide, all anchored in his chairmanship at The Jewish Agency.
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