50 Influential Jews: Doron Almog and Mark Wilf - No 36
As leading figures in The Jewish Agency for Israel, Doron Almog and Mark Wilf have helped tackle crises facing Jews from North America to Ethiopia and Ukraine.
Since joining The Jewish Agency for Israel in August 2022, Chairman of the Executive Maj.-Gen (Res.) Doron Almog and Chairman of the Board of Governors Mark Wilf have led the organization’s response to ongoing global events, facing challenges with passion and compassion.
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Doron Almog has a storied history in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and as a social activist. He excelled in his service in the IDF’s most elite units, commanding numerous taskforces and clandestine missions, fighting in the Yom Kippur and Lebanon wars, and ultimately rose to the position of Commander of the IDF’s Southern Command. Upon his retirement from the IDF, Almog established the ADI Negev-Nahalat Eran residential and outpatient rehabilitation center for children and young adults with severe disabilities – named after his son Eran z”l. In 2016, Almog received the Israel Prize, the country’s highest honor for lifetime achievement.
In his first year at The Jewish Agency, Almog prioritized the organization’s mission of “bringing hearts together,” emphasizing the need for unity among the Jewish people, even as events threaten to cause division. As The Jewish Agency continues to deal with fallout from the Russia-Ukraine war – supporting the remaining Jewish communities in Ukraine and facilitating the ongoing Aliyah from the Ukraine and Russia regions in unprecedented numbers – Almog has been an essential advocate. He has also championed Ethiopian Aliyah, greeting immigrants arriving in Israel and spotlighting the importance of integration assistance to help them thrive.
Moving forward, Almog seeks to enhance the awareness of The Jewish Agency in Israeli society, and to connect Jewish communities to the work of the IDF.
Mark Wilf has long been involved in efforts locally, nationally, and globally to ensure the welfare and vitality of the Jewish community as a business leader and philanthropist through the Wilf Family Foundations. The owner and president of the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings and owner/chairman of the MLS’ Orlando City Soccer Club and NWSL’s Orlando Pride, Wilf was the Chair of the Board of Trustees of The Jewish Federations of North America prior to coming to The Jewish Agency. As the son of Holocaust survivors, Elizabeth Wilf and Joseph Wilf z”l, Mark has drawn upon his parents’ experiences to become an unwavering advocate for the ever changing needs of the Jewish people.
Since joining The Jewish Agency, Wilf has acted as a voice of the American Jewish community in Israel and has been a passionate leader in the organization’s response to global events. Wilf led a delegation to assist The Jewish Agency’s humanitarian relief efforts in Ukraine and accompanied 100+ Ethiopian immigrants on their Aliyah flight to Israel during Operation Zur Israel. With a deep understanding of the need to connect the Jewish people around the world, Wilf has been a staunch proponent of the organization’s Shlichim (Israeli emissaries) and its Campus Israel Fellows program. He has stressed the power of education and the building of personal relationships with Israelis when it comes to fighting antisemitism, especially on North American college campuses.
In their inaugural year at the helm of The Jewish Agency for Israel, Doron Almog and Mark Wilf have shown unwavering dedication to uniting the Jewish community and addressing global challenges using the organization’s vast experience and influence.