Jewish Council For Public Affairs Hires Steve Gutow As Executive Director
NEW YORK – The Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) announced today it has hired Steve Gutow as its new executive director. Gutow, a longtime Jewish communal activist and attorney has served as a pulpit rabbi for the past two years at the St. Louis Reconstructionist Minyan. He was selected during an exhaustive national search and will assume his new post later this summer.
“We are thrilled and excited to have Steve bring his passion and creativity to JCPA,” said Marie Abrams, JCPA chair.
“Steve’s pursuit of security for Israel and justice in America makes him the perfect fit to lead JCPA during this critical time. I look forward to working with him closely to ensure the continued success of the Jewish community’s advocacy agenda,” Abrams said. “We were fortunate to have many strong applicants for the position, but Steve impressed us as the candidate who could best lead our agency at this time.”
After working for nearly 30 years as an attorney and in Jewish and political activities, Gutow focused his career on his faith and community and attended the Reconstructionist seminary where he received his ordination in 2003.
“I look forward to joining the outstanding professional staff and dedicated lay leadership at JCPA in our work to promote security and peace for Israel, an America committed to all its citizens and robust relations with other faith communities,” Gutow said.
“JCPA’s role in providing a common table for the organized Jewish community is especially important in today's environment. JCPA will continue to serve our communities as we together address critical issues relating to Israel, to global anti-Semitism and to preserving a just society,” Gutow added.
Gutow, who spent more than a decade practicing law in Texas, went on to serve as the founding regional director of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s Southwest Region where he forged alliances with Republicans and Democrats. He also organized the pro-Israel lobby’s efforts in six southwestern states and created chapters in nearly 40 cities.
Gutow went on to become the founding executive director of the National Jewish Democratic Council, where he led national groups in formulating strategies to maintain First Amendment religious freedoms. Following his ordination, Gutow became the first full-time rabbi at the Reconstructionist Minyan of St. Louis where he serves as the St. Louis Rabbinical Association representative to the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis.
Gutow succeeds Hannah Rosenthal, who left JCPA earlier this year to become executive director of the Chicago Foundation for Women.
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JCPA, the public
affairs arm of the organized Jewish community, serves as the national
coordinating and advisory body for the 14 national and 125 local agencies
comprising the field of Jewish community relations.
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