In a unanimous vote at a meeting of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Arthur Stark, Chairman of the Board of Friends of the IDF, was elected to serve as Chairman effective June 1, 2018, announced Nominating Committee Chairman Robert Sugarman and outgoing Chairman, Stephen M. Greenberg.
Having served as National President of Friends of the IDF, Mr. Stark has long been active in Jewish communal affairs at the local, national and international levels. He has served on AIPAC’s National Council, the Jewish Federation of Central New Jersey Board, the Board of Trustees of the Rabbinical College of America, and the Board of Trustees of the Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy, where his four children were educated.
Mr. Stark is well-known to past and present leaders of Israel, senior officers of the IDF and members of the Knesset from all political parties. He also has developed relationships with members of Congress on both sides of the aisle.
Born in Budapest, Hungary, to Holocaust survivor parents, Mr. Stark’s family escaped from Hungary during the 1956 uprising and emigrated to the U.S.
In addition to his distinguished business career and exemplary service to the community, Mr. Stark takes great pride in his close and loving family. He is married to Sylvia who emigrated to the U.S. from Morocco in 1967. They have four grown children Michelle, Adam, Danielle, and Jordan. Both Adam and Jordan served with distinction in the IDF. Mr. Stark is the President of Bed, Bath and Beyond with 150 stores across North America.
Mr. Stark’s professional and communal experiences and commitment to all aspects of Jewish life, continuity and values make him an ideal addition to the distinguished roster of those who have led the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.
“I am delighted that Arthur Stark will serve as the next Chairman of the Conference. His depth of knowledge, level of commitment and outstanding judgment regarding matters of importance to the American Jewish community, Israel and the Jewish people make him the ideal choice for this critical leadership position.” said Immediate Past Conference Chairman and Nominating Committee Chairman, Robert Sugarman.
“Arthur Stark will be leading the Conference at a time of accelerating changes in the American Jewish community, in Israel and around the globe. The intellect, judgment, experience and dedication he brings to the Conference chairmanship exemplify the depth of extraordinary talent available to help guide the Jewish community into the future. He has demonstrated great skill in leading the growth of a complex national Jewish organization, has extensive experience in dealing with international issues and, his deep love and concern for Israel and the Jewish people, shared by the diverse constituency of the Conference, will be a source of great strength for the Conference,” said Stephen Greenberg, outgoing Conference Chairman.
Conference Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Malcolm Hoenlein, said, “At this critical time, we are once again privileged to be led by an outstanding leader who brings to the Conference chairmanship decades of distinguished service, exemplary personal qualities and broad leadership experience. I have known and worked with Arthur for many years in his various leadership roles in the Jewish community, seeing firsthand the effective leadership qualities he brings to every task. As we face many increasingly complex challenges at home and abroad, the role of the Conference will be even more crucial. Arthur’s leadership will be very important to build on the achievements shepherded by Stephen Greenberg, and his predecessors, who will continue to be involved and provide invaluable guidance and counsel.”
Robert Sugarman, Conference Immediate Past Chair, said, “we had a distinguished and capable group of candidates with whom the Nominating Committee met over several months. Each brought unique talents and capabilities to their candidacies. We are a fortunate community to have such qualified, devoted leaders ready to assume the broad responsibilities of the Conference chair. Ultimately, the Committee, which represents the diverse constituency of the Conference, came to a unanimous recommendation of Arthur Stark.”
( Newly Elected Chairman Arthur Stark )
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