ZOA PEOPLE
“ZOA is a legendary, venerable organization that is fighting for Israel.”
Levenson could not be more enthusiastic about
wonderful,
varied, challenging and enjoyable.” He is equally passionate
about his philanthropic and community work:
“It’s an important part of what I do – to give back
because I’ve been blessed.”
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iations over the last 35 years, Levenson was president of
his synagogue in Passaic-Clifton for four years. He was
chair of the local Jewish Community Center for three
years. He was president of the Jewish Federation of
Greater Clifton-Passaic for eight years, and thereafter
president of the New Jersey State Association of Jewish
Federations for three years.
In 2010, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie appointed
Levenson chair of the New Jersey-Israel Commission,
which works to foster trade, cultural ties,
educational exchanges, and a spirit of cooperation
between the people of New Jersey and the people of
Israel. Levenson continues to serve as chair of the commission
under Governor Phil Murphy.
graduating from law school and taking the bar exam.
Since then, he has visited Israel “well over 100 times.”
He has brought politicians to Israel, joined and led trade
delegations to Israel, and participated in probably 50
conferences and high level solidarity trips to Israel –
during times of war and peace – over the last 36 years.
Levenson has also helped bring almost 40 New Jersey legislators
to Israel over the
Before becoming chairman of the ZOA’s board,
Levenson was a member of the board and, since
last year, on the organization’s executive committee.
Even before assuming these formal positions, he participated
in ZOA events and marched with the ZOA
in the annual Celebrate Israel Parade.
In fact, the ZOA was an organization that Levenson
knew “from my youth. It is a legendary, venerable or-
drawn to the ZOA because he greatly admired one of
its illustrious leaders, US Supreme Court Justice Louis
Brandeis. Levenson described Justice Brandeis as “one
of my heroes and a courageous and visionary leader. I
for Israel and the Jewish people. That was the ZOA.”
After Israel withdrew from Gaza and as he became
more concerned about the threats from Iran, BDS efforts
and increasingly blatant and violent acts of anti-Semitism,
for the priorities on Israel and Jewish solidarity and
survival that I thought most important.” He was
drawn to the ZOA even more.
Levenson was also inspired by ZOA National
President Morton Klein whom he would regularly meet
at policy conferences and meetings. “1 greatly admired
and respected Mort,” Levenson said. “He’s incredibly
never backed down; never went along to get along. I
took note of what he did.” At meetings of the Conference
of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations,
“Mort impressed me with his indefatigability,
and his passion and command of the issues. He was
standard that Israel is so often unfairly subjected to.”
Before he became chairman of the board,
Levenson worked closely with Mort Klein and with
then-chairman, Dr. Michael Goldblatt on ZOA issues.
“They inspired me even more,” he noted. The work
cause and that I wanted to be involved more deeply.”
Boston sports teams and loves to be with his family. He
has been happily married for 35 years to Eta Krasna
Levenson, a social worker and advocate for individuals
with developmental and emotional health challenges. The
Levensons have two “beautiful and amazing daughters,”
Hadassa Levenson (who recently became engaged to
Emanuel Korn) and Jessica Levenson Mirsky, and a
“wonderful son,” Eric Eliezer, passed away in February
2016 after a lengthy, brave battle with mental illness.
Eric would have been 31 years old this past July 4.
commitment that being chairman of the board will
He is inspired by the work and level of commitment
of Mort Klein and the ZOA’s professional staff and is
“honored to be chairman.” The ZOA, Levenson said, is
rapidly “growing and well-positioned in an upwards trajectory.”
He is excited about expanding the ZOA’s work
“as quickly as we can while keeping to our core values.”
“I wanted to
be involved
in the Jewish
community,
fighting for
Israel and the
Jewish people.
That was the
ZOA.”
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