New Jersey Jewish News
Central New Jersey Feature
Local leader named to head fund-raising operations for United Jewish Communities
Mark Wilf, national campaign chair of United Jewish Communities for the past two years, will chair UJC’s
financial resources development. Wilf, who lives in Livingston and is a past president of the Jewish Federation of Central New Jersey, succeeds Steve Selig of Atlanta.
The FRD Pillar — one of several focuses of UJC, the federations’ national umbrella body — gathers from across North America professionals and volunteer leaders with expertise in development. As pillar chair, Wilf will oversee UJC’s initiatives in the annual campaign, planned giving and endowments, supplemental giving, and Operation Promise, a new campaign on behalf of Ethiopian immigrants to Israel and Jews in the former Soviet Union.
“I am deeply honored to be appointed to chair the FRD Pillar,” Wilf said, “and look forward to following Steve’s inspiring path and to growing our philanthropic resources for the Jewish community.
“Our mission will focus on continuing to develop innovative products and practices for federation resource development and nurturing the kinds of big ideas we’ll need to bring our community into the future.”
Eleanor Rubin, who succeeded Wilf as president of the Central federation, said of his new appointment: “I think that he’s done a wonderful job as chair of the national campaign, and I’m sure that he’ll be very successful with financial resource development. He’s in the right position for his talent, his skills, and his powers of persuasion.”
Stanley Stone, executive vice president of the Central federation, said, “The FRD Pillar is extremely fortunate to get Mark Wilf as chair. Not only because of his experience with the Central NJ federation but also the outstanding way he handled the overall campaign speak to the results that can be expected.
“I’ve heard from his colleagues and lay leaders that he was a breath of fresh air as campaign chair and that he brought a sense of vitality and an understanding of the essence of what a community campaign is all about.”
Wilf comes from a family of builders who are active in philanthropy. They are longtime major supporters of Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial and museum in Jerusalem, and were the largest contributors to its new Holocaust History Museum. The Wilfs are also key benefactors of Yeshiva University in New York.
Before heading up the UJC campaign, Mark Wilf chaired its National Major Gifts committee. He is also past chair of the UJA National Young Leadership Cabinet, and he serves on the board of governors of the Jewish Agency for Israel.
He has also held leadership roles with other Jewish communal organizations, including the Jewish Community Center of Central New Jersey, Solomon Schechter Day School of Essex and Union, the Jewish Educational Center in Elizabeth, State of Israel Bonds, the Anti-Defamation League, and the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
A graduate of Princeton University and New York University Law School, Wilf is principal in the Garden Homes Development, a family-owned real estate business. He and older brother Zygmunt and their cousin Leonard are also principal owners of the National Football League’s Minnesota Vikings.
As FRD Pillar chair, he is expected to continue with many of the projects started during Selig’s tenure, including the work with emerging Jewish communities, such as those in Las Vegas and Phoenix; implementing the collaborative fund-raising model in pilot communities like Palm Beach and South Palm Beach; and introducing a suite of Next Generation initiatives for future major and mega-donors.
Selig welcomed Wilf’s continued presence on the FRD scene. “I cannot imagine a more natural choice to lead UJC’s Financial Resources Development Pillar than Mark Wilf, who over the past two years has displayed tremendous leadership and vision as national chair of the annual campaign,” he said.
Vicki Agron, UJC’s senior vice president of development, also welcomed Wilf’s appointment. “We are confident that Mark will lead the FRD Pillar with the same commitment and grace he brought to his post as national campaign chairman,” she said.
“Steve Selig led the pillar during the initial implementation of the FRD study recommendations on Emerging Communities and the Collaborative Model. Mark has championed the need to reach and engage future major and mega-donors. Under his watch, we will be able to advance the FRD study recommendations on Next Generation, for which Mark has been a passionate advocate.”
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