To continue this important work, at the end of October 2020, Professor Yedidia Stern was chosen as the new president and CEO of JPPI. He was selected by a search committee of the Institute’s Board of Directors. Their recommendation was warmly approved by the Chairman of The Jewish Agency, Isaac Herzog. Stern will replace Avinoam Bar-Yosef, the retiring president and CEO, who has led the organization since its conception.

“It is a great privilege to head an institute that provides critical thinking for the Jewish people at the present time, which is a time of both tremendous opportunities and enormous challenges,” Stern said.

“Professor Yedidia Stern brings vast experience and deep acquaintance with the issues at the heart of the Jewish people and the State of Israel and will present an original and bridging voice in an era of internal tensions among the Jewish people and in Israeli society,” said Chairman Herzog.

The JPPI’s activities are action-oriented, placing special emphasis on identifying critical options and analyzing their potential impact on the future. To this end, the Institute works towards developing professional strategic and long-term policy perspectives exploring key factors that may endanger or enhance the future of the Jewish People.

Along with JPPI’s expert team, Stern will lead strategic thinking and policy recommendations regarding some of the most pressing issues facing Jewish people across the globe, including Jewish identity, matters of religion and state, antisemitism, Aliyah opportunities and more. Since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, they have also been doing research about how the coronavirus is changing Jewish institutions.

Renowned in Israel and around the world as a jurist and researcher of society and state, Stern has authored books and policy studies in these fields. He serves as a Professor in the Faculty of Law at Bar Ilan University, where he also previously acted as Dean, and holds a Doctorate in Law from Harvard University. Professor Stern serves as a Senior Fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute and has a record of civic and professional activity impacting key issues for the Jewish people and Israeli society.

“JPPI will continue its important activities and over the coming years will expand into developing strategic thinking and policy programs in four areas: Jewish society in Israel, Jewish society outside Israel, relations between Jewish society in Israel and abroad, and relations between all Jews and the non-Jewish world,” said Stern.

And with the many challenges facing Jewish people today, and more that need to be addressed in the future, JPPI’s role is as crucial as ever.