Fishel to resign as head of Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles
The longtime chief executive of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles announced Monday that he will resign at the end of the year.
John R. Fishel, 60, who has led the nonprofit agency for nearly 17 years and is credited by many with putting it on sound financial footing, said he wants to pursue other interests.
He made the announcement at the federation’s board of directors’ meeting, surprising many in the room.
“I just felt it was time to pass the baton,” said Fishel, who added that he is leaving voluntarily and will stay on as a consultant. “I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished.”
Federation board members said Fishel steered the agency through tough financial times and was instrumental in expanding programs and attracting a younger generation of leaders.
One recent bleak spot, however, was a $6.4-million loss in the federation’s endowment as a result of the Bernard Madoff financial scandal.
The federation, like several Jewish nonprofit agencies in Los Angeles, had endowment money in a common pool managed by the Jewish Community Foundation, which invested with Madoff.
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