Karen Wolk Feinstein retires from Jewish Healthcare Foundation

After leading the Jewish Healthcare Foundation for 35 years, founding President and CEO Karen Wolk Feinstein will retire on July 1. She will be succeeded by Daniel Rosen, who currently serves as the JHF’s executive vice president.

JHF was launched in 1990 with proceeds from the sale of Montefiore Hospital, a healthcare institution established and funded by Pittsburgh’s Jewish community.

Beginning with $75 million in proceeds from the sale of the hospital, JHF now has about $180 million in assets and has distributed more than $90 million in grants to Pittsburgh’s Jewish community, including to the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh, JFCS, Jewish Association on Aging, the Squirrel Hill Health Center, the Squirrel Hill Food Pantry and the Jewish Assistance Fund.

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Under Feinstein’s leadership, JHF’s reach has gone far beyond the local Jewish community, and has become a world-renown philanthropic and advocacy group. The Foundation has made significant impact in addressing the needs of senior citizens, ending the AIDS epidemic, patient safety, teen mental health, women’s health and workforce development.

The Foundation also has provided ongoing contributions to Israel, including to Israel Bonds, Magen David Adom, Clalit Health Services and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee.

“When we began 35 years ago, we had a blank slate and a bold idea,” Feinstein wrote on LinkedIn after announcing her retirement. “Together, we built a different kind of philanthropy—one that went beyond grantmaking to convening partners, developing leaders, advancing innovation, advocating for change, and improving health and healthcare systems.”

She credited the success of JHF to her staff as well as “visionary trustees, courageous healthcare leaders, generous funders, talented fellows, and countless partners who believed, as we did, that health care and community wellbeing could always be improved.”

“I leave this role with immense pride in what we accomplished together, gratitude for the relationships that have enriched my life, and confidence in the future of the organization.”

Rosen will become JHF president and CEO effective July 1. Before joining JHF’s executive team, he served nearly a decade on the organization’s board of trustees and on its executive committee.

“After an extensive and thoughtful succession process, the Board is delighted to appoint Danny as JHF’s next President and CEO,” said Michael H. Ginsberg, chair of the JHF board of trustees. “Danny brings exceptional leadership experience, a distinguished record of innovation in health care and social services, deep community relationships, and a profound understanding of the Foundation’s mission and values. Just as importantly, he assumes leadership at a moment when the Foundation’s role has never been more critical.”

Full story to come. PJC

Toby Tabachnick can be reached at ttabachnick@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.