Youngest CEO Transforming The Jewish Agency Amid Crisis

Yehuda Setton, recognized as the youngest CEO and Director General to lead The Jewish Agency, recounts his team’s ability to convert a monumental crisis into an opportunity for collective mobilization. This monumental occurrence surfaced two years subsequent to the seventh of October terrorist attack, providing Setton with the chance to steer this longstanding institution, with over a century of activity, through an epoch-defining period. Historically, The Jewish Agency’s attention was centered around promoting Aliyah and serving as a connecting force between Jewish generations across the globe. However, the appearance of a new reality, teeming with instability and predicaments, required the agency to rethink its modus operandi.

Setton discusses the significance of the war as a significant waypoint for the organization. He emphasizes that the war forced a realization that their former operational patterns were no longer sufficient. Their mission transformed from restoring what was demolished to developing a roadmap for the future; this led them to take a proactive role in bolstering the resilience of civilians. Their strategic shift involved getting closer to the people, assisting all those affected, offering their support to state institutions, and being a presence wherever they were required.

Following these developments, in collaboration with entities such as The Jewish Federations of North America, Keren Hayesod, the World Zionist Organization, and the Israeli government itself, The Jewish Agency augmented its activities on an unprecedented scale. Initiatives included supporting more than 22,000 households affected by acts of war and terror, and aiding 15,000 small-scale enterprises. They also fostered 30 fresh connections between international Jewish communities and towns in the northern and southern parts of Israel, and allowed thousands of youngsters from these regions to attend summer camps in North America.

Another significant achievement came with a noteworthy housing project that saw about a thousand homes built in the Western Negev region. In tandem with the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, The Jewish Agency supported the immigration of over 46,000 new settlers to Israel since the war kicked off. ‘One of our greatest feats has been our ability to transform a historical crisis into joint action and impact,’ Setton states, highlighting the rapid pace at which their team sprung into action, opening command centers, devising action plans, and gathering information.

Setton further underscores that emergency situations weren’t unfamiliar terrain for The Jewish Agency, considering their deep-seated involvement in crisis management throughout their history. At any instance of such events, he explains, their control center, armed with state-of-the-art organized tech systems and tracking capacities, would spring into action for the Jewish community both in Israel and worldwide. However, a year into the war, there was a realization that mending emergencies was no longer their only responsibility. It was necessary to bake in crisis management efforts into their day-to-day responsibilities.

The journey in tackling this challenge involved rationalizing the situation and the associated needs, trying to devise a multi-faceted and adaptive solution, capable of promptly ramping up efforts from zero to a full-scale operation. The agency’s reach extends to about 20,000 people, including immigrants, youth, volunteers among others. The real challenge was in determining how to cater to the evolving needs of this diverse demographic. This struggle showcases the agency’s excellence: the ability to adapt and respond while keeping the goal in sight, ranging all the way from provision of immediate support, to lobbying for longer-term structures.

Setton recalls the Jewish Agency’s considerable role in leading comprehensive programs aimed at reconstructing the north and south of the country. This included assisting communities affected by terror and war and even introducing the Rising Lion Fund designed to support families impacted by missile fire from Iran. He navigated through tumultuous days, in which he successfully managed to bring in CEOs of some of the largest North American Federations to France so that they could gain firsthand insight into the challenges faced by Jewish communities in Europe.

Inviting them to Israel was his next move and they all came. Mere days after the cessation of the war, he guided them through the destruction in Bat Yam, his childhood city, following an attack by Iranian missiles. The most prominent leaders of the Jewish world witnessed the aftermath of destruction side by side with Setton, and they left with a renewed determination to continue their support for Israel.

After dedicating 16 years to various roles at The Jewish Agency, Setton was named CEO and Director General at only 42 years old, making him the youngest to hold such a position in the institution’s history. Reflecting on the magnitude of the responsibility, he confides, ‘Being a young CEO comes with its fair share of presumptions. I am aware of the spotlight on me. The role requires humility and keen listening, but it also provides prospects for bringing fresh perspectives.’

Setton shares his insights on the mentality of the younger generation, its pace of life, its digital orientation, its candidness, and its unwavering acceptance of change. These traits enable him to modernize the Agency’s approach, instill innovative dynamics, promote openness for trial and error, and foster learning environments. He is quick to clarify that this in no way substitutes for the scale of history but rather supplements the responsibility of connecting traditions to the future.

Setton then talks about his grandmother, a beneficiary of The Jewish Agency’s operation, ‘Tehran Children’. He calls the realization of leading the organization that saved his grandmother’s life as a ‘full circle’. He is moved by the poetry of the organization now safeguarding his children’s futures. This, he says, is much more than a task- it’s the embodiment of a mission.

So how does Setton feel The Jewish Agency manages to maintain its relevance over time? He explains, ‘The Jewish Agency isn’t directly part of the government. We don’t have a guaranteed budget, and every year we start anew. We shoulder double the responsibility: to not only do what we believe is right, but also to continuously demonstrate to the Jewish people our relevance and their continued need for our support.’

Setton divides the world into two types of organizations: ones driven by profit and those guided by impact. He argues that the Jewish Agency falls into the latter category. ‘If we aren’t making a tangible change, we have no reason to be here. If The Jewish Agency didn’t exist, it would need to be created.’ Their relevance, Setton argues, comes from their real-world effect on people’s lives.

Setton gives an example of leading a rescue operation from Ukraine, equating this experience to the realization of the indispensable role The Jewish Agency plays. ‘We genuinely made a difference in people’s lives, in partnership with the Jewish community and the State of Israel. Our employees are the unsung heroes of everyday life. At every moment, a representative of The Jewish Agency is working for the Jewish people.’ He mentions the frontline force of 3,000 Israeli emissaries dispersed across 65 countries, some actively taking part in conversations in campuses around the globe. ‘Our focus is on content, but we understand that real importance is accomplished when we alter lives.’

Looking ahead, Setton perceives The Jewish Agency’s management evolving, ‘This Agency should turn into a emblem for collective engagement by the Jewish people in Israel and the Jewish societies overseas. We have a responsibility spanning developmental aspects, rebuilding, and fortification of the state, providing support to populations impacted by crises. Ultimately, this strengthens Jewish identity and mutual responsibility across the globe.’