JFSLA President & CEO Eli Veitzer Appointed to NJHSA Board of Directors

Eli Veitzer, JFSLA President and CEO, was appointed as a new Board member of the Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies (NJHSA) for a three-year term at the NJHSA Annual Meeting in May. 

“I was honored when they asked if I would consider being on the Board,” said Veitzer. “It’s a small Board, and I really respect the people on it. It’s a great opportunity to work with them, and to be involved in developing the Network further.” 

NJHSA is an international membership association of more than 150 non-profit human service agencies. Members are located throughout the US, Canada, and Israel and provide a wide range of human services to the Jewish community and other populations. NJHSA’s mission is to be the leading voice for the Jewish human service sector. 

“Communities in most major cities in North America created JFS agencies at some point in time. We are all independent and reflect our particular communities,” said Veitzer. “But many of our services are similar to other JFS organizations, and so NJHSA provides an opportunity for agencies to share best practices, learn from each other, and work in coalition around advocacy for the benefit of our clients, our communities, and our organizations.”  

NJHSA, or “the Network” as it calls itself, provides its member agency with opportunities for partnerships, affinity groups focused on particular service areas, and conferences. A number of JFSLA staff participate in affinity groups with colleagues at agencies around the country. The Network also advocates on issues of importance to agencies at a national level. Through its advocacy, NJHSA has helped develop funding streams to support the social service work agencies do.  

“Right now, the Network is creating funding paths to support the resettlement of Ukrainian refugees and developing additional resources to fund services for Survivors of the Holocaust. The Network is working closely with other national Jewish organizations to support the social service sector in the Jewish community,” said Veitzer. 

As a Board member, Veitzer will participate in the oversight of Board finances and will be involved in development and strategic planning. Since its founding five years ago, NJHSA has grown from about a million-dollar budget to a $4 million-dollar annual budget, largely based on significant foundation funding in support of particular initiatives. 

“One of the ways the Network is so valuable is it provides opportunities for agencies to share with each other how they’re approaching different issues and challenges, and share programmatic innovations,” said Veitzer. “As CEO of a large social service nonprofit, being able to share experiences and talk with others who are similarly situated in other cities – whether it’s Detroit, Chicago, Denver, or Dallas – is incredibly helpful. It’s a gift to be able to have those kinds of conversations and to build those relationships.” 

To learn more about the appointed 2022-23 slate of officers and board members of NJHSA, visit https://www.networkjhsa.org/board-of-directors/