Betsy Berns Korn was formally reelected to a second one-year term as chair of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, the umbrella body said in a statement issued from New York on May 13, 2026.
Matthew Bronfman, chair of the Board of Governors of Hillel International, was elected chair-elect following a full Conference vote held the same day. The leadership transition comes as American Jewish organizations continue to confront rising antisemitism, campus tensions, and security concerns tied to Israel and the wider Jewish world.
Korn to serve second term
Korn’s second term will begin on June 1, 2026. In a statement after the vote, she said she was “grateful and honored” to continue leading the Conference “at such a consequential moment for the Jewish people and the State of Israel.”
She cited rising antisemitism, wars involving Iran and its proxies, and challenges on campuses and in the public square as central issues facing the organization. The Conference has recently emphasized Jewish communal coordination and support for Israel, including in a Jerusalem Post opinion article on its leadership mission.
Bronfman chosen as chair-elect
Bronfman has chaired Hillel International’s Board of Governors since December 2020 and also serves as honorary chair of NYU Hillel. His work has focused on Jewish campus life, philanthropy, and efforts to address campus antisemitism, an issue highlighted in recent Jerusalem Post coverage of Hillel-related campus disputes and antisemitism assessments on US campuses.
He is also a member of the American Jewish Committee’s Board of Governors and previously served as chair of its Board of Trustees.
Broader communal role
Bronfman has held senior roles across Jewish communal institutions, including the 92nd Street Y, Limmud FSU, and the Claims Conference. In the private sector, he serves as chairman and CEO of BHB Holdings and oversees the IKEA franchise in Israel.
The leadership vote follows a period in which Jewish organizations have warned of elevated antisemitism worldwide, a trend reflected in recent JPost reporting on global antisemitism and analysis of Israel-Diaspora coordination through the J50 forum.
“I am honored by the confidence of the members of the COP,” Bronfman said, adding that the Conference’s work “has never been more necessary and important.”
The Conference of Presidents represents 50 national Jewish organizations on issues of national and international concern.