The American Friends of Tel Aviv University (AFTAU) has appointed Ben Pery as its Chief Executive Officer, effective Monday, the organization announced from New York.
Pery, a Tel Aviv University (TAU) alumnus, said the role is both professional and personal, noting that he is a third-generation TAU student who earned three degrees at the university. “This is where my values were shaped, where I first experienced Israel’s global spirit, and where I saw the power of innovation and resilience,” he said, adding that leading AFTAU is “a profound honor and a personal mission” to help American philanthropy fuel TAU’s ambitions.
Board chair Dr. Garry A. Rayant welcomed the appointment, calling Pery “the right leader at the right time,” and praising his blend of strategic growth and passion for TAU and Israel, as well as his record of building partnerships.
Expanding alumni engagement
As CEO, Pery will focus on mobilizing philanthropy and partnerships in the United States to advance TAU’s priorities in medicine, technology, climate, and cybersecurity, while fostering resilience, democratic values, and global leadership. His vision includes growing AFTAU toward $100 million in annual fundraising, expanding alumni engagement across the US, and positioning TAU as a premier partner for American donors.
Under his leadership, AFTAU announced that it will pursue three pillars: reconnect, reimagine, and rebuild, to strengthen emotional and philanthropic ties among American supporters, alumni, and the university, and to expand the organization’s capacity and outreach.
Pery is known for scaling nonprofit organizations. As CEO of Momentum, he helped grow the organization into a global movement reaching Jewish women and families in more than 40 countries, with annual activity exceeding $20 million. This growth was achieved through the launch of new programs, the forging of high-level partnerships, and the cultivation of major philanthropic support. He previously served as Vice President of Operations at the Peres Center for Peace, practiced corporate and commercial law at Barnea & Co., and founded the Israel Educational Travel Alliance, a network of over 100 organizations collaborating on Israel engagement.
“AFTAU will build a movement that stands with Israel and shapes the next era of global innovation,” Pery said, framing the organization as a bridge for American supporters to invest in “healing, discovery, and hope” through the university.
AFTAU said its mission is to mobilize philanthropy, partnerships, and alumni engagement across the United States to advance TAU’s education, research, and innovation. TAU describes itself as Israel’s largest and most global university, with approximately 30,000 students and 200,000 alumni worldwide. It boasts a strong entrepreneurship record, including Waze and Mobileye, as well as landmark breakthroughs such as the first 3D-printed heart and spinal cord. The university also has partnerships with NASA, Intel, Google, and the US Department of Defense.
Pery summarized the mandate succinctly: to reconnect American supporters with TAU’s campus strengths, reimagine the scale of giving and partnership, and rebuild philanthropic momentum for a new chapter of Israeli research and innovation.