Former chairman of the Board of the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), Michael D. Siegal was awarded the Presidential Medal of Honor by President Isaac Herzog on December 11. He was honored “for his extraordinary commitment to the Jewish State and advancing ties between Israel and North American Jewry.”
In his five years at the helm of JAFI from 2017 to 2022, “Siegal helped guide the process of crafting the organization’s strategic mission to serve Jews globally and has long demonstrated an unwavering commitment to building connections between world Jewry and Israel,” the prize committee said.
“Siegal helped guide the process of crafting the organization’s strategic mission to serve Jews globally and has long demonstrated an unwavering commitment to building connections between world Jewry and Israel.”
Prize committee
Upon receiving the award, Siegal said: “Serving the Jewish people and strengthening our ties with the State of Israel is at the core of my identity. I am so deeply honored to be awarded, along with so many remarkable Israelis, for doing what is truly a labor of love. May the Jewish people continue to prosper in unity.”
The Presidential Medal of Honor was also awarded to educators Dr. Dalia Fadila and Dr. Chaim Peri, poet Rachel Shapira, and Brig.-Gen. (Res.) Pinhas Buchris.
An illustrious career
Siegal’s award caps off an illustrious career in the realm of Jewish and Israeli causes. Starting out with Israel Bonds, Siegal quickly moved his way up – particularly during the national campaigns during the Gulf War – ultimately becoming the chair of the organization following a leadership course hosted by the Wexner Heritage Foundation.
This role, alongside his subsequent ones, led him to work with every finance minister over the past 40 years. After Israel Bonds, Siegal took over the chairmanship of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, where he lives, and then became chairman of the Jewish Federation of North America. It was in this role that he became part of the Joint Distribution Committee and the Jewish Agency.
Barely three weeks after his tenure at the Jewish Federations ended, he was asked to be the chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel — the largest international Jewish organization in the world, responsible for strengthening the bonds between Israel and the Diaspora and promoting and facilitating aliyah.
As chairman of JAFI’s Board, Siegal had a front-row seat at some of the most captivating issues facing global Jewry, such as religious pluralism and representing the Jewish people globally. His tenure saw the raising of the stature of the Jewish Agency as he led the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic and facilitating aliyah from Ukraine and Russia following the Russian invasion.
SIEGAL GREW up in what he calls a typical Jewish family, living in the suburbs in the 1950s and ‘60s. Though he is not particularly religious, Israel was present in his life, as his parents were active in JNF. His first trip to Israel was when he was 22 years old, in the days when “you brought blue jeans for relatives.” He speaks humbly of the path he found himself on, saying, “I was always a student of history, and I feel so privileged that my grandfather came to America and am blessed by the upbringing I had.”
Still, he remarks, “One day, you realize life is more than your being. It kicked in when I had my first child.” For Siegal, this is the core of his mission – to serve the Jewish people and to ensure that a Jewish state remains. He says, “My children and my grandchildren are the greatest motivating factor… After my first child, I realized that people want to hurt my child because of antisemitism and hate, and I wanted to protect him.”
This means that preserving and enhancing the Jewish nation in his lifetime is of supreme importance. “I can’t fathom the safety and security of my family without the State of Israel existing… It is an unbelievable privilege to be Jewish and alive today. We are celebrating 75 years of a Jewish nation. ‘Next year in Jerusalem’ is not just something you say at the end of the Passover Seder – you can literally do it today.”
It is this idea that guided Siegal on his journey toward the pinnacle of the Jewish world. A firm Zionist, Siegal believes that “We have the right to our own nation and to self-govern. And we bring so much light and benefit to the world. The world would be much worse without the Jewish people.”
He says this with a humility that you can hear in his voice, and there is no doubt about the privilege he feels having led the three major global Jewish organizations. This is most evident in the way he has passed down his principles to his children, some of whom work in Jewish-related fields, and in every case continuing in Jewish traditions.
Valuing philanthropic work outside of the time he gives, Siegal and his wife, Anita, established the One Happy Camper Scholarship Fund with the Foundation of Jewish Camping. The scholarship was put in place out of the couple’s feeling that “If you talk about the future of Diaspora Jewry, what is most likely to keep Jews connected is a connection to Israel…There is no better way than sending young Jews to camp to interact with other young Jews.” He continues, “Camps help young kids do ‘joyful Judaism’ where, rather than being burdensome, it is energetic and uplifting… It teaches kids to be good Jews.”
What’s more, many of these camps bring in Israeli counselors or send kids to camp in America. This can help to bridge many of the cultural gaps that exist between the two groups and strengthen the bond between Israel and the Diaspora.
The scholarship sends approximately 60 youngsters to camp for free every year. Most of the recipients are from places where there is little to no Jewish community and, as such, they struggle the most to be Jewish. If they did not receive the scholarship, they would not be going to camp. They are sent to camps where they can build lifelong friendships with fellow Jews across the United States and in Israel.
Looking to the future, Siegal has an eye toward continuing to make an impact. He says, “I am not a [donating] buildings guy. For me, it is more important about what is going on inside the building.” He is very proud of the work he did at the Jewish Agency, helping to increase aliyah numbers and “aligning our mission with the budget.”
Despite all his formidable accomplishments, he can’t see himself sitting around: “Sitting back is not what I do well,” he says. Especially having spent the last few decades coming to Israel at least four times a year, he wants to stay involved. With his wealth of knowledge and experience, Siegal is certain to continue making a strong impact.
In regard to receiving the prestigious award from Herzog, he says he was “blown away.” He has had a close personal relationship with Herzog when the latter served as chairman of the Jewish Agency. Still, when he got the call that he was being awarded the medal, he said, “Wow. It is very humbling. It is not the typical award you get for being involved with universities or anything else… This is a recognition by the state that I have done incredible things for, and I have been so privileged to have been given the opportunity.”
Siegal is ever grateful to his wife, children and family, noting that he would not have been able to succeed in his roles without their constant support. He states, “Looking back, it has been a joy. It was hard work, but it was a joy. A real honor and privilege to be a part of it all.”
Summing it all up, he declares, “I love being Jewish.” ■
The writer, a Jerusalem Post staff member, is an entrepreneur and Hebrew thinker, known as Osher in Hebrew. A recent immigrant, he also helps oversee the start-up ecosystem in Jerusalem with Made in JLM. On Twitter: @troyfritzhand.