The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia is excited to welcome Susanna Lachs Adler as our new Board Chair. She comes to her leadership role after many years of dedicated work in public service and community development.
Susanna is Co-chair of the Jewish Federation’s Bylaws Committee, a member of the Policy, Strategy and Funding Committee and a member of Women’s Philanthropy, both in Philadelphia and nationally on the JFNA Women’s Philanthropy Board. She also led the search committee that hired Naomi L. Adler, Esq. as our Jewish Federation CEO.
Susanna is especially committed to connecting the next generation of young adults to Jewish life, having been raised in a family dedicated to supporting Jewish causes. A Philadelphia native, she is an alumna of Young Leadership, Camp Ramah-Poconos and USY. She is a champion of Birthright Israel, is on the National Board of Governors at Penn Hillel and has served on the board of Jewish Learning Ventures.
A graduate of Temple University’s Beasley School of Law and the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School for Communication and College for Women, Susanna is a passionate advocate for higher education. She continues to serve — on boards at the Shipley School in Bryn Mawr; Temple University and the Beasley School of Law; the Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies; and the University of Pennsylvania.
Susanna chose to dedicate herself to communal leadership after 22 years of experience as a commercial litigation in Philadelphia law firms. She met her husband, Dean Adler, on a Jewish Federation Zachor mission to Israel and they have two daughters, Sara and Anna. To hear directly from Susanna about her vision for the Jewish Federation, read her recent Jewish Exponent article.