Overview
- UJA-Federation appointed Michael Kay as CEO, with his tenure beginning Oct. 5, 2026, as Eric S. Goldstein stays through Oct. 4.
- Kay has led The Leffell School for 13 years and previously held senior roles at the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School and Camp Givah.
- The board approved the hire unanimously after a search that weighed more than 40 candidates and was run by a 14-member committee with Heidrick & Struggles.
- Leaders describe the move as a generational change that elevates Jewish day schools, aligning with a push for a new federal tuition tax credit that New York’s governor says she intends to adopt.
- Kay said he will work with every local official to protect the community’s safety, signaling continuity with the security agenda built under Goldstein.