Jewish Agency taps chairman

Richard Pearlstone is slated to be the next chairman of the Jewish Agency’s Board of Governors. Pearlstone, 59, a member of the Meyerhoff family, comes from a long line of American Jewish philanthropists and leaders. A longtime board member, he has served as chairman of the agency’s Budget and Finance Committee. Pearlstone was chosen among three candidates Sunday. If the board approves his candidacy in a vote Tuesday, he would be formally elected in June at the next Jewish Agency assembly. Pearlstone would succeed Carole Solomon, who served as chairwoman for two four-year terms. Solomon helped mobilize world Jewry to send support to Israel’s North during last summer’s war with the Hezbollah. She also helped a push to facilitate the speedy immigration of the Falash Mura from Ethiopia to Israel, and worked for increased aliyah from Western and other economically stable countries.