Executive Compensation at the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (2020)

The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (also known as “The Joint” or the JDC) is a tax-exempt, non-profit 501 (c) (3) with about 150 employees in New York City, NY. The governing board – 164 independent board members although 188 board members are listed on the Form 990 (the difference appears to be due to timing issues and is comprised of 102 males and 86 females.

As one of the leading humanitarian organizations that works in 70 countries, the JDC works to rescue and provide aid to Jews in the advancement of Jewish life across the globe, primarily through awarding grants:  in 2020, $254 million, or 64% of revenue was used for grants (primarily to foreign organizations).

In 2020, the JDC reported total revenue of $396 million (compared to $334 million in 2019 and $357 million in 2018) most of which came from contributions and gifts ($310 million), government grants ($69 million), and investment income/gains on the sale of assets ($10 million).

Expenses totaled $331 million (including $2 million in depreciation) with the five (5) largest expenses reported to be grants ($254 million), compensation ($79 million). office-related expenses ($11 million), fees for services ($10 million), and travel and conferences ($9 million).

161 employees received $79 million in compensation, which equates to an average compensation of $491,000 (an unusually high average compensation). However, only 46 employees received more than $100,000 in compensation with the 12 most highly compensated reported to be:

• $598,729:  Asher Ostrin, Interim CEO (thru 9/30/20)*
• $558,857:  Eliot Goldstein, Exec Director, Resource Development*
• $475,422:  Ophir Singal, CFO
• $421,955:  Pablo Weinsteiner, Chief HR Officer
• $404,040:  Michal Frank, JDC FSU Director General*
• $378,855:  Itamar Albek, CIO
• $330,465:  Sigal Shelach, Director General, JDC, Israel*
• $299,342:  Michael Hartel, CEO Myers JDC Brookdale*
• $287,928:  Diego Ornique, Chief Program Officer*
• $284,207:  Guy Billauer, General Counsel
• $273,847:  Linda Tarlow, AEVP, Director of Global Archive
• $269,974:  Amir Shaviv, AEVP, Special Operations
• $266,096:  Sarah Eisenman, Exec Director of Entwine
• $254,938:  Elizabeth Fine, AEVP Board Relations & Development

As illustrated above, the 14 most highly compensated employees received $5 million, which means the remaining 147 employees received $74 million, or an average of $504,000.  Given that only 46 employees received more than $100,000, 42 employees of the 147 received more than $100,000 in companion and 105 employees received less than $100,000 in compensation.   So, there appears to be a mistake in either the number of employees or the total compensation.

A “*” above the names above means the compensation (whole or part) was paid by a related/affiliated organization.

10 independent contractors received more than $100,000 in compensation with the five (5) most highly compensated reported to be:

• $790,691:  Grant Thornton, of NY, NY for audit and tax
• $566,317:  Cambridge Associates, of NY, NY for investment advisory
• $430,198:  KPMG, of Dallas, TX for internal audit
• $274,391:  Electric Symphony, of NY, NY for media management
• $153,310:  Oberland, of NY, NY for media and branding

To read the IRS Form 990 (2020), click here.