22 | AUGUST 8 • 2024
J
N
T
he Network of Jewish Human
Service Agencies (The Network)
announced in May the
appointment of a new chair of the board
of directors, Sandy Muskovitz Danto,
alongside several new board leaders,
including David Colman, principal
of MIS Capital LLC; Jennifer Fink,
disability rights advocate; Todd Schenk,
CEO of Jewish Social Service Agency
of Rockville, Md.; and Stacey Shor,
president and CEO of Jewish Family &
Child Services of Chicago.
The Network is an international
membership association, comprising
more than 170 nonprofit Jewish human
service organizations across the United
States, Canada and Israel.
“Today marks a transformative
moment for The Network as we
welcome an exceptional new board
leader. With her visionary guidance and
unparalleled expertise, we are poised to
reach new heights and create an even
greater impact,” said Reuben Rotman,
president and CEO of The Network.
Danto’s volunteer and Jewish
philanthropic journey is both inspiring
and impactful. Deeply rooted in the
Detroit Jewish community, she has held
several prominent positions, including
a three-year presidency at Jewish
Family Service and co-chairing the
Jewish Federation of Detroit’s Annual
Campaign. She’s a former Federation
board member, current member of
JFD’s Israel and Overseas Allocation
Committee and a Jewish Women’s
Foundation trustee.
Other past Detroit roles have included
board service to Hebrew Free Loan,
Jewish Senior Life, JVS (now Gesher),
Michigan State University Hillel and the
Hillel Campus Alliance of Michigan, and
the Mission and Purpose Foundation.
Danto currently serves as a Jewish
Joint Distribution Committee (JDC)
Executive Committee board member,
a JDC-Israel Executive Committee
member, JDC-Eshel Committee chair
for the elderly, committee member
of Ashalim for Youth-At-Risk, Israel
Unlimited and JDC’s Development
Committee. She is a former JDC vice
president and past chair of the Ashalim
Committee.
As a board member and volunteer,
Danto has contributed and chaired
many initiatives to strengthen the Jewish
community in her region, nationally
and in Israel. Her efforts have helped
create a more cohesive, supportive
environment for Jewish families.
Under Danto’s leadership, The
Network is poised to continue its
mission of supporting and advancing
the Jewish human service sector. Danto’s
vision includes enhancing collaboration
among member agencies, advocating
for critical human service issues and
promoting innovative solutions to
shared challenges.
“I am humbled and honored
to represent The Network, whose
membership organizations are dedicated
to life-improving and life-saving work
for approximately 2 million clients,” she
said. “We are the thought leader in the
Jewish social service sector, offering
advocacy, best practices, creative
initiatives, educational webinars, and
affinity groups for professionals and lay
leaders, and two annual conferences
attended by hundreds.”
Since 2017, The Network has
provided guidance and coordinated
crisis response with member agencies
to address major local, national and
international crises, including hate
crimes, mass shootings, environmental
disasters and the rise of antisemitism.
The most recent crisis, the Israel-
Hamas war, has reinforced the need
for The Network to continue providing
capacity-building resources for agencies
to best serve their communities and help
shape public policy. On April 15-16,
2024, The Network, represented by a
delegation of more than 30 member
leaders and Network staff, attended its
first annual #HillDay to advocate for
policies important to members. The
delegation met with the White House
Liaison to the Jewish Community, staff
working on the Disabilities Services
Portfolio from the White House
Domestic Policy Council and held more
than 50 meetings with members of
Congress and their staff.
These initiatives highlight the
organization’s ability to respond
swiftly and effectively to emerging
needs, a capability that will be further
strengthened with Danto at the helm.
Jasmine Medoff is the vice president of marketing
and communications for Network of Human Services.
Sandy Muskovitz Danto is the new chair of the
Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies.
A Visionary Leader
JASMINE MEDOFF SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
OUR COMMUNITY
Sandy Muskovitz Danto