(JTA) — Stephen Hoffman, who has led Cleveland’s Jewish federation for almost 35 years and regularly lands on lists of the most influential and highest paid federation executives, is retiring.

Hoffman will retire on Dec. 31. A search for a successor is underway.

Last year the umbrella philanthropy raised more than $32.7 million in its annual campaign; combined with donor-advised and other special-purpose funds, the federation disbursed over $148 million to local, national and overseas causes.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

Hoffman earned $546,515 in 2016, putting him fifth among local federation executives on the Forward’s annual listof non-profit salaries. The figure does not include his retirement compensation.

Hoffman, 67, raised in Philadelphia, has a master’s degree in social work from the University of Maryland, as well as a master’s in Jewish studies from the Baltimore Hebrew University. He became president of the Cleveland federation in 1983. From 2001 to 2004, he served as CEO of what is now the Jewish Federations of North America, the federation movement’s national organizing body, before returning to Cleveland as planned.

During his tenure in Cleveland, Hoffman partnered with local philanthropist Morton Mandel and the Israeli ministry of education to overhaul Jewish education in the community, examining curricula, teachers’ salaries and youth programs.

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount