Simon Greer
Encyclopedia
Simon Greer is an American labor and community organizer and social change
leader. He is the current President and CEO of the Jewish Funds for Justice
(JFSJ). Starting in January 2012, he will head the Nathan Cummings Foundation
, an American foundation funding the social justice
sector, as President and CEO. Greer holds position seven on 2011′s “Forward 50”, the Jewish Daily Forward′s list of the fifty most significant Jews
in the United States.
. He grew up in New York
on Manhattan’s Upper West Side
. He attended Ethical Culture Fieldston School
and graduated from Vassar College
in 1990.
, the country his grandparents had fled from, to work for Solidarnosc. Back in the United States after two years, he continued his activities as a labor and community organizer and social change
leader, working for unions in South Carolina
, the nonprofit organizing group Jobs with Justice
in Washington, D.C.
and New York, and founded the volunteer group Jews United for Justice in Washington, D.C.
In April 2005, Greer became President and CEO of the Jewish Funds for Justice (JFSJ). He transformed the organization from a relatively small private charitable foundation into an organization with a $6.5 million budget, merging it with several other organizations. He expanded the foundation into more active areas such as leadership training and service learning.
Greer gained national prominance in the U.S. during JFSJ’s high-profile campaign against Glenn Beck
, denouncing his allegedly anti-Semitic rhetoric and his invocations of the Holocaust on Fox News. The campaign ended with Beck’s leaving Fox News.
In August 2011, the Nathan Cummings Foundation announced that it has selected Greer as its new President and CEO. He will assume his post on January 1, 2012.
Social change
Social change refers to an alteration in the social order of a society. It may refer to the notion of social progress or sociocultural evolution, the philosophical idea that society moves forward by dialectical or evolutionary means. It may refer to a paradigmatic change in the socio-economic...
leader. He is the current President and CEO of the Jewish Funds for Justice
Jewish Funds for Justice
The Jewish Funds for Justice is an Amercian charity based in New York. Since 2005, Simon Greer has been its President & CEO.-History:The original Jewish Fund for Justice was created in 1984...
(JFSJ). Starting in January 2012, he will head the Nathan Cummings Foundation
Nathan Cummings Foundation
The Nathan Cummings Foundation was endowed by Nathan Cummings , founder of Consolidated Foods, now called Sara Lee Corporation...
, an American foundation funding the social justice
Social justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
sector, as President and CEO. Greer holds position seven on 2011′s “Forward 50”, the Jewish Daily Forward′s list of the fifty most significant Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
in the United States.
Early life and education
Greer is the son of Jewish parents who emmigrated to the USA from the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. He grew up in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on Manhattan’s Upper West Side
Upper West Side
The Upper West Side is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan, New York City, that lies between Central Park and the Hudson River and between West 59th Street and West 125th Street...
. He attended Ethical Culture Fieldston School
Ethical Culture Fieldston School
The Ethical Culture Fieldston School, known as "Fieldston", is a private "independent" school in New York City and a member of the Ivy Preparatory School League. It has about 1600 students and a staff of 400 people , led by Dr. Damian J...
and graduated from Vassar College
Vassar College
Vassar College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college in the town of Poughkeepsie, New York, in the United States. The Vassar campus comprises over and more than 100 buildings, including four National Historic Landmarks, ranging in style from Collegiate Gothic to International,...
in 1990.
Career
After his graduation Greer went to PolandPoland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, the country his grandparents had fled from, to work for Solidarnosc. Back in the United States after two years, he continued his activities as a labor and community organizer and social change
Social change
Social change refers to an alteration in the social order of a society. It may refer to the notion of social progress or sociocultural evolution, the philosophical idea that society moves forward by dialectical or evolutionary means. It may refer to a paradigmatic change in the socio-economic...
leader, working for unions in South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, the nonprofit organizing group Jobs with Justice
Jobs with Justice
Jobs with Justice is a national campaign for workers' rights in the United States. It was founded in 1987, and includes both individual members and affiliated organizations....
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and New York, and founded the volunteer group Jews United for Justice in Washington, D.C.
In April 2005, Greer became President and CEO of the Jewish Funds for Justice (JFSJ). He transformed the organization from a relatively small private charitable foundation into an organization with a $6.5 million budget, merging it with several other organizations. He expanded the foundation into more active areas such as leadership training and service learning.
Greer gained national prominance in the U.S. during JFSJ’s high-profile campaign against Glenn Beck
Glenn Beck
Glenn Edward Lee Beck is an American conservative radio host, vlogger, author, entrepreneur, political commentator and former television host. He hosts the Glenn Beck Program, a nationally syndicated talk-radio show that airs throughout the United States on Premiere Radio Networks...
, denouncing his allegedly anti-Semitic rhetoric and his invocations of the Holocaust on Fox News. The campaign ended with Beck’s leaving Fox News.
In August 2011, the Nathan Cummings Foundation announced that it has selected Greer as its new President and CEO. He will assume his post on January 1, 2012.