Birthright Israel Names Simon Amiel Executive Vice President, North America

A Seattle native, Amiel brings extensive experience in Jewish communal leadership, Israel education, and cross-sector partnership-building across North America and Israel. He currently serves as Executive Director of RootOne, an organization that makes it possible for thousands of North American teens to build lifelong connections to Israel through immersive travel experiences each year. His previous leadership roles include senior positions at Hillel and City Year.

Widely recognized as a thoughtful leader and strong collaborator, Amiel is deeply committed to advancing Jewish engagement. He will succeed Elizabeth “Liz” Sokolsky, who is stepping down after more than two decades of leadership at Birthright Israel and a distinguished career in Jewish communal life.

“Simon is a mission-driven leader with a deep understanding of the North American Jewish landscape. His experience, relationships, and vision will be instrumental as we continue to grow our impact and strengthen connections to Israel for the next generation. We look forward to welcoming him to the team and are confident he will bring strategic vision, energy, and leadership to the role,” said Gidi Mark, International CEO of Birthright Israel.

“On behalf of myself and everyone at Birthright Israel, I want to express our heartfelt thanks and deepest gratitude to Liz Sokolsky for her 26 years of visionary leadership and dedicated service to the Jewish people. Liz will remain with us through the end of the year and will help onboard Simon and support a smooth transition. We are grateful to Liz for her leadership and for her continued partnership during this period,” Mark added.