Jennifer Gorovitz Resigns as San Francisco Federation Chief

Jennifer Gorovitz resigned as CEO of the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco.

Gorovitz, the first woman to lead a major American Jewish federation, will step down from her post on March 31, according to a Friday news release.

In a letter dated Jan. 3, Gorovitz said that after 10 “phenomenal” years with the federation, she was leaving “to pursue a more private life with my family and to my first passion and previous career as an attorney.”

Gorovitz was tapped for the top job in 2010 after serving as acting CEO since 2009. She has been with the federation for 10 years, previously serving as chief of staff and director of funds and foundations.

Six months after getting the CEO job, she was named to the annual Forward 50 list of the country’s most influential Jews.

Also in 2010, Gorovitz helped steer the federation through the controversy resulting from its decision to establish formal criteria for its funding of Israel programs. The controversy arose after the federation-funded San Francisco Film Festival screened a film about Rachel Corrie, an American activist killed by an Israeli bulldozer while protesting Palestinian home demolitions.