LIVING LEADERSHIP

On May 29, the Chicago Jewish community gave a party in celebration of Steve Nasatir's incredible.career. Over 1200 celebrated together with Steve and his family joined by his colleagues from across the country, Israeli Ambassador Sallai Meridor, Chicago's new Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Governor J.B. Pritzker, Steve's wife, Carolyn, the remarfkable philanthropist Lester Crown, and so many more. It was a night to remember Steve's incredible career; forty years of unheard of accomplishments. I and so many more had the opportunity to be aboard for part or all of Steve's ride...but, at the end of the day, this was Steve's ride...and we were and are so grateful for it.

Not to be too hyperbolic, but to define Steve Nasatir as a remarkable communal professional is like calling Picasso a painter, Pavarotti a singer, Chopin a pianist. Steve Nasatir has been without question the quintessential professional leader of the Jewish Federation Movement in the 20th and 21st centuries -- he has not been a mere observer of Modern Jewish history, he has been too busy writing that history. 

In our lives as Chicagoans, we have been privileged to have lived in the eras of Gale Sayers and Michael Jordan and Frank Thomas (there were probably some Cubs in there too but not in a Post about Steve, the ultimate White Sox fan) -- players who, when they grabbed the football or basketball or stepped into the batter's box, everything seemed to stop so we could watch greatness. And, I/we lived in Steve Nasatir's leadership era, blessed to be part of it; not as observers but as participants.

Steve lived and breathed the cornerstone of federation qua federation: collective responsibility. He built upon Chicago's historic commitment to the collective in incredible ways -- in our communal support of JFNA's Budget, of Chicago's role in leadership of every great Campaign; in our annual allocations to the core budgets of JAFI and JDC. Steve drove our local leadership to greater resource development year-after-year-after year. 

It was Nasatir and Nasatir alone whose creativity led to the conceptualization of the Trust for Jewish Philanthropy, ONAD, Right Start, our own incredible Operation Exodus Campaign (wherein Chicago assured that local agency allocations were protected and, at the end, Exodus gifts were folded into the annual campaigns going forward). Steve literally led generations of donors who contributed in excess of $8 billion to the Chicago Jewish United Fund over his years in leadership -- to continue the sports analogy, the equivalent of Barry Bonds record of 762 career home runs (and with no allegations of steroids!). Sure, there were failures -- but those were not in Steve's ideas but in their execution by others. I, like so many, believe that had Nasatir chosen to accept the offer of CEO of the newly merged entity two decades ago, the Federation Movement would be as strong as it is in Chicago, Cleveland, Baltimore...

And, as Steve passes the mantle of leadership he leaves behind a legacy, the highest bar possible for his successor. He also will steward a $52 Million Fund for the Future created by Chicago philanthropists as they honored Steve for his decades of service. We hear rumors that the first project to be funded will focus on in-depth Israel experiences for young Jews. in the eighth grade -- further the pioneering work embodied in Chicago's in Steve Nasatir's JUF Right Start, already adopted by 6 communities beyond Chicago.

Steve Nasatir always has looked to the future as does this new and important Fund. Chicago's lay and professional leaders of today are his legacy. His work continues.

Thanks Steve.

Rwexler