PHILANTHROPY

Ronald Lauder

President of the World Jewish Congress

Ronald Lauder is an American businessman, billionaire, philanthropist and art collector, and the president of the World Jewish Congress (WJC), a position he has held since 2007. Before November’s US Midterm elections, the New York Times observed that Lauder had become the “most prolific state political donor in memory,” pouring funds into Republican Party campaigns, including an $11 million donation to Lee Zeldin’s ultimately unsuccessful run for governor. Lauder continues to devote much of his fortune to Jewish causes, with the Ronald S. Lauder Foundation supporting Jewish kindergartens, schools and youth centers in Europe as an investment in the future of Jewish life on the continent. (Photo: Wikimedia / Creative Commons License)