Daniel Diker, a noted foreign policy and media expert, was nominated as the next Secretary General of the World Jewish Congress (WJC).
He will succeed Michael Schneider, who is to step down after forty years of service in Jewish public life, at the next WJC Governing Board meeting to be held June 2011 in Jerusalem.
Diker has served as WJC's Director for Strategic Affairs since May, 2010 and since early 2009 has served as WJC Middle East adviser on policy and diplomacy.
Diker comes to the WJC following nearly ten years at the Jerusalem Center of Public Affairs (JCPA) where he served in a variety of roles, including as director of its Institute for Contemporary Affairs – the Center's public diplomacy institute.
At the JCPA, Diker produced and edited several books on the Iranian nuclear threat, Israeli-Palestinian diplomacy and on Israeli defense and national security issues.
A former Knesset affairs correspondent for Israel's Channel One English television service, he also served as a featured commentator on international news networks covering Middle East affairs and US-Israel relations.
WJC President Ronald S. Lauder, former US Ambassador to Austria and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for European and NATO Affairs, welcomed Diker's designation. "Dan Diker brings to the WJC a unique set of talents, skills and strengths that will help us achieve our goals of uniting, defending and strengthening our global community and constituency.
WJC President Ronald Lauder, former US Ambassador to Austria and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for European and NATO Affairs, said Diker’s nomination "brings great energy, vision and political will to help forge new directions for the WJC and help strengthen the bond of Jewish communities worldwide and fortify their relationship with the State of Israel."
In 2007, at the request of President Ronald Lauder and the WJC leadership, Schneider agreed to lead the WJC as Secretary General at a time of internal turbulence and uncertainty.
The WJC says he successfully continued the efforts of his predecessor, Stephen Herbits, to restore the organization's
credibility and prestige as a leader in world Jewish diplomacy and as the representative of nearly 100 Jewish communities around the globe.
"With Dan Diker taking over, the WJC is going from strength to strength, and is poised to play an increasingly important role in protecting the rights and vital interests of Jewish communities worldwide," Lauder added.