BJF CEO Danny Cohn taking position at St. Louis Federation
Danny Cohn will be stepping down as CEO of the Birmingham Jewish Federation in March to take the same role at the Jewish Federation of St. Louis.
In a community letter on Dec. 10, Cohn said “This decision was not an easy one, as the past few years have been among the most transformative and meaningful of my professional life.”
For Cohn, this will be an opportunity to return to the Midwest. He grew up in Omaha and has also lived in Chicago and Cincinnati.
Cohn arrived in Birmingham in 2020, just five days before everything shut down at the beginning of the Covid pandemic. “Together, we navigated a global crisis, stood firm in our support for Ukraine and responded to the urgent needs of Israel and our brothers and sisters there during this horrific war,” he said. “In these moments of uncertainty and strife, the resilience, courage, and generosity of this community shone brightly.”
He came to Birmingham after five years as director of marketing and communications for the Arbor Day Foundation in Omaha.
Jack Aland, president of the BJF, said during Cohn’s tenure, “the Federation has been revitalized providing more opportunities for community growth and engagement than ever before. His oversight and execution of the recent integration with the Birmingham Jewish Foundation has been critical to serving our donors and community partners in imaginative and more efficient ways.”
He added, “Danny has inspired us and has ensured we continue to be a vibrant Southern Jewish Community. I can assure you, because of his very talented team that he has assembled, the Federation is poised for even greater heights in 2025.”
Cohn said “I know that the important work we have begun together will continue to flourish long after my tenure. This community’s commitment has left an indelible mark on me, and I am confident it will carry forward into the future.”
In St. Louis, Cohn will be charged with helping implement a new strategic plan that their Federation approved earlier this year.
The BJF will soon announce interim arrangements and plans for the search for a new CEO.
