New MetroWest Federation CEO Brings Bold Vision for Jewish Community Leadership
Meredith Dragon steps into role at America’s 8th largest Jewish federation with decades of experience and unwavering commitment to interfaith dialogue
After 25 years of transformative leadership in Jewish federations across the country, Meredith Dragon has assumed the helm of the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest (N.J.), bringing a powerful message of resilience, community building, and the critical importance of interfaith partnerships in today’s challenging landscape.
Leadership Profile
Dragon succeeds Dov Ben-Shimon, who led the federation for a decade, stepping into her new role this week as CEO and executive vice president of New Jersey’s largest Jewish philanthropy and the eighth largest Jewish federation in America.
Proven Track Record of Excellence
Dragon’s impressive career trajectory includes serving as executive director of the Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts and most recently as CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester, where she established herself as a fundraising powerhouse and community advocate.
🏆 Career Achievements
- Set multiple fundraising records during Rochester tenure
- Raised over $5 million for ROCStrong Safety & Security Campaign
- Established the Levine Center to End Hate
- Successfully guided community through pandemic, October 7th attacks, and rising antisemitism
- 25+ years of executive leadership in Jewish federations
Strategic Vision for MetroWest
Dragon emphasizes her strength in “galvanizing teams around shared purpose and goals,” planning to work closely with lay leadership, volunteers, and staff to identify and address the most pressing community needs. Her immediate focus includes implementing a comprehensive strategic plan and significantly improving the federation’s marketing and branding efforts.
When you look at the amount of money that is raised and distributed in the MetroWest area across the globe and in Israel, there is a significant amount of impact, and we have to do a much better job telling that story.
Global Impact and Israeli Partnerships
Dragon is particularly excited about MetroWest’s unique partnerships in Israel, including five distinct community relationships. Most notably, the federation maintains a rare partnership with the Druze community in Hurfeish, demonstrating its commitment to diverse coalition-building even during wartime.
🤝 Israeli Partnership Communities
Confronting Antisemitism with Strength
Dragon’s leadership has been tested by direct antisemitic attacks, including a bigoted cartoon sent to Rochester officials depicting her as a “pro-Israel dominatrix.” Rather than retreat, she transformed the attack into a symbol of empowerment, even having the boots from the cartoon recreated and wearing them proudly.
🛡️ Facing Hatred with Resilience
The antisemitic cartoon, which Dragon notes was “reflective of things that you would see in Nazi Germany,” became a rallying point for her community and a stark reminder of the real and present dangers facing Jewish communities today.
Dragon’s Response: “I will not let a cowardly cartoonist derail me and what I believe in and what I stand for… Being able to take something ugly and turn it around and make it empowering.”
Commitment to Staff and Community Support
Recognizing the intense pressure facing federation employees in the current climate, Dragon emphasizes an open-door policy, family-first values, and plans for team-building initiatives to ensure staff cohesion and clarity of mission during these challenging times.
Dragon’s Philosophy on Community Engagement
The Imperative of Interfaith Leadership
Perhaps Dragon’s most compelling message centers on the critical importance of continued interfaith engagement, even when traditional allies may falter. She argues that Jewish community isolation is not just counterproductive—it’s dangerous.
“If people are not going to be our partners and our allies, even when they have been in the past, it means that we need to find new partners and new allies,” Dragon explains. “We don’t have the luxury to stop trying, and there are great allies out there.”
Looking Forward
As Dragon prepares for her upcoming trip to Israel in late October and early November to meet staff and visit partnership communities, she brings a clear vision of transparency, community engagement, and unwavering advocacy for Jewish values and safety.
Her leadership philosophy, forged through decades of experience and tested by direct antisemitic attacks, positions MetroWest Federation to navigate current challenges while building bridges for a more secure and connected Jewish future.
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