Yehuda Setton has served as CEO and Director General of The Jewish Agency since 2024.

During a period marked by crisis and global instability, he has led a strategic transformation of the organization, refocusing its work on rebuilding Israel and strengthening mutual responsibility across the Jewish world. He has overseen major emergency response efforts, including during the wars with Iran, and spearheaded key initiatives such as the first-ever Bnei Menashe Aliyah operation.

Prior to this, he served as COO & Chief Program Officer for five years, where he lead the implementation of the organization’s strategy, program development and operations, and supervised all the program units and worldwide operations of the organization in 66 countries. In this capacity, he managed the organization’s response to the Ukraine crisis, the largest life-saving and Aliyah operation in the last 30 years, as well as the Swords of Iron War from October 7th onwards, throughout which he lead the organization’s Emergency Roundtable.

Yehuda joined The Jewish Agency in 2008, when he served as the central Shaliach for the Israeli Scouts youth movement in Los Angeles. He later became the head of The Jewish Agency’s delegation in the southwest United States. Upon his return to Israel, Yehuda fulfilled various management roles in The Jewish Agency where he developed new models for Shlichut, established The Shlichut Institute, and increased the number of Shlichim by 60%.

Yehuda was a founder of the Israeli Scouts’ program to incorporate special-needs teens into the Scouts movement. Today he is a volunteer and board member of several NGOs dealing with education, Zionism and supporting vulnerable populations.

As CEO of The Jewish Agency, Yehuda was included in Yediot Ahronot’s list of the 70 Leaders of Israel for 2025, Maariv’s list of the 100 most influential people in Israel for 2025, and Calcalist’s list of the 20 most influential executives in Israel’s public sector for 2026.

Yehuda completed a M.A. in American Jewish Studies through the Ruderman Program at the University of Haifa and holds a B.A. in Management and Human Resources from the College of Management Academic Studies.

He and his wife Michal live in Eliav, a shared community of religious and secular Israelis with a pluralistic vision. They have three children – Tavor, Maya and Nevo.