[by Shiela Steinman Wallace]
Jewish Community of Louisville Board Chair David Klein announced Ralph Green will chair the 2011 Annual Campaign. “I’m pleased and thankful that Ralph has agreed to lead our Annual Campaign, now, it’s up to us to support him. We all have very full lives and it is hard for one individual to shoulder the responsibility as Campaign Chair. To be successful, it’s going to require community-wide involvement to share in the leadership.”
“I think we’re at a turning point for our Jewish community’s future,” Green said. “I see very positive changes taking place that bode very well for our Jewish community. The choice of Stu Silberman is an excellent one, and I feel very comfortable that as a team with the strong support of the Campaign Cabinet, we will have a very successful and rejuvenated Campaign this year.” The Campaign Cabinet is now in formation.
Klein and Green have been friends for a long time. “Ralph was one of the small group on my first trip to Israel,” Klein explained. “In fact, he instrumental in getting me reengaged with the Jewish community. Ralph is so giving of his time and so passionate about Israel and the Jewish community that it’s infectious.”
After meeting with Green and his wife, Shellie Branson, and a few others, Klein said, “We had an interesting and honest conversation about evaluating what we have been doing over the past few years in an effort to appeal to a broader segment of the community, yet balance that with the continuous generosity of our existing donors. I came away excited about the possibilities and ready to work with Ralph and I call on everyone who’s involved with our agencies and congregations to get involved and support the Campaign.”
Green has been a leader in the Louisville Jewish community for many years. A steadfast supporter of Israel who has supported the Campaign in many ways and worked hard to ensure that the Jewish community would have committed, skilled leadership for the future, accepting the lead of this year’s Campaign is a natural step.
“I’m looking to those who have been involved in the past to get involved again,” Green said, and to those who have not been involved before to get involved.” Working together on behalf of the Jewish community, he believes the 2011 Campaign will be strong, laying the foundation that “will ensure a bright and long future for Jews in Louisville.”
In the 1980’s and 90’s, Green held several leadership positions with the Jewish Community Federation and the Jewish Community Center, the predecessors of the Jewish Community of Louisville. He co-chaired the Young Adult Division (YAD) for the Annual Campaign and chaired the two-year Young Leadership Development program. He has been to Israel several times, leading the YLD Mission and several other groups.
Nationally, both Green and his wife, Shellie Branson, have served on the United Jewish Appeal’s (UJA) Young Leadership Cabinet.
In addition, he’s been a member of both the Federation and JCC Boards.
More recently, he served as Louisville’s chair of Partnership with Israel and participated in the ERG emergency response training program at Western Galilee Hospital in Nahariya, Israel. He’s also a member of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which advocates for Israel.
Other Jewish organizations in Louisville have benefited from Green’s leadership. He has served as president of the Louisville Hebrew School and Congregation Adath Jeshurun, where he continues to be a member. In the past, he was also a member of B’nai B’rith.
For 28 years, Green has maintained a private practice in oral and maxillofacial surgery, and he is a part-time member of the faculty in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University of Louisville.
Green attended Purdue University, then received early acceptance into the University of Louisville’s School of Dentistry. He earned his DMD in 1979 and earned certification in oral and maxillofacial surgery in 1983. He is Board Certified.
Branson shares Green’s commitment to the JCL. A Lion of Judah, she, too has been a Campaign leader and has been involved with many different activities in the Jewish community.
Green and Branson have three children, Jordan, Alex and Eric.