SAM GRUNDWERG serves as World Chairman of Keren Hayesod – UIA (United Israel Appeal). Prior to this role he served as Consul General of Israel in Los Angeles. He was appointed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and, from 2016 to 2018, he was the senior representative of the State of Israel to the Southwestern United States.

Immediately before becoming Consul General, Mr. Grundwerg served as Director General in Israel for the World Jewish Congress, an international organization representing Jewish communities in over 100 countries to governments, parliaments and other international organizations.

Before joining the World Jewish Congress, Mr. Grundwerg worked as an attorney at a major international law firm in the United States and held positions in the fields of law and finance in the United States and Israel. He earned his Juris Doctor law degree from the University of Miami School of Law and holds an M.B.A. in finance from the University of Miami School of Business, as well as an undergraduate degree from Bar Ilan University.

In September 2022, the Jerusalem Post named Mr. Grundwerg as one of the top 50 most influential Jews of 2022.

Born and raised in Miami Beach, Florida, Mr. Grundwerg fulfilled a lifelong dream and moved to Israel in 1990 and made Aliyah soon afterward. Once in Israel, he served as a combat soldier in the IDF armored corps, and later in the IDF reserves as a casualty officer.

Mr. Grundwerg is married to Julia, a nurse. The couple has three children, Elisha, Felicia and Sarita.