Carey Cooper named JUF Board Chair

As a young adult, Carey Cooper would join his grandfather, Eli Field, for lunch almost every week.  

“I viewed him as a mentor,” Cooper recalls.  “He was just a remarkable guy—small in stature but with a powerful and charismatic personality.”   

In addition to serving as a role model to his grandson, Field was an influential figure within JUF, where he served as a board member for 14 years and as General Campaign Chair.  Eli and his wife, Dina, endowed the EZRA Multi-Service Center, which is named in their honor.  

“He gave me my love of Jewish life,” Cooper says, and instilled in him the importance of giving back to the community.  

Cooper has been upholding the standard set by his grandfather for many years; that is especially true today, in his role as JUF’s new Board Chair.  

Cooper was officially installed as chair following the Jewish Federation of Chicago’s Annual Meeting in September.  He took on his new duties at a somber moment for the Cooper family, as the Annual Meeting was held just days after the passing of Cooper’s father, Phil Cooper.  During the event, Carey Cooper said that his father’s “memory lives on with us forever.” 

Cooper also used his remarks to praise his predecessor, Wendy C. Abrams, for providing “exceptional and inspirational leadership” and for her “unmatched love of community.”  

Among the areas where Cooper hopes to make an impact is expanding opportunities for connection among young people, beginning at summer camp and extending to college campuses. “I am really focused on providing support to Jewish college students around the country,” he said, including in their efforts combatting antisemitism.  

Cooper places a priority on teens and young adults experiencing Israel firsthand.  “There’s no better way” to foster Jewish engagement, he said, than having “young people’s eyes opened to what Israel and the Jewish people are all about.”  While in high school, Cooper spent two months working on a kibbutz. His grandfather later took the entire family to Israel.    

As a former president of the Bernard Weinger JCC, Cooper is well-versed in the links between JUF and its partner agencies and values their “enormous work providing meaningful benefits to the Jewish community.” He said that JUF’s organizational network and local synagogues “are all part of the puzzle of making sure that Jews in need are taken care of here in the Chicago area.”   

Playing a prominent role within the Jewish community is familiar territory for Cooper, who became a YLD board member in the 1980s and held key positions within Keshet and JCC, before chairing JUF’s 2023 Annual Campaign.  He also joined the Young Presidents Organization and its Mosaic chapter, consisting of business professionals united in support of Israel.   

Cooper served as vice president of the Fragile X Foundation and president of the Cove School, a place he called “very near and dear to my heart” because of its commitment to people with special needs, a priority which also inspired his work with Keshet. Additionally, Cooper has promoted efforts to enhance services for adults with disabilities through his meaningful support of JUF’s Encompass initiative.  

On top of his substantial volunteer work is his entrepreneurial success. He led several firms in the food and beverage and supply chain industries and co-founded Cooper Management, LLC, in 2002.  

Cooper credits his wife, Cheryl, as his “compass” on Jewish life. They are the proud parents of three children and have six grandchildren, all of whom live within two miles of them.  “I am incredibly blessed,” he said. 

His mother, Sandra, was among those in attendance at the annual meeting to watch Cooper carry on the family’s proud tradition of service to Chicago’s Jewish community. Sandra and Phil had been married for 71 years, and Carey said that her presence at his installation “was incredibly meaningful.” Also present was his mother-in-law, Sashie, who has been an active supporter of CJE SeniorLife.   

“Carey brings unparalleled experiences to this role, combined with a deep dedication to improving people’s lives and enhancing Jewish life, all of which will benefit JUF and the community we serve,” said JUF President Lonnie Nasatir.  “We feel extremely fortunate to have been guided so skillfully by Wendy Abrams over the past two years, and JUF is positioned for continued success under Carey’s leadership.”  

William Weinberg is JUF’s Director of Communications.