Executive Director, Jewish Federation of Eastern Connecticut, Retired
Jerry Fischer holds a B.A. from City College of New York and an M.A. in Ethnomusicology from Hunter College, CUNY and in Musicology from Harvard. At Harvard, he conducted graduate studies in folklore and anthropology, specializing in French folk music in Nova Scotia and a Steel Drum band in Dorchester. After serving in various roles in Jewish Community Centers, he became the Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Eastern Connecticut in 1984, retiring from that position in 2019. During his tenure he developed influential programs on holocaust education and African American experiences in Eastern CT and substantially expanded adult Jewish education. He also led over 25 educational trips to Israel. He is an accomplished documentary filmmaker, focusing on New London County’s ethnic groups. He is currently working on the documentary, “Henny and Hannover” for CPTV, depicting the story of a Holocaust survivor who settled in Colchester, CT.