Jonathan Lavine is the Chair of Bain Capital. In 1998, he founded Bain Capital Special Situations and Bain Capital Credit. For decades, Jonathan and his wife Jeannie have provided consistent support to Combined Jewish Philanthropies and have invested in Israel and Jewish initiatives. Jonathan says that his experience on a CJP mission to Israel in 2012 opened his eyes "to the diverse fabric of CJP's work, and how we can pursue our desire for social change and express our Jewish identity."

The Lavines’ contributions to CJP's programs, Onward Israel Boston and Alternative Spring Break, help to build the connection that Jewish young adults have with Israel. The Lavines established the Lavine Family Leadership and Service Learning Fund with CJP, which allowed CJP to expand Onward Israel Boston and helped to fund the transformational Alternative Spring Break program. In addition to annual giving, the Lavines donated $1 million in 2017 to support CJP’s renovation efforts. The Lavines’ yearly contributions give CJP the flexibility to invest in important focus areas that continue to strengthen the Jewish community.

Jeannie and Jonathan Lavine proudly support a number of other Jewish organizations including Brandeis University, the American World Jewish Service, Kraft Center for Jewish Student Life, and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). In 2012, the ADL commemorated its 100th year by honoring Jonathan Lavine with its Distinguished Community Service Award, its highest honor in New England. The award celebrated his civic leadership and his service to improve communities. Jonathan was later appointed to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council in 2016 by President Obama and re-appointed in 2023 by President Biden.

In addition to his contributions to the Jewish community, Jonathan serves on the board of City Year. In 2015, he was recognized as a Champion of National Service at the 12th annual Friends of National Service Awards. Jonathan received the Alexander Hamilton Medal, Columbia College’s highest honor for contributions to the college community, in 2017.

In recent years, the Lavines have partnered with the Library of Congress and Ken Burns to establish the Library Of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize For Film. This prize recognizes documentarians who produce excellent films that enrich democracy and inform our history.

The Lavines are involved with numerous other civic and charitable organizations. Much of their philanthropic efforts are focused on supporting underserved students and families through organizations like uAspire, as well as scholarships for first generation students at Harvard Business School. The Lavines also support initiatives for medical research and advancement through Brigham & Women’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

For more information, follow Jonathan on X, LinkedIn and YouTube.