Many American Jews are rethinking and re-directing their giving to Israel, to the right and to the left, as a response to changing dynamics, both religious and social, that the country is currently experiencing. by Avrum D. Lapin In EHL Consulting’s recent presentation with Dan Brown in Jerusalem, I tried to give an overview of how the current social and political environment in the State of Israel and the accompanying realities feed misperceptions and impact upon giving here in the United States. Through an interactive presentation, the event attendees and I discussed the view from the U.S. marketplace, and potential consequences, and worked through EHL Consulting’s recommended strategies for Israel-based nonprofits to successfully navigate the evolving environment, to communicate their … [Read more...]

Writing in The Jewish Week, Gary Rosenblatt offers an insightful look at where Jack Rosen and the American Jewish Congress stands today: What’s your definition of a “major national Jewish organization”? Could it be made up of less than 20 people? Don’t laugh. Consider the case of the American Jewish Congress. The storied organization, dating back to 1918 and led in its early years by such illustrious figures as Rabbi Stephen S. Wise, Felix Frankfurter and Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, suspended its activities in the summer of 2010, having lost virtually all of its money and staff in the Madoff scandal. But while many mourned the loss of a once proud, grass-roots defense agency that championed equal rights and was known for its expertise on church-state issues, few … [Read more...]

by Emily Bernstein I often say I made Aliyah to Jerusalem. I chose Jerusalem. In my eyes, Jerusalem was home. It was a place of mythical proportions. In Jerusalem, I could not forget that I was living in the Jewish state filled with my ancestor’s history. In my eyes, Jerusalem was romantic. The city, which is Israel’s capital, is romantic. It is mythic. To go to Jerusalem, is literally to l’alot (go up) - physically and spiritually. In Jerusalem, a person is on a higher plain. From certain viewpoints, it is majestic - offering a peak into a narrative and collective identity that stretches back thousands of years. It is the epicenter of monotheistic religions. But, it is also a modern city and a uniquely challenging one at that. While it is easy to be swept away by the … [Read more...]