The blog-o-sphere has been carrying reports for several weeks now about the impending budget revision and upcoming staff cuts at the UJC. Apparently it became 'sort of official' yesterday. We'll stay away from playing the "he said / she said" that will surely continue surrounding this financial crisis and staff upheaval. However, we find one new budget item of the UJC particularly interesting... according to UJC Chair Joe Kanfer, "the UJC will add a $750,000 e-philanthropy initiative to the budget." Maybe, in part, it has to do with this opening, Senior Manager, Ephilanthropy, that the UJC has been trying to fill since before the GA. Among other position responsibilities: to develop, launch and help federations implement strong e-philanthropy initiatives that include data ...

From the Jerusalem Post... "Here is something of a reality check about American Jewish finances. They are not what they used to be. True, we have it easier here than in most places. But across the US, the relentless news is about economic woes, the collapse of the mortgage market and home foreclosures. When traditional news broadcasts offer "consumer segments" about saving on your household grocery bill, something is sad and scary in the US. Shortly before the recent Wall Street and real estate woes sent jitters through philanthropic organizations in the New York area, some local Jewish federations quietly let it ...

We have all seen stories of how media exposure has helped facilitate change. Certainly the downfall of New York's last governor was accelerated by a New York Times article.

But what about the blog-o-sphere. And particularly in our Jewish world, what place do blogs play and what place (in an ideal world) should they play.

The blog world has been instrumental in bringing into the open the apparent on-going strife at the UJC. Whether it is from anonymous bloggers at Disunited Jewish Communities or a long established communal leader and critic like Richard Wexler blogging with particular insight at UJ Thee and Me, blogs have made a visible impact. The former even bearing mention in a recent ...

We all know by now that last week the prestigious Israel Prize (for Lifetime Achievement) has been awarded to the Jewish Agency in honor of 80 years of service. The UJC has sent their congrats as has Keren Hayesod. And of course Haaretz has weighed in with their perspective... "I don't know if anyone ever tried to work out the average age of Israel Prize recipients, but the profile is fairly standard. A man or woman in their seventies or eighties, hailed for decades of service in academia or some other worthy pursuit and for his or hers past contribution to Israeli society. Sad but true, this is usually a pre-obituary, almost-last honor, ...

According to an article in today's Haaretz, "The Jewish Agency is planning to close one of its most historically important branches, the Immigration and Absorption Department, as part of a radical restructuring plan, Agency sources said Wednesday. The plan, which Agency officials consider to be a major change in the identity of the organization that predates the creation of Israel and has existed in its current form since 1948, will introduce reforms aimed at addressing a series of financial and political blows that have plagued the organization in recent years." "The Agency has been taking punches from every direction in recent years; politically, organizationally and [in terms of] its image," a senior Agency official said. Donations made by individuals in the ...

The shekel-dollar exchange rate continues its downward trend, falling to NIS 3.36/$. (as of 4:30 pm IST, Wednesday) At the recent JAFI Board of Governor's Meeting we heard about the significant effect the falling dollar was having on this year's budget. On CNN yesterday, an in-depth report on American citizens working in Europe paid with dollar salaries and how the falling value effects their everyday purchases at the market. Now, today in Haaretz, an article on how this historic low is challenging the local NGO community. "Hundreds of local social charities and nonprofit groups that depend on funding from abroad fear that the continuing decline of the dollar exchange rate, combined with the growing U.S. economic crisis, will force them to ...

Some doom-sayers worry about the intermarriage rate; others the shrinking birthrate in the Jewish community; or the lack of reasonably priced communal affiliation. Guess for these people the glass is always half empty. For those of us on the other side, those of us who see the beginnings of a new golden age of Jewish communal innovation, those of us out in the trenches (so to speak) with the new, young innovators, the students in the various professional programs, and the just all around 'younger' interested and non-affiliated, not only is the glass not half empty, it's close to overflowing! The most recent example, this past week's Jewlicious Festival 4.0. Writing on the Jewlicious blog, "ck" ...

In light of the security situation in Sderot and the Gaza perimeter, the Jewish Agency is giving $1.7 in scholarships to the Sapir College in Sderot. The scholarships of $1000 each will be given to 1,700 students studying at the college. The funds were raised by the UJC. This significant assistance for the college will help Sapir continue to function and grow. The scholarships will be available in the coming weeks to students currently enrolled. Hundreds of students receiving scholarships are also involved with volunteer work in the local community, particularly assisting children and young people. According to JAFI Chairperson Zeev Bielski "the best answer to the murderous attacks on the college is to support the college by providing an incentive ...

One of the biggest conversations in the Jewish world today is the interaction between the Diaspora and Israel. Or, if you are sitting on this side of the ocean, between Israel and the Diaspora. Therefore, with JAFI Board Members beginning to congregate in Jerusalem for their upcoming meetings, it was no surprise that a closed-door session at the Prime Minister's Office late Wednesday, was leaked to the press last night in time to be THE headline splashed across the Israeli press this morning (this one from JPost)...

Olmert's task force aims to revolutionize Israeli-Diaspora ties;

"U.S. Jewry is in crisis, and we can help"

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has established an unprecedented high-level government task force charged with ...

It's sleeting (here) in Jerusalem; the Winograd Committee is set to deliver their final report later this afternoon and I would like to share some thoughts on a session I attended last week at the Herzliya Conference. The session was billed as, 'Rethinking Jewish Philanthropy – Interrelations between Israel and the Diaspora'. A more apt title would have been, 'An Infomercial from JAFI and the N.Y. Federation'. I really should not complain. For the first time ever the subject of Jewish Philanthropy has reached the table at the Herzliya Conference. And however brief (only 45 minutes) and the only session I attended that did not allow follow-up questions, or comments, at least there was a presence. For ...