by Lee Wunsch
What is “community”? This is a difficult question to ask and, today, for many Jewish Federations, it is an existential one as well.
Since the dawn of the Jewish Federation system we have led the Jewish people through their darkest hours and brightest moments. We helped build the State of Israel. We rescued Jews in peril around the world. We developed local infrastructures of social services and educational institutions second to none. We created a philanthropic enterprise that is the envy of many. And we have been the defining and collective voice of our respective communities. Of our history, we have much to be proud.
But what about our future?
In an era of increasing boutique philanthropy, escalating individualism, growing institutional and organizational silos, and the challenges of engaging the “next” generation, our missions are being compromised. Perhaps not all, but many Jewish Federations are facing diminished fundraising results, loss of donors, loss of market share, and an aging cadre of volunteer and professional leadership.
While our major overseas partners quarrel about the share of funds allocated to each of their organizations, Israel-Diaspora relations are changing rapidly redefining our historic connections to the State of Israel and the people of Israel. While individual Jewish Federations struggle with fundraising, local and overseas recipient organizations are directly competing with Federations for a greater share of local charitable dollars. And, while individual Jewish Federations consider their future, local, national and overseas organizations are guilty of “mission creep” – changing their historic (and often successfully fulfilled) missions simply to remain intact as organizations. They are focused on self-perpetuation, not securing the future of the Jewish people. And, all of this is leading to the devolution of “community” – our traditional mandate of “collective responsibility” is evolving into “self responsibility.”
What’s the answer?
The top professional leaders of our Federations, many close to retirement age, have to ask bold, courageous and gutsy questions. They must exercise strong leadership, encourage vigorous debate and respond with an audacious vision for their community. Now is not the time to be timid, vague and unclear. Now is the time to take risks (and most nonprofits are risk-adverse). Now is the time to recognize that, without such leadership, our Federations will continue in a slow downward spiral. Without serious and proactive intervention, I am concerned for our future – as individual Federations and as the embodiment of K’lal Yisrael.
We can continue to do business as usual, “pat ourselves on the backs,” and regale in our glorious history, or, we can hold up a mirror, look at ourselves with all of our flaws and blemishes, and engage in some serious and meaningful introspection.
Engaging in this introspection is difficult and painful. It is uncertain and indecisive. Leaders, particularly professionals, don’t like to work in this environment. We like to know the way down the path and we want to know the outcome before the process has started. But, in today’s environment, replete with demographic changes, economic uncertainty, intense competition and entrenched interests, we have to change our way of thinking.
Our community has started down this path through both tactical and strategic considerations; we have begun a serious local conversation about the future of the community and the Federation. I hope that others will join us and that the Jewish Federations of North America will set aside its short-term planned goals and refocus all of its energy and collective resources on the strategic – building the future of a potentially amazing enterprise.
Lee Wunsch is President and CEO of Jewish Federation of Greater Houston.
This article first appeared in The Federation Connection blog; reprinted with permission.
With all due respect to Mr. Wunsch, are he and the Houston Federation just becoming aware of these issues? I mean, seriously, it seems to me that the federation system has been having the difficult conversations for years. Jewish academics and researchers have been issuing warnings for a decade. E-Jewish Philanthropy, which hasn’t been around all that long, has been a major forum (along with others) for expression of the very views Mr. Wunsch seems to be just discovering. No offense, but Mr. Wunsch’s call to not be timid,and to follow Houston’s example are more of a very late “me too” than a “follow me.” Even JFNA beat Mr. Wunsch to the punch in recognizing the need for change when it hired Jerry Silverman, a dynamic, savvy executive who gets that it’s all about value and impact (to donors, stakeholders, partners and beneficiaries).
It’s not problem recognition that is the challenge (although to be fair there are many Federation veterans, lay and pro, who refuse to accept that change is required), it’s problem solving and action that seems to be the challenge. Here, too, Mr. Wunsch leaves us empty, for in the section called “What’s the Answer” he offers none other than to suggest “painful and difficult” introspection.
Maybe I’m being a bit harsh — maybe Mr. Wunsch isn’t just discovering the challenges, maybe it’s just the first time he’s expressing his recognition. Maybe that, in and of itself, is worthy of note. If that’s the case, Kol Ha-Kavod. At the same time, maybe this is a problem in the federation system — too many federation CEOs are too quiet for too long. I just hope it’s not too late.
Pete — I’m not one to respond to each and every response on various blogs but I think you’ve missed the point of my post. While academics and others may have recognized the challenges facing Jewish Federations, individual Federations have been very slow stepping up to the mirror to do the serious introspection I suggested — the economic crisis has accelerated the challenges and my blog (first posted on the JFNA website) was an acknowledgement that we better to look deep into that mirror and be honest with ourselves – we don’t have much time. I can only do “what’s right” for the Federation I lead; others have to do their thing. I have confidence in Jerry Silverman’s abilities but he has an oil tanker to turn (pardon the Texas metaphor); the real action has to start with individual Federations — we are a “system” but not a “national organization” in the conventional sense.
You will be to be your own judge as to whether you were too harsh or not — I have “thick skin”!
Pete — one other comment. I have some answers for Houston. The problem is not coming up with the answers — to solve a problem, you first have to acknowledge that one exists. I don’t think most Federations have acknowledged there is a problem.
Many Federation Directors are aware of the challenges we are now facing but it has been very difficult to motivate lay leadership to respond. Unfortunately our culture is one of “and now this” disposable mentality. Federation’s product is not the latest, sexiest player on the block as far a donors go. It is too intangible and diffuse for the next generation. The next generation’s players want something more “hip”, concrete, interactive, personal to spend their dollars on.
Federation needs to stop tip toeing around dealing with intermarrieds. There is need for attention for offering programs that encourage direct involvement with social action programs and beneficiaries. The environment is also another area of interest to more people, and young people especially.
I agree that the various Jewish Federations need to take a close look at how they are operating say-to-day as well as over the long term. Hopefully in the course of such a process they will have the opportunity to think about whether or not they are on track to achieve the goals they have set for themselves in terms of building and supporting Jewish community. It will be interesting to see if Natan Sharansky’s decision to refocus the work of the Jewish Agency For Israel more on education (than on encouraging Aliyah), will influence the work of the Jewish Federations here in the United States. As the editor of the New Vilna Review I spend a lot of time thinking about Jewish identity in the Diaspora and how this sense of identity informs the kinds of communities we create. I have also devoted many hours to pondering how the relationship between Israelis and Diaspora Jews continues to change. I would humbly suggest that one of the areas which the various Jewish Federations need to think about is how ties between Israel and the Diaspora can be improved through education and communication.