Your Daily Phil: How to fix the ‘Friends of’ model in wake of FIDF controversy
Good Monday morning.
In today’s edition of Your Daily Phil, we report on an impending board vote regarding the future of the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces chairman. We visit a new exhibition in Jerusalem about local cultural legend Yehoram Gaon and interview the co-producer of a new film, “The Floaters,” about Jewish summer camp. We feature an opinion piece by Karen L. Berman reflecting on the role of “Friends of” organizations in the wake of the FIDF scandal. Also in this issue: Elmo, Sidney and Caroline Kimmel and Debra “Debs” Weinberg.
What We’re Watching
The Israel on Campus Coalition is continuing its “Field Professional Retreat,” which kicked off yesterday in Washington.
What You Should Know
The Friends of the Israel Defense Forces national board will vote on the continued tenure of its chair, Morey Levovitz, on Wednesday, following a meeting on the matter last Thursday, sources told eJewishPhilanthropy’s Judah Ari Gross.
FIDF’s top leaders have faced growing scrutiny following the leak of an internal investigation, alleging dysfunction and a toxic work environment. Since the report was leaked, former and current employees and lay leaders have come forward, telling eJP that the organization has also mismanaged sexual harassment complaints and used misleading fundraising techniques.
The board scheduled a meeting on Thursday to discuss the chairmanship of Levovitz, whom the internal probe found has been acting as the de facto head of the organization, not the CEO, Rabbi Steve Weil. Levovitz’s chairmanship is due to end in September, unless it is extended.
In the meeting, the board opted to delay a vote on the matter, scheduling it for Wednesday. Removing Levovitz would require a supermajority of the 59-person board. Since Thursday, supporters and detractors on and off the board have been contacting members to sway their votes, sources told eJP.
On Sunday, in his weekly video briefing for FIDF supporters, Weil addressed the growing controversy in the organization, in some of his first public comments on the matter. He largely refrained from discussing the findings of the internal probe or the allegations made to eJP, focusing instead on criticisms made by an activist, Daniel Mael, who runs a competing fundraising organization for Israeli troops.
In his remarks, Weil denied any impropriety by Levovitz, whom he called “a man of impeccable integrity, a man of incredible honesty.”
Weil did address a specific area raised in the internal probe, the selection of an exclusive travel provider, Ortra, which sources connected to the organization told eJP charged a higher price than alternatives and is run by a close acquaintance of Levovitz. “Our chairman had owned a travel agency, amongst other businesses, and we went to him when we were looking at different options. He shared with us — didn’t force, didn’t tell, had no person gain whatsoever — but he felt that there was a travel agency, Ortra, that had, on the one hand, impeccable integrity, incredibly honest people, and as well, they would give pricing line item, itemized like a menu,” Weil said, adding that there was no “gain or financial kickback” for Levovitz.
Weil’s claim that Levovitz “didn’t force” the organization to exclusively use Ortra runs counter to comments made by former FIDF employees, who told eJP that the chairman both demanded that the organization use Ortra’s services and punished the director of an FIDF chapter for using a different agency on one of her missions.
NATIONAL TREASURE
Jerusalem museum highlights local icon, actor-singer Yehoram Gaon, in new exhibit
When Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion approached the directors of the Tower of David Jerusalem Museum with the proposal to curate an exhibition honoring the legacy of his longtime friend, legendary singer, actor and public personality Yehoram Gaon, they felt both honored and torn, Eilat Lieber, the museum’s director and chief curator, told eJewishPhilanthropy’s Judith Sudilovsky as the museum prepared for the official opening last Wednesday of the exhibit. “It’s about music and it’s something happy,” Lieber said. “While on the other hand, this is a very difficult time, the news doesn’t let up. Each time we actually enter an… understanding that it is not over yet, and then, of course, there was the war with Iran.” After long deliberations, they decided that, maybe especially because of the difficult times Israel has been facing for the past 21 months, this was the right time to put together such an exhibit highlighting the cultural icon whose musical and theatrical works have spanned Israel’s history and been so intertwined with national events over the past 77 years.
Always there: With its interplay between personal and collective memory, the exhibit is meant to help Israelis take a look at themselves in the mirror for a moment and remember who they are, said curator Tal Kobo. “Especially in such tense times and periods of crisis, this is a kind of support where we can look back for a moment at our own past, at our own childhood, at the soundtrack of our lives, to the sights that we have seen, the plays that we have seen so we can remember who we are,” Kobo said. “In all the important crossroads of the history of the State of Israel, Yehoram has been there. This is one moment when we look back and tell ourselves that this is the journey we have passed.”
SUMMER LOVING
Jewish camp nostalgia hits the big screen in ‘The Floaters’
As summer heats up, Jewish adults looking for an escape from the fraught state of world Jewry may find themselves reflecting on a seemingly simpler time — getting competitive over color war or gaga ball and singing Debbie Friedman songs around a campfire at Jewish sleepaway camp. That sense of nostalgia for one’s Jewish summer camp years is doled out liberally in “The Floaters,” a new film that centers on the fictional Camp Daveed and a group of outsider teens called “floaters,” reports Haley Cohen for eJewishPhilanthropy’s sister publication Jewish Insider.
Art imitating life: “We try to push the movie beyond lox and bagels,” co-producer Shai Korman told JI, noting that he and his co-producers — his two sisters — specifically aimed to “put on-screen Jewish women that exemplified the Jewish women that raised us, that were leaders and mentors.” Camp Daveed is run by women, from camp director Mara to the camp’s rabbi, Rabbi Rachel. Several iconic films, such as “Wet Hot American Summer” and “Meatballs,” were also inspired by Jewish camps. But in “The Floaters,” “we talk about the rules of kashrut,” Korman said. “You see Orthodox and secular kids all together, reflecting the world we grew up in.”
Read the full interview here and sign up for Jewish Insider’s Daily Kickoff here.
READER RESPONDS
Don’t blame the ‘Friends of’ model — fix it
“A recent scandal at one of the community’s largest philanthropic organizations has reignited criticism of the entire ‘Friends of’ model — a network of American nonprofits that raise funds for Israeli institutions. But a failure of governance at one organization should not be mistaken for a failure of the model itself,” writes Karen L. Berman, CEO of American Friends of Sheba Medical Center, in an opinion piece for eJewishPhilanthropy.
Let’s do better, together: “At their best, ‘Friends of’ organizations are not just fundraisers — they are strategic partners in storytelling, accountability and advocacy. They help Israeli institutions communicate their impact in ways that resonate with American audiences, translate complex or technical work into emotionally compelling narratives and provide real-time feedback about donor expectations and philanthropic trends… To be sure, inconsistencies in reporting, management and meeting donor expectations demand scrutiny and accountability. But they should not be used to indict the model itself; rather, this moment should prompt a recommitment to strengthening the partnership between Israeli organizations and their American allies. Fundraising is not a luxury or an afterthought. It is a vital, strategic function — one that requires investment, professionalism and alignment across both sides of the ocean.”
Worthy Reads
Opportunity for Change: International funders and nonprofits aiming to support Ukraine’s recovery should look into transformative opportunities related to the country’s health-care system, write Jarno Habicht, Dr. Mark Hellowell, Solomiya Kasyanchuk and Triin Habicht in Devex. “International support can ensure that damaged facilities are repaired and that some of those destroyed are rebuilt. But merely restoring what has been lost is not where the real opportunity lies. Ukraine needs a smarter, future-ready health system that delivers high-quality care at a sustainable cost — enhancing its ability to strengthen human capital, which is so important for long-term productivity and growth, deepen social cohesion, and encourage millions of displaced people to return. A fundamental restructuring of Ukraine’s health care infrastructure is required to deliver this, in alignment with ongoing reforms that Ukraine’s international partners are already supporting both technically and financially.” [Devex]
Literary Criticism: In Inside Philanthropy, Katherine Don spotlights recent public and private funding losses impacting the literary arts — a field that doesn’t necessarily jump to mind when one thinks of “art philanthropy,” but it’s one increasingly in need of support. “[I found] that between 2019 and 2023, funders included in the dataset gave just $535 million to writing and lit programs, as compared to $3.8 billion to the visual arts, $8.9 billion to music, and $6.9 billion to theater… Funders may believe that not much goes into writing because fewer materials are needed and the process occurs outside the public’s eye. On the experience side, reading a book, going to the library, or even attending a writing workshop is markedly less splashy than attending a theater production, seeing a concert, or going to an art gallery. Literary institutions are less visible within their communities. This doesn’t make them less important.” [InsidePhilanthropy]
The Arc of a Torah Scroll: In The Forward, Louis Keene traces the history — his personal and Los Angeles’ — that led a Torah ark created by his father when he was a boy to one of the synagogues burned in the city’s recent wildfires. “Laboring for months at his table saw, he created something both formidable and beautiful. Thirteen points around its roof paid tribute to Maimonides’ principles of faith. A spotlight in the ark’s ceiling illuminated from within Hebrew letters sawed into its doors. … Sometime in fall 2024, my parents got a call from Ohr HaTorah’s founders, Rabbi Mordechai Finley and Meirav Finley. The Reform congregation of my childhood was going remote. Did we have any interest in taking back the ark my dad had built? … Then the fires happened. Like the synagogue of my youth, Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center had been convening in a church when my dad reached out. ‘I’m thinking, “Is this guy completely out of his mind?”’ Berman Harris, the cantor, told me last week. A few days later, a team from the temple — including some of the same people who saved the Torah scrolls from the fire — picked up the ark my dad built. The congregation has been using the ark since February.” [Forward]
Word on the Street
Ken Martin, the chair of the Democratic National Committee, spent Friday calling Jewish leaders, seeking to reassure them that he does not condone the phrase “globalize the intifada,” after a clip of him commenting on the slogan and New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani went viral, reports Jewish Insider’s Gabby Deutch…
A hacker took over the X account of “Sesame Street” character Elmo, posting a series of profane, racist and antisemitic comments; the posts included a message to “kill all Jews” and another that described President Donald Trump as a “puppet” of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu…
xAI, the AI company affiliated with X owner Elon Musk, said that its Grok chatbot had undergone a coding update that modified what information it was taking in, making Grok “susceptible to existing X user posts; including when such posts contained extremist views”; the chatbot had spewed a series of antisemitic and sexually explicit posts over a period of several days last week…
A new survey from the Anti-Defamation League found that 1 in 4 Americans consider recent antisemitic attacks in the U.S. to be “understandable,” while three-quarters of those surveyed want the government to take more action against antisemitism…
Israeli paralympic tennis player Guy Sasson and his partner, Niels Vink, won the quad doubles final at the Wimbledon tennis tournament in London yesterday, beating Gregory Slade and Donald Ramphadi…
Isolationist commentator Tucker Carlson called to strip the citizenship of Americans who have served in the Israeli Defense Forces during a 45-minute speech at the Turning Point USA Student Action Summit, saying that he believed a person “can’t fight for another country and remain an American, period”…
Brandeis University is putting its Yiddish program “on hiatus” at the end of next year, in light of consistent low enrollment and the school’s general financial strains…
In a Chronicle of Philanthropy opinion piece, economist Daniel Hungerman examines the potential changes to donor behavior resulting from the latest tax bill…
The BBC profiles Punjabi businessman Kundanlal Gupta, who during World War II saved more than a dozen Austrian Jews by creating fictitious job offers in India, providing those “hired” with a way to escape Nazi Europe…
A Palestinian-American man from Florida who was visiting family in the West Bank was killed in clashes with settlers…
A Filipino woman who worked as a caretaker in Rehovot, Israel, died as a result of injuries sustained in an Iranian ballistic missile strike last month; Leah Mosquera’s death brings the number of fatalities in Israel as a result of the 12-day war to 29…
The Times of Israel spotlights the rampant food insecurity in the Bedouin Israeli community, which has proven difficult to address…
Israel’s Transportation Ministry estimated that Ben-Gurion Airport will see 3.4 million travelers over the course of this summer, a drop of nearly 2 million passengers from the summer before the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terror attacks and ensuing war…
Moshe Zar, a leading figure in the Israeli settlement movement, died last Friday at 88…
Arnold Zulman, a South African-born industrialist and philanthropist, who was friends with Nelson Mandela, died last month in his adopted home of Charlotte, N.C., at 92…
Major Gifts
Sidney and Caroline Kimmel donated $28 million to Philadelphia’s Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health system, with $19 million allocated for improving the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital’s emergency department, which will be renamed for Caroline, and $9 million for research projects at the university’s Sidney Kimmel Medical College…
Transitions
Debra “Debs” Weinberg was hired to serve as the next executive director of the Jewish Grandparents Network, starting Sept. 1, and Richard N. Bernstein was elected to serve as the group’s co-president alongside Ilene Vogelstein…
Ariela Moel, of the University of Southern California, and Einav Tsach, of the University of Maryland, were selected to serve as next year’s student co-chairs of Hillel International…
The Jewish Community Center of Central N.J. installed a new board of directors, led by board President Lauren Barr…
Pic of the Day
Simcha and Lea Goldin, the parents of Israeli soldier Hadar Goldin, whose body has been held by Hamas in Gaza since 2014, speak on Saturday at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv at a rally calling for the release of Israelis held hostage by Hamas terrorists in Gaza. The event marked their son’s 4,000th day in captivity.
Birthdays
Co-founder and executive chairman of Pinterest, Ben Silbermann…
Architect and urban designer, Moshe Safdie… Los Angeles resident, Susan Farrell… MLB pitcher for 11 seasons, now a sportscaster and author, he won the Cy Young Award and was an MLB All Star in 1980, Steve Stone … Film producer, best known for the Lethal Weapon series, the first two “Die Hard” movies and the Matrix trilogy, Joel Silver… Film and theatrical producer, in 2012 he became the first producer to have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award, Scott Rudin… Co-founder and managing director of Beverly Hills Private Wealth, Scott M. Shagrin… United States secretary of commerce, Howard Lutnick… Venture capitalist at Breyer Capital, James W. Breyer… Media columnist for the Chicago Tribune until 2021, Phil Rosenthal… U.S. Permanent Representative to the U.N. Human Rights Council during the last three years of the Biden administration, she is the daughter and granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, Ambassador Michèle Taylor… Illustrator and author best known as the writer of The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Brian Selznick… Principal at Full Court Press Communications, Daniel Eli Cohen… Member of the Washington state Senate until 2023, David S. Frockt… President and CEO at the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston, Renee Wizig-Barrios… Rapper and record producer from Brooklyn known as “Ill Bill,” he is the producer, founder and CEO of Uncle Howie Records, William “Bill” Braunstein… Professor in the department of genetics at the Harvard Medical School, David Emil Reich, Ph.D…. Chief operating officer at Aish Global, Elliot Mathias… Fashion designer and cast member on “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” Dorit Kemsley… Retired mixed martial artist, now a life coach, Emily Peters-Kagan… Editor-in-chief of the Washington Free Beacon, Eliana Yael Johnson… Interior designer and owner of Tribe By Design, Tehillah Braun… Professional golfer with four tournament wins in the Asian and European tours, David Lipsky… Founder at Bashert Group and head of a NYC-based family office, Daniel B. Jeydel… Associate vice president for grantmaking at Hillel International, she recently joined the board of the Siegel JCC of Delaware, Rachel Giattino… Reporter covering housing and the home building industry for The Wall Street Journal, Nicole Friedman… Director of Chabad Georgetown, Rabbi Menachem Shemtov… Creator of the Instagram feed called Second Date Shadchan, Elizabeth Morgan (Lizzy) Brenner… Collegiate basketball star for Princeton and Maryland, now playing for Maccabi Bnot Ashdod of the Israeli Women’s Basketball Premier League, Abby Meyers…
