Your Daily Phil: A ‘bissel’ good news/bad news about Yiddish study
Good Wednesday morning.
In today’s edition of Your Daily Phil, we interview Douglas London, managing director of CCS Fundraising, about Jewish giving trends post-Oct. 7, and report on the recent ups and downs of Yiddish study around the world. We feature an opinion piece by Andrea Freedman about the shifting “mantras” of fundraising, from the necessity of the distant past, the recent joy and the current assuaging of pain. Also in this issue: Ronald Lauder, Ron Halber and Patrick Drahi.
What We’re Watching
Former Boston Red Sox player Kevin Youkilis is speaking about Jewish identity in sports at an Anti-Defamation League web event today kicking off the ADL’s “Game Changers” series.
Los Angeles’ Sinai Temple is hosting a talk by Palestinian writer and researcher Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, director of the Atlantic Council’s Realign for Palestine program, in its second town hall event about the Israel-Hamas war.
What You Should Know
In the nearly two years since the Oct. 7 terror attacks, much has been discussed — including in these pages — about “The Surge” in Jewish engagement that has emerged in their wake and in response to the ensuing rise in global antisemitism. But alongside the increase in general participation in Jewish communal life, there has also been a jump in giving to Jewish causes.
Last year, the CCS Fundraising firm released a study examining this post-Oct. 7 Jewish giving, which identified an initial increase in both gifts from existing donors and a significant increase in the number of new donors. The study also found that most of those donations went to causes related to Israel and antisemitism.
To check in on these trends, eJewishPhilanthropy’s Judah Ari Gross spoke with Douglas London, managing director of CCS Fundraising, who recently led the Jewish Federations of North America’s LGBTQ mission to Israel.
JAG: We haven’t spoken in a while, since you folks at CCS came out with the study on Jewish giving post-Oct. 7, which is a data set that I refer back to all the time. So, first, give me a broad picture: What are some of the trends that you all have been seeing since then?
DL: There was a lot of “messy” data. After Oct. 7, organizations, especially federations — think of the [nearly] $900 million that the federations raised for their emergency campaign — for many of them, in some local federations, more than half [saw contributions from] new donors, and it’s just messy.
So, how do we aggregate it? How do we analyze it? How do we “clean” the data? How do we utilize it? Recognizing that not all of those new donors are going to be sustainable donors, but how do we engage those donors? So that “messy” donor data, how does that necessarily translate to stewardship?
Also, I think, staff are burnt out and turnover is high… Obviously, federal funding cuts remain [an issue]. They are non-sector specific, but for the Jewish community, organizations that have a human service or social service component are really going to be taking a hit. And philanthropy can be a part of that, but not the only part of it. Artificial intelligence is something that we’re thinking and talking a lot about. How to both sharpen engagement with donors, how to support operations and how to be predictive in how we work with and analyze donors.
JAG: When we last spoke after the report on Jewish giving came out, one of the numbers that stood out was that 37% of Jewish groups had new donors post-Oct. 7, and the question was about how many of those will be retained. Do you have any numbers or indicators on that, even anecdotally?
DL: What we’ve seen is that about 30% of new donors are engaged on a year-over-year basis. That’s not just from Jewish organizations or Jewish-affiliated organizations, but looking at all organizations that have acquired new donors. And that holds true with many of the federations that we’re talking to and working with, that about 30-35% of the new donors that they brought in are sticking around.
JAG: Another element in last year’s report was that donors were more focused on causes related to Israel and combating antisemitism, and less on culture and family services and other issues. Is that holding through?
DL: I think so. I think safety at home [is the priority]. Putting a finer point on that, how do we make sure that our kids are safe at school? How do we make sure that our families are safe during the High Holy Days? Being Zionist also means making sure that we can be safe in the States… Most of the campaigns that we’re doing in the Jewish community right now are endowments, so sustaining for the future, and security. That’s synagogues, federations, JCCs. Eight out of 10 [campaigns] are focusing on those pieces.
VOS MACHSTU?
While Yiddish program at Brandeis dwindles, others surging with interest
Two months ago, a chill ran through the Yiddish community with the news that historically Jewish college Brandeis was putting its Yiddish program on ice. Less than a month later, after outraged emails and letters poured into the university, plans shifted. Instead of shuttering the Yiddish program, Brandeis whittled it down from four classes per year to two, alternating years between intro classes and intermediate and advanced classes. Meanwhile, the field of Yiddish studies is thriving elsewhere, bringing together students of all ages and backgrounds in academic settings, intensive programs and online, reports eJewishPhilanthropy’s Jay Deitcher.
The phoenix: Brandeis “epitomizes American Judaism, American Jewishness,” Rokhl Kafrissen, a Yiddish teacher, journalist and playwright who studied the language at Brandeis from 1993-1997, told eJP. “Their Jewish studies department is very good. It’s very well-known. And Jewishness is a certain thing, and you realize that Jewishness is a certain thing with a boundary around it when you yourself fall outside of that boundary… the school didn’t take it very seriously.” But the same way her passion for the language couldn’t be stifled, a new generation is hungry to learn. “I see people who are half my age who are learning Yiddish, going on the same journey, moving through the same kind of stages that I did.”
MANTRAS FOR THE MOMENT
For now, give until it feels less bad
“When I first began working in the Jewish community as a fundraiser, we were taught the expression that people should ‘give until it hurts.’ … Oh, the stories from back in the day! There are tales from the Six-Day War of emergency fundraising appeals where boardroom doors were locked and only opened once individuals made pledges deemed appropriate by the chair. … While some questioned the methods, the results were clear: Jewish communities were built, and Israel was supported,” writes Andrea Freedman, CEO of Ben-Gurion University Canada and a lifelong fundraiser for the Jewish community and Israel, in an opinion piece for eJewishPhilanthropy.
Mindset shift: “In subsequent years, this mantra shifted to ‘Give until it feels good — really good.’ … The idea was that a donor’s gift could be part of something larger, and that people should feel inspired, even joyful, about the impact of their generosity. …I have been reflecting on what our mantra ought to be today. … Every day, the news is dire, and we are constrained in the ways we can help and effect change. … In thinking through the pain we are all carrying, I believe the new fundraising mantra ought to be: ‘Give until it feels less bad.’”
Worthy Reads
Adaptation vs. Complicity: In The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Matt Watkins explores ethical questions facing nonprofits seeking to protect their U.S. federal funding. “I’ve heard sharply different responses from colleagues and clients across the nonprofit world. Some have argued for adaptation, including adjusting language, revising deliverables, and meeting new requirements in ways that allow core work to continue. Others have rejected adaptation outright, warning that any engagement under these rules risks legitimizing an authoritarian shift. The fear that adaptation can slide into acquiescence is valid. But the choice to walk away is not equally available to all. Adaptation, when guided by clearly defined red lines, is not endorsement. It is a survival strategy… Endurance, after all, is not retreat. It is the refusal to abandon those who depend on you.” [ChronicleofPhilanthropy]
Take Heart: In Inside Philanthropy, Wendy Paris reports on a content creation and regranting initiative by The Greater Good Science Center (GGSC) at University of California Berkeley supporting high-quality journalism and social media projects that spotlight humanity at its best. “It aims to counterbalance the glut of media dishing out endless stories about war, division and authoritarianism — and in doing so, encourage a cultural shift toward more empathy and connection… ‘There is research showing that when people are exposed to positive media, that can have an impact. We have tried to elevate through our almost 25 years of existence this narrative about human assumptions and who we are as a species, challenging the idea that we’re naturally aggressive and violent and selfish. Instead, showing that we have these deep capacities for caring and connection,’ said [GGSC’s executive director Jason] Marsh. ‘Our beliefs help dictate our behavior.’” [InsidePhilanthropy]
Presidential Plea: In the Saudi Arabia-based Arab News, World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder condemns recent comments by top Israeli ministers against the notion of a Palestinian state and calls for Jewish and Israeli leaders to reject them. “The consequences of such rhetoric are tangible and immediate. These statements provide adversaries with material to advance their own agendas, portraying Israel as resistant to peace and reinforcing cycles of radicalization. When extremism takes hold on one side, it too often fuels extremism on the other. It is incumbent upon Israel’s leaders to break this cycle and to demonstrate a commitment to peace and justice. … History will judge whether Israel’s leaders chose the path of vision, responsibility and unity or whether they allowed the nation’s moral compass to be surrendered to voices of division. The choice before us is clear and the responsibility lies with those who lead.” [ArabNews]
Word on the Street
The Israel Defense Forces is reportedly planning to encourage Diaspora Jews to join its ranks as part of a new policy aimed at addressing the military’s staffing shortages, which it said are driven in part by the non-enlistment of Haredi men…
A new Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 58% of American adults support recognition of a Palestinian state, compared to 33% who oppose it. A similar number, 59%, said they believed that Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza has been excessive…
The Wall Street Journal spotlights the relationship between investor Bill Ackman and Alpha Schools, an emerging chain of schools that are embracing artificial intelligence…
Ron Halber, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, strongly criticized Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) over his recent decision to support legislation that seeks to severely restrict U.S. aid to Israel, calling it “extremely disappointing,” in an interview with Jewish Insider…
The head of the American Association of University Professors said in a recent interview that the United States should not send defensive weapons to Israel amid its war against Hamas, which he called a genocide in Gaza…
The Omega Institute banned psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk from teaching at future retreats at the tony Hudson Valley center, after the author and trauma therapist angered attendees with what the institute called “inappropriate and antisemitic comments” about Israel and the Gaza war…
CNN interviews former Israeli hostage Eliya Cohen, who was freed from Hamas captivity earlier this year, about his time in captivity and friendships with Hersh Goldberg-Polin and Alon Ohel, the latter of whom remains in Gaza…
The Israel-based Sipur Studios inked a first-look deal with “We Will Dance Again” director Yariv Mozer, formalizing what Sipur head Emilio Schenker described as a “longstanding partnership”…
“Parade,” the 1998 Alfred Uhry musical about the 1913 lynching of Leo Frank in Georgia, opens at Washington’s Kennedy Center this week…
Moroccan-Israeli telecoms magnate Patrick Drahi (whose birthday is today) received the necessary approvals to purchase two Israeli religious news outlets, the religious Zionist-focused Srugim and the Haredi-focused Kikar HaShabbat…
The U.S. Postal Service is releasing a new series of stamps honoring writer and activist Elie Wiesel…
Film and podcast producer Elon Dershowitz, the son of attorney Alan Dershowitz, died on Sunday at 64…
Major Gifts
The Simons Foundation committed $8 million to an initiative, the Simons Collaboration on Black Holes and Strong Gravity, which will be run through 12 international research institutions and led by a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign…
Elizabeth Simons, the daughter of Jim Simons, pledged $250,000 to a super PAC supporting New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani…
Penni and Stephen Weinberg, through their family fund, which is part of the Joseph and Florence Mandel Family Foundation, announced a $5 million gift to University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center to support construction of a new caregiver training center…
The Tisch Cancer Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City received a $4 million grant from the American Cancer Society, which will establish the Cancer Health Research Center at Mount Sinai…
Philadelphia-area philanthropist Gene Epstein committed $1 million to provide annual scholarships for 100 students from Bucks County, Pa., to attend Bucks County Community College without student debt…
The Knight Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, Ford Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Schmidt Family Foundation and the Melinda Gates-run Pivotal Ventures have collectively committed nearly $37 million to keep afloat National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Corporation after the recent tax bill cut $1.1 billion in federal funding for their stations over the next two years…
Transitions
Danielle Foreman was named chief strategy and impact officer of the Bay Area’s Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund…
Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, elected three new officers, beginning Jan. 1, to the executive committee of its national board: Kacy Spivack as national secretary; and Michelle Conwisar and Lynda Heyman as national vice presidents…
The Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County (Fla.) has hired Samantha “Sam” Schwartz as its next director of business and corporate philanthropy…
British philanthropist Leopold Noé has been named the first honorary president of the British Jewish learning disability and autism nonprofit Kisharon Langdon, which he has long supported…
Pic of the Day
Children climb on a bomb shelter — which has been turned into a piece of play equipment — in a playground in the southern Israeli city of Sderot recently, as part of an initiative to make these fortified shelters friendlier and less traumatic for children. The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, which has installed hundreds of these bomb shelters throughout the country in recent years, collaborated on this initiative with the City Peloton design firm, in partnership with the Sderot municipality.
“Every time there is a ‘Red Alert’ [air raid siren], Israel’s children across the country and in the communities near the Gaza border run for protection to bomb shelters, fearing that they may not make it in time,” Yael Eckstein, president of IFCJ, said in a statement. “These children, who are the future of our country, have a negative — and often frightening — feeling about the shelters. We have created a fun and active place where our children can enjoy themselves — and still be safe at the time of an attack — remaining right where they are!”
Birthdays
Founder and controlling shareholder of the Altice Group (one of the world’s largest telecoms firms, including New York-based Cablevision), he acquired Sotheby’s in 2019, Patrick Drahi…
Laguna Hills, Calif., resident, Phoebe Bryan… News anchor and reporter for ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN and MSNBC, she converted to Judaism in 1984, Connie Chung… Director of the National Economic Council during the Trump 45 administration, now a commentator for Fox Business, Larry Kudlow… Former secretary of labor for the state of Kansas, Lana Goodman Gordon… Immediate past chair of the Golda Och Academy in West Orange, N.J., Steven H. Klinghoffer… Mayor of Winnipeg, Manitoba, from 2004 until 2014 and the owner of minor league baseball’s Winnipeg Goldeyes, Samuel Michael “Sam” Katz… Managing director of equity derivatives at Rice Financial Products, Jay A. Knopf… U.S. representative (D-IL-10), Brad Schneider… Wilmington, Del., resident and trustee of Jewish Federations of North America, Suzanne Barton Grant… President of the Council on Foreign Relations, he was the U.S. trade representative during the Obama administration, Ambassador Michael Froman… Israeli writer known for his short stories and graphic novels, Etgar Keret… Film director and screenwriter, Mark Levin… British ambassador to Israel from 2010 to 2015, the first Jewish U.K. ambassador to be posted to Tel Aviv, he is now the CEO of the Zoological Society of London, Matthew Gould (family name was Goldkorn)… Ethiopian-born, former member of the Knesset for Kulanu, Asher Fentahun Seyoum… Director of communications at the Institute for Law & AI, Ari Goldberg… Executive director of Lisa Stone Pritzker’s LSP Family Foundation, Abigail Michelson Porth… Co-CEO and one of the founders of the Jerusalem Season of Culture, a summer music festival that showcases Jerusalem, Karen Brunwasser… Co-founder of Boundless Israel, Rachel Lea Fish, Ph.D…. Israeli teacher and writer, he is the founder of People of the Book focused on communicating about the Jewish faith with the Arab world, Rabbi Elhanan Miller… Partner in the Iowa office of Cornerstone Government Affairs and foundation president of the Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines, Iowa, David Ryan Adelman… Canadian television and film actress, Meghan Ory Reardon… Real estate agent, author and television personality as an original cast member on the show “Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles,” Josh Flagg … Ice skating professional at The Skating Club of Boston, he won a bronze medal in the team pairs event at the 2014 Winter Olympics, Simon Shnapir… Stand-up comedian, actor, podcaster and internet personality, Gianmarco Vincent Soresi… Canadian guitarist, YouTuber, producer and music teacher, Roy Ziv… Triathlete and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Israel 2019, Sella Sharlin…
