Your Daily Phil: What Australian Jews need right now
Add EJP on GoogleGood Thursday morning and Hanukkah sameach!
In today’s edition of Your Daily Phil, we interview two Australian Jewish philanthropic leaders about the needs of the community after Sunday’s terror attack. We report on EarlyJ’s latest grants to early childhood education in Los Angeles, and speak with friends and colleagues about the legacy of neoconservative thinker Norman Podhoretz, who died this week. We feature an opinion piece by Mike Leven with a call to action for Jewish philanthropy and legacy institutions, and one by Rabbi Evan J. Krame spotlighting an underengaged demographic within the Jewish community. Also in this issue: Yehuda Kurtzer, Melissa Saxe Blaustein and David Saxe and Matt Freedman.
What We’re Watching
The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington is holding the last in its series of “Lox and Legislators” events in the capital.
In New York, the Brooklyn Nets, who face off against the Miami Heat tonight, will pay tribute to those killed in the terror attack in Sydney, Australia, on Sunday. A nephew of slain Chabad Rabbi Eli Schlanger will participate in the tribute.
What You Should Know
Australian Jewish philanthropy leaders are scrambling in the wake of Sunday’s deadly and unprecedented terror attack at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, trying to provide for the victims’ and the wider community’s immediate needs, planning for future ones and coordinating with government officials to understand what will be provided by the state and what philanthropy will need to cover. And they are doing it as they are themselves grappling with the deadliest attack that their country has ever faced and the deadliest attack on a Diaspora Jewish community in more than 30 years.
At every turn, new issues arise that make the relief effort more complicated, Alain Hasson, CEO of the Jewish Communal Appeal of Sydney, and Tracie Olcha, CEO of Australian Jewish Funders, a sister organization of the Jewish Funders Network, told eJewishPhilanthropy’s Judah Ari Gross. For instance, many of those in attendance at the Chabad candlelighting are from the Russian-speaking community and may not speak English well, if at all. Also, in Australia, this is the start of summer holidays, so local Jewish children will not necessarily be in an educational framework where they could more easily receive psychological help if needed. Similarly, many staff members of local Jewish organizations, whose services will be needed even more, had been planning to go on vacation. Some of the families of victims have also raised concerns that larger communal efforts to raise relief funds will interfere with their own fundraising efforts.
To better understand the current needs of the Australian Jewish community and how the philanthropic world can help, eJP spoke with Hasson and Olcha earlier today.
JAG: A lot of the responses to the terror attack that have come out of Australia have focused on the political side of things, addressing the antisemitism in the country, and on the spiritual side of things, with the calls to continue spreading light during Hanukkah despite the tragedy. I was hoping to hear from both of you about the practical needs of the survivors and the victims’ families.
AH: So the needs of the community are unfolding, is the short answer. We know the immediate priorities are supporting the families. But trying to figure out what that means is a broader question. I’m already starting to talk to people about how we create a victim of terrorist fund, which I think will be a component of this international Bondi Relief Fund that is being communicated worldwide. Once we’ve collected that, it will then be broken down into components. My hope is that there would be at least AUS 1 million ($665,000) for each of the victim families. But then we haven’t even got into the needs of the wounded.
I was just in Bondi today, at the pavilion, for the first time with my team. And I started talking to people, and it was bashert, there were some of the survivors there. One of the mothers, whose son had shrapnel across his arm, asked me, understandably and in the most polite way, ”What is JCA going to do? What commitments can you get?”
Now everyone will have a different expectation of what that looks like. No one’s quantified what every family’s needs look like because they’re all going to be different. I was given the telephone number this afternoon of [one victim’s family], and the request that I got from someone who was at the house was, “It looks like a state of disarray. Can we get a cleaner in there?” So we’re going from the minuscule of maintaining day-to-day life to the urgency of now having to think about “How am I going to support this family?”
FINANCIAL AID
EarlyJ doubles down on Los Angeles expansion with $1 million in fresh grants
Doing more with more: These grants will support new infant and toddler centers and the expansion of existing programs with new classrooms. “With EarlyJ’s support, we will open an additional toddler classroom and redesign our outdoor spaces to reflect the joyful, inquiry-based Jewish learning that anchors our program,” Floryn Rosenberg, director of L.A.’s Erika J. Glazer Early Childhood Center, one of the grant recipients, told eJP. “This investment expands access for families, strengthens our educators and creates meaningful spaces where our youngest children can explore, wonder and thrive.”
BARUCH DAYAN EMET
Norman Podhoretz remembered as visionary of neoconservative thought
Norman Podhoretz, the pugnacious editor and neoconservative pioneer who died on Tuesday at the age of 95, charted a protean trajectory through American politics and intellectual discourse, rising to prominence as a leading champion of a muscular foreign policy vision conjoined with a fierce support for Israel that influenced such presidents as Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, reports Matthew Kassel for eJewishPhilanthropy’s sister publication Jewish Insider. Despite his early political conversion from staunch liberal to conservative trailblazer, Podhoretz — the always-ambitious son of a Yiddish-speaking milkman from Eastern Europe who was born in Brownsville, Brooklyn — remained consistent in his commitment to defending Israel as well as promoting the Jewish ideals that guided his social and professional ascent.
Getting the GOP: “The neoconservatives played a pivotal role in providing the intellectual firepower for the case for Israel,” Jacob Heilbrunn, the author of a book about the movement Podhoretz founded, They Knew They Were Right: The Rise of the Neocons, told Jewish Insider in an interview on Wednesday. “They did that not only by arguing that Israel was a vital outpost in opposing the spread of communism in the Middle East, but also in forging and defending the rise of the evangelicals who supported Israel.” Absent Podhoretz and his ideological comrades, including Irving Kristol, another neoconservative leader, “I don’t think that you would have had the intellectual justification for defending Israel inside the GOP,” Heilbrunn said, noting that the party had previously been “hostile to Israel.”
Read the full obituary here and sign up for Jewish Insider’s Daily Kickoff here.
ALL IN
This the moment Jewish leadership was built for
“For years, Jewish institutions and philanthropies have treated the dangers facing our people as passing storms, troubles to be endured until they faded. That illusion has now vanished,” writes Mike Leven, founder of the Jewish Future Promise and chair of the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy, in an opinion piece for eJewishPhilanthropy. “What confronts us is not a fleeting threat, but a deliberate and coordinated campaign against Jewish life, Jewish legitimacy and the very democratic values that have allowed our communities to flourish.”
Enough incrementalism: “This moment requires decisive action, not further analysis or delay. Scale, not pilot programs. Speed, not committees. Unrestricted capital, not tightly bound grants. Unity, not institutional turf protection. We do not need another report diagnosing the crisis. What we need now is a reservoir of resources, pooled and ready, devoted to defending Jewish life, countering antisemitism, protecting Israel’s legitimacy and securing a future for the next generation. This requires a unified structure to oversee these resources, with real accountability and transparency. Timelines must be clear, action swift and our response flexible enough to meet new threats as they arise.”
ENGAGEMENT GAP
Fueling the light of later years: Reclaiming adult engagement
“Would Hanukkah feel complete if you skipped lighting candles for days five and six? This is how it feels to Jewish adults over 50 who feel ‘unlit’ by the Jewish community’s institutions,” writes Rabbi Evan J. Krame, founder of The Jewish Studio, in an opinion piece for eJewishPhilanthropy. “Adults in midlife represent a large subset of American Jews, yet organized Jewish life still focuses primarily on children, teens and their parents, and on the very frail at the end of life. This is a structural misalignment and a profound missed opportunity for the communal strength we need to secure a better Jewish future.”
A problem of fit, not apathy: “Adults in their 50s, 60s and 70s are navigating encore careers, caregiving for parents and grandchildren and seeking new connections. Mature adults have spiritual questions about legacy, purpose and vulnerability, yet little of our communal programming is designed with these realities at the center. … Adults over 50 contribute disproportionately to leadership, volunteering and philanthropy in the wider nonprofit world, and they bring unparalleled experience, memory and wisdom to Jewish settings. At the same time, research and communal experience alike show that fears of isolation and a desire for authentic, adult-to-adult relationships are pressing concerns at this stage; people want spaces that speak to their life questions, not simply recycled versions of youth programs.”
Worthy Reads
A Non-Jewish Problem: In his Substack “Identity/Crisis,” Yehuda Kurtzer challenges the prevailing reality that American Jews are the party primarily responsible for combatting antisemitism in the U.S. “As an American Jew, as a fourth-generation American, as the grandson of a GI and the son of a proud public servant, I believe it is scandalous that the safety and protection of Jews here is still first and foremost seen as a Jewish concern, a problem meant primarily for Jews to solve. I watch as Jewish organizations pivot their fundraising to protecting Jews and to ‘fighting antisemitism,’ a problem we did not create, a problem that can only be addressed by other stakeholders in the society, by leaders of other communities, by law enforcement, and by local/state/federal authorities. … But we cannot really ‘fight antisemitism’ in my view without losing some measure of self-respect, and without the leadership in that fight coming from the people from whose communities the antisemites emerge.” [Identity/Crisis]
Where Were You?: In The Washington Post, Alon Meltzer, the associate rabbi of Sydney’s Bondi Mizrachi Synagogue, notes the lack of mass gatherings opposing antisemitism and showing support for the Jewish community, compared to large-scale shows of support for Palestinians. “In August, an estimated 100,000 people marched across the Sydney Harbor Bridge to protest a conflict thousands of miles away. Many marched out of genuine concern for human suffering. … If 100,000 people can mobilize for a distant war, surely a million could rise up today and say: enough. Not with flowers alone. Not with thoughts and prayers. But with action. With a collective demand that antisemitism — in all its forms — is wrong and must stop now. This needs to occur in every country claiming to live by Western democratic values. We need to hear your voice! I fear that such a vision exists only in my imagination.” [WashPost]
United We Stand: In the Jewish News Syndicate, Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations CEO William Daroff and Board Chair Betsy Berns Korn reflect on their recent visit to Australia, days before the Bondi Beach terror attack. “Antisemitism today moves across borders with almost no friction, and our responses must match that reality. … Wherever we traveled, we met Jews who felt shaken yet determined, worried yet unbroken. To each of them, we delivered the same message: You are not alone. The Jewish people rise together, grieve together and fight back together. No firebombed synagogue, no campus mob and no online campaign can break that bond. Our unity is our shield, our future and our promise to every Jew from Melbourne to Miami. We stand with you, and we do not walk away.” [JNS]
Places of Refuge: In The Conversation, researchers Toni Lyn Morelli and Diana Stralberg spotlight efforts to identify and protect “climate refugia”: pockets of habitat showing resilience in the face of climate change. “Across the world, from the increasingly fire-prone landscapes of Australia to the glacial ecosystems at the southern tip of Chile, researchers, managers and local communities are working together to find and protect similar climate change refugia that can provide pockets of stability for local species as the planet warms. A new collection of scientific papers examines some of the most promising examples of climate change refugia conservation. In that collection, over 100 scientists from four continents explain how frogs, trees, ducks and lions stand to benefit when refugia in their habitats are identified and safeguarded.” [TheConversation]
Word on the Street
Fox News interviewed New England Patriots Owner Robert Kraft about his philanthropic giving, which he estimated at nearly $1 billion, including his support for efforts to combat antisemitism…
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, whose government has faced significant criticism for its handling of antisemitism in the country, announced a five-point plan to address the issue, including stronger penalties for hate speech; Albanese also acknowledged that “more could have been done” before Sunday’s deadly terror attack…
In the wake of the Bondi Beach attack, popular Sydney bagel shop Avner’s, owned by Australian Jewish celebrity chef Ed Halmagyi, announced its closure, citing “two years of near constant antisemitic harassment”; a note posted to the door of Avner’s said that “[i]n the wake of the pogrom at Bondi, one thing has become clear – it is no longer possible to make outwardly, publicly, proudly Jewish places and events safe in Australia”…
Pope Leo XIV spoke by phone with Israeli President Isaac Herzog on the occasion of the holiday season; a readout from the Vatican said the pontiff restated the “Catholic Church’s firm condemnation of all forms of antisemitism, which, throughout the world, continues to sow fear in Jewish communities and in society as a whole”…
The police forces of London and Manchester, U.K., announced their officers would arrest demonstrators who use the term “globalize the intifada,” saying in a statement, “Violent acts have taken place, the context has changed — words have meaning and consequence”…
In J. The Jewish News of Northern California, Melissa Saxe Blaustein and David Saxe write about their decision to dedicate their wedding to charity,“tikkun olam” and arts patronage…
A forthcoming study by academics Brian Mittendorf and Helen Flannery finds that a growing amount of money from donor-advised funds is flowing to politically active charities…
Palantir CEO Alex Karp paid a record $120 million for a ranch outside Aspen, Colo., The Wall Street Journal reports…
The Qatar Investment Authority is purchasing part of philanthropist Laurene Powell Jobs’ stake in Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Washington Wizards, the Washington Mystics, the Washington Capitals and the G League’s Capital City Go-Go…
Elliott Investment Management has amassed a stake of more than $1 billion in Lululemon Athletica as it works to position former Ralph Lauren senior executive Jane Nielsen as a potential successor to the athleisurewear company’s CEO Calvin McDonald, who is stepping down next month…
Police in San Francisco arrested a man in connection with a suspected arson attack at San Francisco Hillel earlier this month that significantly damaged the structure…
Time interviews U.S. Ambassador to France Charles Kushner about Paris’ response to antisemitism in the country…
Israel denied entry to the West Bank to a delegation of Canadian officials whom Israeli officials said were linked to the NGO Islamic Relief Worldwide, which Jerusalem classifies as a terror group…
Major Gifts
Investor Ray Dalio announced that he and his wife are supporting Michael and Susan Dell’s $6.25 billion pledge to provide investment accounts to nearly all American children; the Dalios said that they would donate $250 to the roughly 300,000 children in their home state of Connecticut…
Transitions
Matt Freedman was hired as the next chief advancement officer of the Foundation for Jewish Camp…
Matt Schindler has stepped in as interim CEO of St. Louis’ Jewish Family Services…
The Senate confirmed Jared Isaacman to be the administrator to NASA in a 63-30 vote…
Benjamin Lee has been tapped to serve as the international media advisor for Israeli President Isaac Herzog; Lee succeeds Jason Pearlman, who is concluding his second stint in the role…
Pic of the Day
Leaders of the Anti-Defamation League and its affiliate, JLens, rang the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange yesterday as they marked more than $190 million in assets for its TOV exchange-traded fund.
“As corporations increasingly rival governments in shaping our daily lives, they carry a responsibility to keep their workplaces and platforms free from antisemitism and hate,” Ari Hoffnung, managing director of JLens and senior advisor on corporate advocacy at the ADL, said in a statement. “TOV empowers investors to champion Jewish values in the marketplace while seeking competitive returns.”
Birthdays
Founder of supply chain firm HAVI, active in over 100 countries, in 2019 he and his wife Harriette pledged $25 million to BBYO, Theodore F. Perlman turns 89…
Professor emeritus of Islamic and Middle Eastern studies at the Hebrew University, Moshe Sharon turns 88… Winner of the 1989 Nobel Prize in Medicine, he served as director of NIH for seven years and then director of the National Cancer Institute for 15 years, Harold Eliot Varmus turns 86… Office manager in the D.C. office of Kator, Parks, Weiser & Wright, Ramona Cohen… Co-founder of DreamWorks Studios, Academy Award-winning director of “Schindler’s List” and “Saving Private Ryan” plus many other box-office record-setters like “E.T.” and “Jaws,” Steven Spielberg turns 79… Member of the U.S. House of Representatives (R-FL) from 2009 until 2025, William Joseph “Bill” Posey turns 78… Former CFO of the Pentagon in the Bush 43 administration, he is presently a senior advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Dov S. Zakheim turns 77… Film critic, historian and author of 15 books on cinema, Leonard Maltin turns 75… Winner of the 2012 Nobel Prize in economics, he is a professor at Stanford and professor emeritus at Harvard, Alvin Eliot Roth turns 74… Network engineer sometimes called “the mother of the Internet” for her inventions of the spanning-tree protocol (STP) and the TRILL protocol, Radia Joy Perlman turns 74… Diplomat and ambassador, David Michael Satterfield turns 71… Television writer, producer and director, best known as the co-creator and executive producer of the award-winning series “24” which ran for eight seasons on Fox, Joel Surnow turns 70… Labor leader and president of the American Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten turns 68… Founder and chief executive of Third Point LLC, Daniel S. Loeb turns 64… Retired editor of The Jewish Chronicle, Stephen Pollard turns 61… Member of the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency for Israel, Gael Grunewald turns 61… Associate director of development at Ohel Children’s Home, Erica Skolnick… Partner at the communications firm 30 Point Strategies, Noam Neusner… Former special envoy of Israel’s Foreign Ministry to combat antisemitism and member of the Knesset, Michal Cotler-Wunsh turns 55… Motivational speaker and teacher, his book about his own coping with Tourette syndrome was made into a Hallmark movie, Brad Cohen turns 52… Member of the House of Representatives (D-FL), Jared Moskowitz turns 45… Director of policy for New York’s Governor Kathy Hochul until earlier this year when he successfully ran for the state Assembly, now running to succeed his former boss, Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Micah Lasher turns 44… Manager of public policy and government relations for Wing, Jesse Suskin… Executive producer at CNN’s “State of the Union,” Rachel Streitfeld… Multi-instrumentalist, composer and educator, known for his double bass performances, Adam Ben Ezra turns 43… Winner of four straight NCAA Women’s Water Polo Championships while at UCLA, Jillian Amaris Kraus turns 39… Assistant vice president of external affairs at the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, Marc Ashed… Eliezer H. “Elie” Peltz… Consultant at Brussels-based Trinomics, Jessica Glicker… Intelligence lead at ActiveFence, Emily Cooper…
