Is MASA Lost?

MASA’s ‘Lost’ campaign continues to be the topic of the day. From The Jerusalem Post to some of the most respected blogs covering the Jewish world.

This mornings JPost, carries both a news story and an analysis by Haviv Rettig Gur. In the former, MASA’s Director of Israel Operations – Alon Friedman –  appears to contradict himself from comments last week concerning the audience the ads were directed to.

Here’s what the JPost reported last week:

“Thus, the polished high-profile campaign is aimed as much at Israeli decision-makers as at the public. If Masa can lower the participant’s share of the program cost – that is, if Masa can get much more funds from its contributing bodies, the Prime Minister’s Office and the Jewish Agency – “it would double and triple participation in the blink of an eye,” noted Alon Friedman, Shilo-Tamir’s deputy and the director of Masa’s Israel operations.

Today, it appears the Jewish Agency is no longer a part of MASA’s intended audience.

“This is a campaign [intended for] Israeli society, not for Jewish Agency officials or for American Jewry.”

Here’s a link to the complete article, Masa youth group defends controversial ad campaign.

“Masa has come out in defense of its controversial new ad campaign by declaring that it was “meant as a message to Israeli society,” not to the growing cacophony of outraged American Jews.

…It has drawn outrage from many corners of the American Jewish community, with internet blogger responses calling it “Lost in plain sight” and more bluntly, “a stupid, ill-conceived approach from Israel.””