Jewish Federations of North America abruptly cut the contract of Matthew Berger, a communications professional, on Wednesday after facing blowback for a seminar about a new messaging strategy about Israel that recommended using “terms that have broader appeal” besides Zionism during a National Young Leadership Cabinet retreat this week, JFNA confirmed to eJewishPhilanthropy.

The controversy and Berger’s termination were first reported on Wednesday by the Jerusalem News Syndicate. 

Shortly after a session on the subject, one of the participants who opposed the strategy of deprioritizing the term Zionism shared a photo of the presentation with JNS, which published a story on the matter on Wednesday morning. A short while after the article was published, JFNA informed Berger that it was ending its contract with him.

The incident comes amid broader discussions within the Jewish communal world about Israel and Zionism, which were once considered unifying concepts for American Jews but are increasingly seen as divisive and controversial. 

Berger, the president and CEO of Mashber Strategies and former executive director of the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism, had been brought on board as a consultant in February to spearhead Project Halo, a JFNA-backed initiative to develop a messaging strategy about Israel and Zionism. Through Mashber Strategies, Berger has worked with a wide array of Jewish communal organizations, including the American Jewish Committee, Anti-Defamation League, Hillel International and the Zionist Rabbinical Council.

In its statement, JFNA distanced itself from the presentation, saying that it “was not prepared by Jewish Federations of North America, but by a Project Halo consultant, and does not represent our approach to Zionism.” However, Berger’s advice to shy away from the word “Zionism” in favor of other terms is, in fact, in line with Project Halo’s recommendations, which have been adopted by JFNA. Neither Project Halo nor JFNA advocates abandoning the term “Zionism” entirely, nor did Berger in his presentation.

In its statement, JFNA added that it remains “fully committed to Project Halo and to providing our communities with the strongest possible resources to advocate proudly and effectively for Israel and the Jewish People.” 

Project Halo was launched in light of JFNA’s findings earlier this year that a minority of American Jews actively identified as Zionists, largely due to misunderstandings about the meaning of the term Zionism. The same study found that 88% of American Jews support the core concept of Zionism: the existence of a Jewish, democratic State of Israel.

“The word Zionism has undergone what might be called ‘definition creep’ over time, shaped by a mix of political agendas, public discourse, and broader social forces. It has come to be understood as encompassing ideas that go far beyond its once-standard meaning,” Mimi Kravetz, JFNA’s chief impact officer, wrote in an opinion piece in the Jewish Telegraphic Agency in February.

On Tuesday, Berger led a session during JFNA’s National Young Leadership Cabinet retreat in Minneapolis on effective messaging about Israel, based on Project Halo’s findings. A guide based on those findings included recommending that, in light of the controversy and confusion about the word “Zionism,” people should “focus on using terms that have broader appeal among Jewish audiences” while maintaining the same message, such as referring to Israel’s right to exist and its status as the homeland of the Jewish People.

One of the slides in Berger’s presentation on Tuesday, therefore, included the recommendation, “Avoid ‘Zionism.’” Some in the room took exception to that phrasing, believing it to mean that the term should never be used, a source familiar with the matter told eJP. Berger said that this was neither his intention nor his opinion.

“This is a misunderstanding of the presentation and my beliefs,” he told eJP in a statement.

Project Halo recommends that other terms be prioritized and also details how to most effectively use the term “Zionism” — namely by defining it clearly. 

During Berger’s presentation on Tuesday, a discussion was held on the subject in the room, the source said. 

In his statement, Berger defended Project Halo’s recommendation about using alternative terms. “As a Zionist, I’m frustrated with how the word is being misused and often abused today by those attacking Israel. My goal is to guide people to use language that will open doors to conversations,” he said. “By talking to people about Jewish self-determination and Israel as the Jewish homeland, rather than using the often-misconstrued term ‘Zionism,’ we are more likely to engage allies in the fight against antisemitism.”