Some of our largest organizations are in the Israeli papers these days.

(first two) from Haaretz:

The Jewish Agency’s diminished role

Last week, the Jewish Agency signed its own death certificate. The agreement with Nefesh B’Nefesh (NBN), the private organization that has been helping thousands of Jews immigrate from the United States and Canada, whereby the agency will cease its aliyah operations in North America and NBN will become the only address for those thinking of making the plunge, means that the agency is relinquishing its main historic mission in the world’s largest Jewish community. It also embodies the fundamental change in the relationship between Israel and the Diaspora.

What’s in a name

They’re at it again! In one corner, a powerhouse philanthropic agency of the Zionist world – the Jewish National Fund of the United States (JNF-USA). In the opposite corner – the owner of more than 10 percent of Israel’s land and one of its primary land-management agencies, the Keren Kayemeth L’Israel (KKL). The latest disagreement, according to a recent article in the Hebrew daily Yedioth Ahronoth, is over who has the rights to the name “Jewish National Fund” in English and to the iconic blue box. JNF-USA is reportedly taking legal steps to make both name and box its own registered trademarks. The larger issue is the future of millions of dollars in donations collected by JNF-USA.

from the Jerusalem Post:

‘Teacher’s birthright’ may get $100m. boost

The plan to bring thousands of Diaspora Jewish educators to Israel on free trips could receive over $100 million in state funding, according to initiatives being developed in the Prime Minister’s Office.

Planning work within Masa over the past month has confirmed the initial perception that “something like this [program] is needed, it is possible, and there’s an identifiable target audience for it.

and not to neglect the other side of the Atlantic; from the Los Angles Jewish Journal:

Q&A with Rhoda Weisman — Jewish woman on top

I don’t think that we as a larger community have been successful in creating a very strong pipeline connecting the baby boomers to Gen X and Gen Y. There’s never been a time when leaders in their 20s and 30s have been as equipped for leadership as now: Many of them have come from homes of privilege where they’ve been able to advance themselves in a whole number of areas. So, you have people in their 20s that have the same skills and talents etc., as people my age and in their 40s.