By Denis Braham and Lee Wunsch
For more than 100 years, the Jewish Federations have been at the epicenter of the most significant events in the modern history of the Jewish people. From the birth and nascent years of the State of Israel through the liberation of Soviet and Ethiopian Jewry, the Jewish Federations represented and embodied the spirit of K’lal Yisrael and Am Echad. Through the force of their leadership and philanthropic prowess, this national collective of North American Jewish communities propelled American Jews forward. The golden years of the Jewish Federation system were an inspirational and visionary era led by individuals whose lives were shaped by the Six Day War and many transformational Jewish events of the last fifty years. Jewish Federations embodied the very spirit of “Kol Yisrael Aravim Ze La Ze – All Jews are responsible one for the other.” Jewish Federations were built on the ideal of collective responsibility and that Jews and Jewish communities are strengthened by one another.
Fast forward to 2014-2015. Though still facing major geo-political hurdles, the State of Israel is flourishing and leading the planet in ways unheard of at its founding. The Soviet Union has collapsed with large numbers of Jews having emigrated to Israel or the United States. The emerging generations of American Jews have choices their parents and grandparents never dreamed of and are living in a mature Jewish organizational world filled with legacy organizations trying to find new footing in a society that is the antithesis of the one in which they were established.
The era of the collective has become threatened by the era of the individual. The united has become the fragmented. While multiple generations of American Jews had but a single identity which was Jewish, American Jewish millennials have multiple identities only one of which is Jewish. And, the glorious and proud history of the Jewish Federation is, for some, but a footnote to those finding their place in a new American Jewish society.
Jewish Federations and their national organization are “trapped” by virtue of historic precedent. They came of age in a bygone era and are now trying to find resonance in a new age. They are being held captive by local and global “partner organizations” that were also part of that bygone era and yet still live on, some perhaps past their prime. An entrenched system allows them to have a monopoly on funds being raised by individual Jewish Federations. The age of “collective responsibility” has become the age of “individual responsibility” with strong, competing institutions operating in solid silos, locally and nationally. And our relationship with our beloved Jewish state requires a new definition that will capture the imagination of a new generation just as victory in the Six Day War captured ours.
All of these facts and observations are well known; what is not as clear is how to move forward. For too long, the Federations’ national organization, by any name, has been focused on unyielding organizational politics focused on its mission and purpose, which includes the intractable debate on how funds should be distributed to a monopoly of overseas organizations. Too much time and resources have been spent on processes that are, often times, irrelevant to the Jewish future. Over time (and it has long begun), individual Federations have made and will make their own decisions on how to allocate funds in a manner that resonates with their donors and their communities. For too long, there has been a lot of noise on an array of issues that take up time but are inconsequential to the meaningful engagement of young Jews in a society vastly different from the one in which we were born and matured. For too long, the national Federation system has forgotten that Jews connect where they live – in their homes, in their communities, in their synagogues and in many new places. For too long, the national system has forgotten that it is not about what happens in New York; it is all about what happens in local neighborhoods.
The national Federation organization should have one visionary and strategic goal. If they believe, as we do, that there is still merit and value in a Jewish Federation, then a national conversation about the future of our Jewish organizational enterprise should begin in earnest. Launching such a conversation requires bold and courageous leadership willing to acknowledge the decline of the Federation system while challenging community leaders to rise to the occasion. Cheerleading is great but will fail if it’s only rhetoric. Grand ideas are important but will never materialize if the organization has no capacity to implement. Annual showcase gatherings (i.e., the Jewish Federations General Assembly) are essential but not if a relative few show up.
We believe that the current over-embellished agenda of the Jewish Federations of North America should be set aside – whatever it is and whatever its component parts. For the next twelve months or more, the leadership should have one focus. They should deploy their collective resources, inside and outside of the organization, to hold a national conversation on the future of the system. It should not be a sales show. It should not be a public relations extravaganza. It should not be a salute to its past. It should be a robust, “all ideas welcome” discussion about “what’s next”. A far-sighted and actionable plan should be the goal and we should recognize the value of a changed, refocused collective for the American Jewish community. With ample time to plan and transform a traditional agenda, the 2015 General Assembly would be an excellent platform to launch this national conversation.
The national conversation should focus on three elements
- What is the future of the Jewish Federations and its collective system?
- How do we redefine the relationship between the State of Israel and the Diaspora so that we move beyond viewing Israel through a 1960s lens?
- What are the key requirements of a national Jewish Federation organization and how should it serve its constituent members?
Some would argue that this conversation occurred some fifteen years ago leading to the merger of the Council of Jewish Federations and the United Jewish Appeal. We would argue otherwise. That merger was predicated on saving money. Our idea is predicated on saving the precious legacy of the Jewish Federation – if we all believe it should be saved. We believe it should and must.
Denis Braham is the Chairman of the Board and Lee Wunsch is the President & Chief Executive Officer of the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston.
This essay is the fifth in an on-going conversation focused on JFNA and the federation world. Previous articles can be found here. We welcome additional submissions – details are here.
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THE JEWISH FEDERATION SYSTEM IS DEAD; LONG LIVE THE JEWISH FEDERATION
Paul Jeser – fayepaul67@aol.com
Many lay leaders and professionals who are or were part of the Federation world are looking at what is happening today with very great sadness.
In the ‘good ole days’ (were they really that good?) the Federation was the key player in all, if not most, communities. In the ‘good ole days’ the Federations attracted the top leaders, the most significant donors, and the most creative and visionary professionals. In the ‘good ole days’ the Federations were looked to for guidance and support by the entire Jewish Community.
From what I read, see and hear, with very few exceptions, this is certainly not the case today.
Most major leaders and donors have decided that institutional life is not for them. They have set up their own Foundations, decided upon their own priorities, formed their own umbrella support system and have hired top staff.
So – as many of my friends have said: ‘Yes, we all know the problem – so what is the answer?”
I may not have THE answer, but I do have a vision.
But first, as the song says, let’s start at the very beginning.
I may be wrong, but I think that the most significant event that began the slide down the slippery slope was…. Project Renewal!
Yup – that great and most effective program began the downfall of the Federation world.
In the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, the major communal organizations were the Federations and their support organizations, the UJA and CJF. They attracted the major donors, leaders and professionals. That world was where all the action happened. It was the place to be.
Outside of the Synagogue world, and as a somewhat educated guess, probably 80%++ of all Jewish giving came through the Federation world. The Israel Education Fund was a quiet way that major gifts could be given through the Federation, not be allocated through the general campaign process, and be designated for special projects in Israel. With that exception most all other charitable giving and allocation was controlled by the Federation.
In the late 1970’s Project Renewal was proposed by the Jewish Agency and accepted by the Federation world. Many voiced reservations; not because the goal was not a wonderful one, but because they felt that once donors had the ability to so specifically designate their gifts (even with the parameters being agreed upon) doors would be opened that could never be closed.
There is a story about an incident that took place in the mid-70’s during the discussion most Federations had about supporting Soviet Jewish Refuseniks who came to America (versus only funding those who went to Israel). A major Federation donor and board member, who felt strongly that all Soviet Jews should go to Israel and if they came to America should not be supported, seeing that he was in the very small minority, made the following statement: “I know that in a traditional democracy my position will be defeated, but let me redefine democracy for you: traditional democracy believes that one person has one vote; in my democracy, one dollar equals one vote.” Since his gift was more than all the rest of the Board members collectively, he felt that his position should prevail. Of course it didn’t as it should not have. But the lesson was there – he did not want others to decide how to allocate his contribution!
Whether right or wrong, whether good for the community or bad, the fact is that most people, and certainly most – if not all – major donors do not want others to allocate their contributions and certainly do not want to spend time in organizational life.
We are now thirty years later. The desire and ability to have more control over ones own gift and what Project Renewal began has resulted in the unbelievable growth and strength of dozens (if not hundreds) of niche organizations, hundreds (!) of significant family foundations and the significant weakening of the Federation world.
So – since we all know the problem, what is the solution?
My vision – or at least the beginning of a concept: We need a totally new communal structure.
• The Federation should no longer raise funds to directly allocate to other institutions, agencies or programs.
Thus it will not be seen as a competitor.
This is the key.
Once the Federation is no longer an advocate for any specific organization, agency or program, it can become the ‘honest-broker’ for the donors and agencies and the effective organization the community needs.
• The Federation should be the communal organization whose responsibility it is to:
o Serve as a resource for all organizations in the areas of fundraising, leadership, staff development and management.
o Serve as a resource for all donors and provide ‘fair and balanced’ (sorry FNC) information about all programs and projects needing funding.
o Serve as the place where all organizational leaders meet to discuss the issues – not necessarily to force a consensus but to allow for open discussion in a neutral environment.
o Serve as a true ‘community relations committee/council’ in developing relationships between the Jewish and non-Jewish community and even within the Jewish community.
o Serve as the community-wide outreach organization to motivate those not involved to become involved and assist them in developing their own paths.
o Convene the community in times of crises or special need. Play the major role in the development and coordination of community action, programs, and responses.
• Federation leadership should include the top local leadership (lay and pro) of all communal organizations and, as importantly, the top donors (who may be much more willing to serve in this new institution than in what we now currently have).
• Funding for this ‘new’ Federation will have to come from the cadre of communal donors who, if they buy in to the new concept, will see this new structure as a benefit to all, not as a waste of time and money.
• This vision does not see the need for the JFNA since the JAFI and the JDC will, as all other organizations, raise funds directly in the community. This vision does see the necessity for an organization much the same as the CJF was – a national umbrella resource for all communities.
This is drastic surgery for the community. However, without it, or something close to it, we will continue to see the diminution of the one community organization/structure that is so needed.
Spent 20 years in teh sysytem and the last 20 years otside of the UJA and Federation system;I respect the thinking put forth by two good people from Houston
I also offer a two word answer to thier important question: only one thing will ensure a strong jewish future through support from a national sysytem
JEWISH EDUCATION