all three from the Jerusalem Post:

Jewish charities fear Wall Street chaos

US Jewish social service agencies and nonprofits say they expect this week’s string of bankruptcies, buyouts and takeovers on Wall Street to severely cramp their end-of-year fund-raising as individuals curtail their donations and whole companies suspend their philanthropic programs.

Officials at the UJA-Federation of New York, which supports 102 social service agencies in the New York area, told The Jerusalem Post Wednesday they were particularly anxious about the fate of Neuberger Berman, a subsidiary of Lehman Brothers whose executives have historically contributed a significant proportion of the approximately $42 million raised annually from Wall Street.

Analysis: Some things can’t be privatized

When the Jewish Agency ceded aliya activities in North America to Nefesh B’Nefesh, it didn’t lose all that much in organizational terms…

It is worth noting that the agency’s primary functions, in terms of organizational size and focus, have long been coordinating partnerships between Israeli and Diaspora communities, managing large social welfare projects in Israel, and providing a Jewish world infrastructure for small communities worldwide…

While community partnerships and social projects would exist even without a Jewish Agency, it is the last function – the network of emissaries in small communities who are instrumental in rescuing Jews in times of crisis – that even the agency’s most energetic detractors acknowledge would be difficult to replicate elsewhere.

Gov’t, JA start forum to aid distressed communities

The Jewish Agency announced this week the establishment of a joint forum with the government that would coordinate assistance to Jewish communities around the world in times of crisis.