Your Daily Phil: A sure-to-be-heated World Zionist Congress kicks off in Jerusalem
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In today’s edition of Your Daily Phil, we report on the launch of the 39th World Zionist Congress in Jerusalem today, which is expected to be heated, and cover a recent first-of-its-kind gathering of young Asian Jews at Yale University. We feature an opinion piece by Gidi Mark on reversing the drift between Israel and young Jews, one by Ilana Kaufman about keeping political “gotcha” games out of the workplace and one by Michelle Friedman about securing legacy giving for Jewish communal institutions. Also in this issue: David A. Graham, John and Laura Arnold and Donald Kent.
What We’re Watching
The World Zionist Congress kicks off today in Jerusalem. Keep an eye out for eJewishPhilanthropy’s Judah Ari Gross and Jewish Insider’s Melissa Weiss.
The Jewish Community Center Association of North America continues its professional conference, ProCon 2025, which began yesterday in Minneapolis.
The Jewish Federations of North America is holding a panel discussion on the upcoming sale of TikTok and online antisemitism.
What You Should Know
A QUICK WORD WITH EJP’S JUDAH ARI GROSS
The air at the 39th World Zionist Congress, which kicked off today in Jerusalem, is thick with tension, anticipation and excitement.
The congress takes place in the shadow of a voter-fraud scandal that continues to roil the World Jewish Congress. For the first time since the founding of the state, the prime minister will not address the plenary. And when the budgets, appointments, committee makeups and resolutions are put for a vote later this week, the slates are expected to “kill each other” over every measure, the president of the World Zionist Organization quipped to eJewishPhilanthropy earlier today, echoing the sentiments of many participants and organizers.
The congress and its executive body, the Zionist General Council, control a roughly $5 billion five-year budget, which will be voted on during the gathering. They will also select the leadership of the World Zionist Organization, which runs and supports Zionist programming around the world; Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund, which controls more than 10% of the land of Israel and wields an accordingly massive budget; Keren HaYesod, a major international fundraising operation; and the Jewish Agency for Israel, which oversees Jewish immigration to Israel, leads international educational programs and supports social initiatives in Israel.
The 39th congress also opens in the pall of a controversial election period, which was marred by widespread cases of confirmed fraud — first reported by eJP — along with suspicions of further illicit activities and a resulting sense of disappointment and frustration by many of those involved.
The congress, which is being held in Jerusalem’s International Convention Center, opened today with registration, welcoming remarks and initial committee meetings. This evening, the congress will host a celebratory opening ceremony, which will be attended by Israeli President Isaac Herzog. Insiders credit Netanyahu’s decision to forgo the congress to both his concern that he may be booed by delegates and to the premier’s long-running dispute with the World Zionist Organization Chair Yaakov Hagoel, a member of Netanyahu’s Likud party who backs one of the prime minister’s rivals, Danny Danon.
On Wednesday morning, delegates will hold further committee meetings and roundtable discussions, followed by tours of different locations throughout the country.
On Thursday, the congress will hold its voting sessions. “Thursday is where people are going to, you know, kill each other,” Tova Dorfman, president of the World Zionist Organization, quipped to eJP, echoing similar statements by a number of people involved in the congress. Whereas in previous congresses, different parties and groups would be more willing to reach across the aisle and collaborate on shared goals, organizers and participants told eJP that no such sense of camaraderie and shared purpose are expected this year.
BUILDING BRIDGES
Asian Jewish students celebrate intersecting identities, gather for landmark Shabbaton at Yale
The table setting at the inaugural Asian Jewish Shabbaton at Yale University Hillel last Friday night — challah and chopsticks — straddled more than just culinary worlds. It also served as a tangible bridge linking the intersecting identities of the 450 students from 15 universities in attendance. The two-day inaugural Asian Jewish Shabbaton, organized by Yale’s Asian Jewish Union, provided students a place to connect over the challenges around balancing both Asian and Jewish identities — and the associated stereotypes. It also gave participants a chance to explore the natural allyship the two groups share, with an emphasis on their mutual values — such as community and education, reports Jewish Insider’s Haley Cohen for eJewishPhilanthropy.
Natural allies: “Before this weekend I had met a handful of Asian Jews my entire life,” Aasia Gabbour, a senior at New York University studying global public health and nutrition and food studies, told eJewishPhilanthropy. “This feels special because it’s something I never got to experience. I’ve always been able to find my community within the Jewish community, but [Asian Jews] are such a niche group that getting the chance to learn there are a lot of us is a unique experience.” “The groups are natural allies and I especially saw that this weekend,” continued Gabbour. “We all naturally gravitate towards each other. We got to know each other on a deeper level with semi-facilitated discussions.”
REBUILDING TIES
End of Gaza war offers a historic opportunity to reengage young Jews worldwide
“Israel belongs to every Jew, wherever they live — and its shared future is theirs, too. The Gaza war shattered the old myth that Diaspora Jews should stay out of Israeli affairs because they don’t live with the consequences. Today’s reality proves the opposite: terror, antisemitism and boycotts affect Jews everywhere,” writes Gidi Mark, CEO of Birthright Israel, in an opinion piece for eJewishPhilanthropy.
Time for a reset: “The war pushed many away when what is needed most is closeness, engagement and participation — in society, in education and in rebuilding Israel itself. The war’s end offers a chance to rethink Israel-Diaspora relations. Instead of withdrawing, Jews abroad must draw closer by visiting Israel, experiencing it firsthand and making their voices heard. This requires vision, investment and recognition that the struggle for young hearts and minds — in America, Israel and across the Jewish world — is inseparable from Israel’s future security and legitimacy.”
POLICING OPINION
It’s not too late for post-Oct. 7 leadership do-overs
“In the weeks immediately following Oct. 7, 2023, many organizational leaders held workplace discussions for staff to express their anger, fear and sorrow, often designating these as safe spaces for processing the trauma. While these conversations were initiated with good intentions, some professionals found themselves vulnerable to the political expectations of senior leaders and colleagues. In some cases, staff who spoke candidly on social media and in communal spaces about perspectives on the war that diverged from their team members and leadership encountered social repercussions in the workplace,” writes Ilana Kaufman, CEO of the Jews of Color Initiative, in an opinion piece for eJewishPhilanthropy.
As a field, we can do better: “[I]t is vital that staff have the space, freedom and safety to not have to prove where, and to what degree, their loyalties lie. Jewish professionals can hold a range of political perspectives — even multiple conflicting ones simultaneously. Some in our own community adopted the ‘Israel affection’ litmus test, the opposite of which many Jewish colleagues are forced to pass in non-Jewish workplaces. Others adopted an ‘empathy litmus test,’ pitting one people’s suffering against another. We must resist adopting divisive strategies as a way to create a false sense of safety, security and cohesion.”
A MATTER OF LEGACY
Leverage the potential of legacy giving to sustain Jewish communities
“At a time marked by uncertainty and rapid change, Jewish organizations face unprecedented challenges in sustaining their missions and serving their communities,” writes Chicago-area lay leader Michelle Friedman in an opinion piece for eJewishPhilanthropy. “Legacy giving emerges as a vital solution, offering individuals an opportunity to make a lasting impact while reinforcing the values that have sustained Jewish communities for generations.”
Critical for continuity: “Schools, camps and social service agencies rely on these gifts to fund programs, sustain operations and address unforeseen challenges. As traditional funding sources can be unreliable, planned giving offers a stable and predictable revenue stream that allows organizations to plan long-term. To leverage the potential of legacy giving, Jewish organizations must adopt proactive and thoughtful strategies. … As we look to the future, the responsibility to cultivate a culture of legacy giving falls on both organizations and individuals. Together, we can ensure that Jewish communities remain vibrant, resilient and deeply rooted in tradition for generations to come.”
Worthy Reads
A Prophetic Tradition: In The Times of Israel, Menachem Rosensaft expresses support for rabbis speaking out from the pulpit about political candidates. “Some naysayers argue that synagogues on Shabbat should be oases where people can escape from the turbulences of the week and the world. Others believe that a principal task of a rabbi should be to avoid offending any members of their congregation, that he or she should not take controversial public positions that do not represent a broad consensus. … Shalom bayit — peace in the house — is a lofty and admirable goal, but not at any cost. Not if it requires turning a blind eye to danger or is predicated on the hope that the danger in question may turn out to be exaggerated.” [TOI]
Philanthropic Overreach: In The Atlantic, David A. Graham warns against private donors contributing to federal spending as the government shutdown in the U.S continues. “President Donald Trump dropped the news casually at the very end of a White House roundtable this past Thursday. ‘A friend of mine’ — he said the man preferred not to use his name — ‘he called us the other day, and he said, I’d like to contribute any shortfall you have because of the Democrat shutdown,’ Trump said. The money would go to pay the armed forces while the government is closed. ‘Today, he sent us a check for $130 million.’ … If allowed to stand, it will be the latest step on the road toward Congress’s irrelevance and the elevation of a near-monarchical presidency, whose holder can be swayed by influence and bribery but can’t be meaningfully checked by public oversight.” [TheAtlantic]
Sharing Influence: In The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Alex Daniels spotlights a participatory approach to grantmaking some foundations are trying. “Last November, when the Spark Fund awarded grants to five efforts in Atlanta, the recipients got a call — not from a program officer at a deep-pocketed philanthropy — but from a committee of 10 young Black men. The men, who were each navigating mental health issues related to poverty and racism, represented the very people the nonprofits aimed to help. … The young men not only gave grantees the good news, they also helped sort through applications to pick the five recipients. … The Spark Fund is a recent example of ‘participatory grant making.’ Rather than assign grants after program officers and other foundation staff vet grant proposals and send them to the board of trustees for review, grant decisions are made by members of a community, who are given the responsibility of sourcing, reviewing, and ultimately assigning grants.” [ChronicleofPhilanthropy]
Word on the Street
The building that once housed a Jewish Community Center in Harrisburg, Pa., has been sold for $1.15 million…
The New York Times interviews Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro about the arson attack on the governor’s mansion in Harrisburg during Passover…
John and Laura Arnold have already donated half of their wealth, completing The Giving Pledge while still in their early 50s…
The Forward profiles Jessica Tisch, the Jewish NYPD commissioner credited with a drop in crime in Manhattan, who mayoral candidates Zohran Mamdani and Andrew Cuomo have both stated they will keep if elected…
The real estate firm led by White House Special Envoy Steve Witkoff’s son has sold $200 million in Miami Beach condos to “family and friends” before breaking ground…
The Independent explores how private donors are aiming to fill gaps left by the federal government’s cuts to foreign aid…
Major Gifts
The National Trust for Historic Preservation awarded a $175,000 grant to Temple Beth Hatfiloh in Olympia, Wash., through its National Fund for Sacred Places program…
Bob Fisch, former CEO of Rue21, donated $1.5 million to the Fashion Institute of Technology to name the presentation hall in the recently opened Joyce F. Brown Academic building…
Transitions
Donald Kent was elected president of Maccabi USA at the group’s annual meeting earlier this month; he succeeds Jeffrey Bukantz, who has served in the role since 2017…
Pic of the Day
Some 300 people attend a gala on Sunday in support of the Israeli disability nonprofit Beit Issie Shapiro at Los Angeles’ Sinai Temple. The event, which marked the organization’s 45th anniversary, raised roughly $250,000, a spokesperson told eJewishPhilanthropy.
The gala included remarks from “D,” an IDF soldier who nearly lost a leg in the Israel-Hamas war “when a 30-ton tractor rolled over his legs as he helped evacuate elderly Palestinian civilians under terrorist fire” and received support from the organization after he returned home, according to Beit Issie Shapiro.
“Together, we found solutions which have helped me regain independence and focus on being the father and husband I’ve always been,” D told the attendees.
Birthdays
Executive director of the Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass in Lexington, Ky., she also serves on Kentucky’s Antisemitism Task Force, Mindy Haas…
Redondo Beach, Calif., resident, Larry Berlin… Rabbi of the Moscow Choral Synagogue, Adolf Shayevich turns 88… Spiritual leader of the Village of New Square (Rockland County, N.Y.) and rebbe of Skverer Hasidism worldwide, Rabbi Dovid Twersky turns 85… Retired actor best known for his role as NYPD Det. Andy Sipowicz in “NYPD Blue,” Dennis Franz turns 81… Former member of the Knesset for the Yisrael Beiteinu party, she also served as minister of aliyah and integration, Sofa Landver turns 76… Anthropology professor at NYU, she won a 1994 MacArthur genius fellowship, Faye Ginsburg turns 73… Rabbi at Temple Beth Sholom in Hamden, Conn., Benjamin Edidin Scolnic, Ph.D. turns 72… Co-founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates turns 70… Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author, he is a 2012 MacArthur genius fellow, David Louis Finkel turns 70… Four-star admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and assistant secretary for health, both throughout the Biden administration, Rachel Leland Levine turns 68… Former member of the Knesset for Likud, he then served as mayor of Beit She’an, Jackie Levy turns 65… Manager of MLB’s San Francisco Giants until the end of the 2025 season, he has been named Manager of the Year three times, Bob Melvin turns 64… Italian journalist, he served as editor-in-chief of the daily la Repubblica from 2020 until 2024, Maurizio Molinari turns 61… Actress and investor, she is a part-owner of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, Jami Gertz turns 60… Owner of a Chick-fil-A franchise in the Houston area, he was a collegiate and an NFL football coach, Tony Levine turns 53… Film and television director, producer, screenwriter and actor, Jacob “Jake” Kasdan turns 51… Academy Award and Grammy Award-winning actor, Joaquin Rafael Phoenix turns 51… Israeli singer in the Mizrahi style, Yaakov (Kobi) Peretz turns 50… Member of the California State Assembly (D-16), Rebecca Bauer-Kahan turns 47… Member of the Knesset for the Likud party from 2015 until 2019, Oren Hazan turns 44… Member of the city council of Scottsdale, Ariz., Adam Kwasman turns 43… President at Apex Healthcare Properties, Elliot Schwab… Associate director of member experience strategy at Oscar Health, Avital “Tali” Warburg Goldstein…
