Your Daily Phil: After cutting off Columbia, Robert Kraft gives $1M to Yeshiva U.
Good Wednesday morning.
In today’s edition of Your Daily Phil, we interview Ford Foundation President Darren Walker and report on the fight between Wikipedia editors and the Anti-Defamation League. We feature an opinion piece by Richard J. Levin about simultaneously respecting Jewish diversity and striving for Jewish unity. Also in this newsletter: David Rubenstein, George Latimer and Yair Zivan. We’ll start with Robert Kraft’s $1 million donation to Yeshiva University.
Two months after Robert Kraft cut financial ties with his alma mater, Columbia University, “over the treatment of Jewish students and faculty during pro-Palestinian protests at the campus,” the billionaire owner of the New England Patriots and founder of the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism announced yesterday that he would direct $1 million to fund a new program for students transferring to Yeshiva University amid a surge of antisemitism at other universities, reports eJewishPhilanthropy’s Haley Cohen.
“I am honored to establish the Blue Square Scholars program at Yeshiva University in order to give students a welcoming place to further their education and grow into leaders who will serve as advocates for unity and respect and will push back on all hate,” Kraft said in a statement. “At a time where hate has been unleashed across our universities, Jewish students are feeling isolated and unsafe. Yeshiva is providing a safe haven for these students and I look forward to seeing them thrive in an academic environment where they could live and study free of fear for being who they are.”
According to Yeshiva University, the Blue Square Scholars program will help the school “accommodate transferring students who are switching to YU” and “help provide the necessary infrastructure to accommodate the best and the brightest students who are rooted in the university’s values of compassion and respect for all.”
??Kraft’s donation to Yeshiva University is the latest in a string of Ivy League alumni opting to support a Jewish or Israeli institution instead of their alma maters. Earlier this month, an anonymous Columbia University alumnus donated $260 million to Israel’s Bar-Ilan University, and University of Pennsylvania graduate David Magerman pledged $1 million to the Jerusalem College of Technology after he too cut ties with his alma mater over its handling of campus antisemitism.
In light of rising antisemitism on college campuses nationwide since the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks in Israel, YU, the flagship Modern Orthodox university, has marketed itself as a safe alternative. In April, when illegal — and sometimes violent — anti-Israel encampments gripped dozens of universities, Yeshiva University reopened its admissions portal for undergraduate applicants. In May, the New York City school said it hit a record-high enrollment, with transfer applications up 53% over the prior year.
Rabbi Ari Berman, the university’s president, said in a statement that Kraft “sets the standard for impactful leadership in this country and this program will support top tier students who will follow his example to become the leaders of tomorrow.”
In April, Kraft withdrew his financial support from Columbia University, where he had contributed $3 million towards construction of what would become the Kraft Center for Jewish Student Life in 2000 — in addition to millions of dollars throughout the last two decades. The 1963 Columbia graduate told Politico that the “turning point” for him was seeing that Israeli professor Shai Davidai, who has emerged as an at-times controversial critic of Columbia’s administration, “had his access to campus revoked as he attempted to join a counter-protest.”
Since Oct. 7, the FCAS has spent millions of dollars aimed at turning the blue square emoji into the symbol for Jewish solidarity and opposition to hatred against Jewish people – including the roll out of a $25 million ad campaign in March, which came on the heels of the group’s $7 million 30-second Super Bowl ad.
Meanwhile in Colorado: At the Aspen Ideas Festival, the philanthropist and new owner of the Baltimore Orioles David Rubenstein was asked onstage which sports owner he most wanted to emulate and responded: Robert Kraft. “He won six NFL championships and was a person who was close to his players,” Rubenstein said. “He was very civically responsible and now he’s done a great thing: He started something to combat antisemitism. And if any of you are familiar with [the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism] — he started this with his own money, other people have contributed now. But it’s really a nationwide effort to combat the rise of antisemitism, which is extraordinary in the country now. So he’d be the owner that I most admire.”
BUILDING BRIDGES
Why Ford Foundation President Darren Walker thinks more people need to talk about antisemitism
When you run an organization focused on promoting social justice, but with the namesake of one of the most virulent antisemites in American history, you have to talk about the uncomfortable history. Or at least, that’s the attitude taken by Ford Foundation President Darren Walker, who published a blog post reckoning with Henry Ford’s antisemitism just weeks before the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks. Since then, Walker has spoken out against rising antisemitism — at times sparking clashes with his left-leaning staff, he told Gabby Deutch for eJewishPhilanthropy’s sister publication Jewish Insider yesterday at the Aspen Ideas Festival.
Tough going: Walker has helmed the Ford Foundation, which has an endowment of $16 billion, since 2013. Its grantees include Jewish organizations like the Anti-Defamation League. He was in Aspen to speak on a panel about modern antisemitism alongside Carole Zawatsky, CEO of Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life, which recently broke ground on a new synagogue, memorial and museum. “Right now, and certainly since Oct. 7, there is so much pain and anguish, and a sense of disaffection and abandonment, that a lot of Jewish Americans are rightly feeling,” Walker said. His focus is on building bridges between diverse communities — but he acknowledged that that work has become harder since Oct. 7.
Self-fulfilling prophecy?: The challenge in working across lines of difference is particularly hard now among Blacks and Jews, despite the two groups’ historic alliance during the Civil Rights Movement, Walker stated. “The state of Black-Jewish relations is very distressing, because I don’t know of a time when our communities have been more divided,” Walker said. “Part of that is because there are some who are seeking to divide us and who profit from creating that division. I think part of it is as well, we don’t know our history, and the next generation don’t know our history.” Some of the strain in ties between the two communities has to do with Jews’ feelings of isolation after Oct. 7, Walker argued.
More to do: Walker is careful not to overstate any success he may have had in urging liberal communities to speak out against antisemitism. “I’m not sure I’m making progress. I would like to think I’m contributing to opening up a space for people to be in where you won’t be pilloried for expressing some empathy with those who are dealing with the aftermath of Oct. 7,” said Walker.
Read the full report here and sign up for Jewish Insider’s Daily Kickoff here.
ONLINE DEBATE
Inside the war over Israel at Wikipedia
After Wikipedia’s editors voted earlier this month to rate the Anti-Defamation League as an unreliable source on matters related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a group of online activists celebrated the news in a pro-Palestine channel on the messaging app Discord. The exchange, which took place in an online community dedicated to editing Wikipedia articles to better reflect a pro-Palestinian narrative, offers a glimpse at how ideologically motivated actors operate behind the scenes to shape the knowledge shared on Wikipedia, one of the most visited websites in the world, reports Jewish Insider’s Gabby Deutch.
Unreliable designation: The Wikipedia editors’ decision to “deprecate” ADL, in the site’s parlance, relates to the group’s work on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and on matters related to antisemitism that involve Israel or Zionism. At a time of rising global antisemitism sparked by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel and the ensuing war in Gaza, the ADL argues that it’s nearly impossible to discuss antisemitism without also addressing Israel. Editors who attempt to cite the ADL will receive a pop-up warning message.
Who edits the editors?: The decision by several dozen Wikipedia editors — a fraction of the more than 10,000 high-volume editors on the site — to deem the ADL an unreliable source raises questions about the motivations driving editors on the platform and the far reach of a handful of highly active, ideologically driven users. “I appreciate the fact that Wikipedia is this amazing, extraordinary example of the democracy of the internet in many ways,” ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt told JI last week. “At the same time, the process is fairly inscrutable to me, at least, and I think most people are unclear about, Who are the editors? What’s their scholarship? How do they have demonstrated expertise? We don’t know.”
Rally around the ADL: More than 40 Jewish organizations, led by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, wrote a letter on Monday to the Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit host of Wikipedia, asking the organization to investigate the process that led the ADL to be deemed unreliable. “Fundamentally, Wikipedia is stripping the Jewish community of the right to defend itself from the hatred that targets our community,” the groups wrote in the letter, a copy of which was shared with JI. Maggie Dennis, vice president of community resilience and sustainability at the Wikimedia Foundation, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that “this letter represents a misunderstanding of the situation and how Wikipedia works.” It is not for Wikimedia to override the editors, she explained.
TIES THAT BIND
Toward a united Jewish people
“‘We Are One’ has been one of the essential mantras of the worldwide Jewish community since Oct. 7, 2023,” writes Richard J. Levin, executive committee chair of the organization Global Jewry, in an opinion piece for eJewishPhilanthropy.
Not a monolith, but connected: “At the same time, it is important to note that global Jewry is not a monolithic entity with a singular objective. Jewish communities around the world are diverse, with varying beliefs, practices and perspectives. At the same time, the division of Judaism into observant and less observant, right-leaning and left-leaning, Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist, affiliated and unaffiliated, etc., is an oversimplified and often destructive perspective on Jewish life. Similarly, there are silos between and among the extraordinary Jewish organizations providing valuable services and support to, and on behalf of, the Jewish community. These silos can create unnecessary barriers that separate us rather than unite us.”
Focus on what we share: “We devote a lot of time to debating the differences among us, yet there are themes imperative to Jewish individuals, organizations and communities globally. Here are just a few brief examples of the ties that can bind us as a global Jewish community…”
Worthy Reads
Personal Heroes: In the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Deborah Danan describes visiting the shiva of Saadia Dery, an Israeli infantryman killed in battle last week in Gaza, who was also her autistic son’s aide. “Saadia was a sergeant major in the reserves. He was also my son’s aide, so four days later, I came to pay my respects to his family. I had no idea that it would also be the day that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and a host of ministers in his coalition, would choose to do the same… Addressing the lawmakers, [Dery’s mother, Laly, said]: ‘The people are desperately looking to you to see you embrace one another, and end your pettiness. It doesn’t mean you have to give up on what you believe. It’s possible to be both firm and soft’… A lull in the conversation allowed me to make my way to Laly and present myself. I told her that for months, Saadia would appear at my house, twice a day, to take my 6-year-old autistic son to and from school. I said that the image of her sweet, sweet son with his ever-present smile holding my son’s hand will never leave my mind. I knew him only as endlessly patient, humble and unassuming. But until I heard the eulogies at the funeral, I didn’t realize the giant he was… ‘Please God you should find another aide just as patient and dedicated as he was,’ she said. But I told her that we already had another aide. ‘Before he left, Saadia found us a replacement — a wonderful fellow yeshiva student — because,’ at this point, fresh tears began to flow, ‘he said he didn’t know when he would be back this time around.’” [JTA]
Philanthropy’s Growing Role: In the Stanford Social Innovation Review, authors of a follow-up study analyzing how nonprofits with more than $50 million in annual revenue are funded find significant growth in private philanthropy’s impact. “Nonprofit leaders often grapple with the question of how big their organization will need to get to have the impact they aspire to. Inevitably, that question is coupled with the question of where the money will come from to support that growth… In the 2007 SSIR article ‘How Nonprofits Get Really Big,’ our Bridgespan colleagues William Foster and Gail Perreault identified US-based nonprofits, founded within the previous 30 years, that had reached at least $50 million in annual revenue… The data showed that over 90% of these ‘really big’ nonprofits ‘raised the bulk of their money from a single category of funder such as corporations or government — and not, as conventional wisdom would recommend, by going after diverse types of funding.’… The biggest difference today is that philanthropy — meaning gifts of $10,000 or more from foundations and individuals — now functions as the dominant funding category for a meaningful share of large US-based nonprofits… In fact, these larger nonprofits that rely on philanthropy saw a remarkable stability in their dominant revenue category. Looking back 10 years, 28 of these organizations were in existence and all but one already had philanthropy as their primary revenue source. The evidence seems clear: philanthropy as a funding model is a longer-term trend, not a momentary blip.” [SSIR]
Around the Web
George Latimer defeated Rep. Jamaal Bowman yesterday in the Democratic primary for New York’s 16th Congressional District, in a race that focused heavily on the incumbent’s antipathy toward Israel and perceived disregard for his Jewish constituents…
The New York Times examines Dr. Miriam Adelson’s plans to spend upwards of $90 million toward the reelection campaign of presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump…
The Associated Press is launching a 501(c)3 nonprofit with the goal of raising $100 million for local news initiatives…
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich appeared in a Moscow court today for the official opening of his trial on espionage charges, which are widely seen as spurious…
After Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) issued a statement mourning the death of one of its staffers in an Israeli airstrike yesterday, the Israel Defense Forces responded by identifying the man, Fadi al-Wadiya, as a top figure in the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group’s rocket program…
Jewish Insider interviews Yair Zivan, a top aide to Israeli Opposition Leader Yair Lapid, about the forthcoming release of his book, The Center Must Hold, on the virtues of political centrism…
The number of antisemitic incidents in Germany rose by more than 80% last year, with a noted increase following the Oct. 7 terror attacks in Israel, according to an annual tally by the German antisemitism watchdog RIAS…
Amsterdam’s Stedelijk Museum will return a Henri Matisse painting to the heirs of its Jewish pre-WWII owner, who sold the work under duress before being killed in a concentration camp in 1945…
A 1939 letter penned by Albert Einstein to then-President Franklin Roosevelt urging him to invest in atomic energy research will be auctioned off this fall, and is expected to fetch upwards of $4 million…
The Jewish Telegraphic Agency spotlights a specialized hotel in Jerusalem for women who have had a stillbirth, which was opened last year by the Yad Sarah medical nonprofit; read eJewishPhilanthropy’s coverage of the opening from July 2023…
New York Times columnist Bret Stephens speculates whether American Jews will continue to attend elite universities in light of campus antisemitism and if they ought to…
In a New York Times opinion piece, a group of former and current top Israeli figures from politics, civil service, the arts and academia denounces Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and argue that he should not be invited to address Congress as he no longer represents the Israeli people…
Rabbi Burt Jacobson, a leader in the Jewish Renewal movement and founder of the northern California Kehilla congregation, died on Saturday at 87…
Eric Hazan, a French leftist author and publisher born to Jewish immigrant parents, died earlier this month at 87…
Maury Strauss, a Roanoke, Va.-based business owner and philanthropist who supported educational causes and the local Jewish community, died on Monday at 99…
Pic of the Day
Israeli pop star Eden Golan performs at the Birthright Israel mega event on Monday at Mini Israel Park outside Jerusalem. More than 2,000 Birthright participants attended the event, which focused on solidarity with the hostages being held in Gaza and Israeli soldiers.
“This summer, almost 15,000 young Jews will visit Israel, and we should not overlook this opportunity,” Gidi Mark, CEO of Birthright Israel, said in a speech at the gathering. “Birthright Israel aims for participants to connect with Jewish peers, take pride in Judaism, deepen their understanding of Israel and themselves and forge lasting friendships. No matter what, we will never give up on our unity and support for one another.”
Birthdays
Executive director at the Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California, David Bocarsly…
British Labour party member of Parliament for 42 years, David Winnick… Partner in the law firm BakerHostetler known for his recovery of $14.5 billion from the Madoff investment scandal, Irving H. Picard… Retired co-host for more than 30 years of NPR’s “All Things Considered,” Robert Siegel… Rabbi of Congregation Chaverim in Tucson, Ariz., for more than 35 years, Stephanie Aaron… Founder of Grover Strategies, he was previously Chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Alan Solow… CEO of Emerging Star Capital and the author of a biography of President Bill Clinton, Robert E. Levin… Attorney and Holocaust survivors’ rights advocate, Samuel J. Dubbin… CEO of ZMC, he was previously chairman of CBS and CEO of 20th Century Fox, Strauss Zelnick… Professor of psychology at Loyola University Maryland, she is known for her work on sleep patterns and behavioral well-being, Amy Ruth Wolfson, Ph.D…. Israeli actress and comedian, Anat Waxman… Once the wealthiest of all Russian oligarchs, then a prisoner in Russia and now living in London, Mikhail Khodorkovsky… Novelist and journalist, most notable as the author of the Magicians trilogy, he was the book critic and lead technology writer at Time magazine, Lev Grossman… and his twin brother, author, video game designer and adjunct instructor at NYU, Austin Grossman… Dean of Yeshiva University’s Sy Syms School of Business, Noam T. Wasserman… President and founder of Reut Group, Gidi Grinstein… Political commentator, YouTube personality, comedian and talk show host, Dave Rubin… Head of external communications at GEICO, Ross Feinstein… Associate in Mayer Brown’s D.C. office, Michael “Mickey” Leibner… Director of Israel and Jewish affairs at the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, Sara Fredman Aeder… Special advisor for implementation at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Asher J. Mayerson… Author and media personality, Elizabeth Pipko…
