Your Daily Phil: Are we spending too much money on combating antisemitism?
Good Monday morning.
In today’s edition of Your Daily Phil, we report on yesterday evening’s World Zionist Congress election debate and on an interfaith Seder in Los Angeles. In the latest installment of “The 501(C) Suite,” eJewishPhilanthropy’s exclusive opinion column featuring insights from leading foundation executives, Barry Finestone questions how the Jewish community has been allocating its resources in response to antisemitism post-Oct. 7; and Jason Plotkin explores the benefits of a data analytics approach to tracking and nurturing synagogue growth as well as member (and even non-member) connectedness. Also in this newsletter: Andrés Spokoiny, Todd Golden and Ariel Bibas.
What We’re Watching
eJewishPhilanthropy will host the second of three World Zionist Congress election debates tonight at 6:30 p.m. tonight. Sign up here. More below on yesterday evening’s first debate.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in Washington today, following an invitation from President Donald Trump late last week while Netanyahu was in Budapest, Hungary.
Operation Benjamin will be at Arlington National Cemetery today to replace the headstones of two Jewish soldiers who were killed in action in World War I.
The MEAD Summit is taking place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
The University of Florida, coached by Todd Golden, and University of Houston will face off tonight in the NCAA championship game.
What You Should Know
Seven slates running in the World Zionist Congress elections squared off yesterday evening in the first of three debates being held this week by eJewishPhilanthropy. Though the randomly selected slates came from a wide range of backgrounds and political affiliations, the need to combat antisemitism, encourage more American Jews to participate in the World Zionist Congress and the need for greater transparency in the bureaucracies and budget process of the World Zionist Organization and other so-called “National Institutions” emerged as common themes among the slates.
Last night’s debate featured: Ran Fuchs representing Kol Israel; Ari Hoffman for Israel365 Action; Shabbos Kestenbaum for Aish Ha’Am; Rabbi Hillel Skolnik for Mercaz USA; Daphne Lazar Price for Dorshei Torah v’Tzion; Irena Zolotova for American Forum for Israel; and Dr. Jeremy Levin for AID Coalition. Rachel Kohn, eJP’s opinion editor, moderated the debate.
Asked how the World Zionist Congress can improve ties with American Jewry, AID Coalition and Dorshei Torah v’Tzion offered concrete policy proposals — creating fora for American Jews to participate in the budgetary process alongside Israelis and supporting programs for American rabbinical students to visit Israel and Israeli leaders to visit America, respectively — while other slates focused more on general goals. Throughout the debate, Levin highlighted the AID Coalition candidates’ management and business experience, which he said made them uniquely qualified to make an impact at the WZO and promote pluralism and Israel-Diaspora ties.
Early on in the 90-minute debate, Kestenbaum for Aish Ha’Am stressed the need for young voices in the World Zionist Congress, a position that was embraced and reiterated by many of the other slates. This line of argument set Aish apart from the other slates in Sunday’s event but may not have had the same impact if — for instance — Am Yisrael Chai, another youth-focused party, had participated in last night’s debate.
Zolotova, whose slate is mainly supported by Russian-speaking American Jews, said such population-specific slates were still necessary to ensure that those communities were adequately represented.
“Russian-speaking Jewry comprises a very significant portion of Jews in America,” she said. “And one of our successes that we’ve had in the past Congress, in which I was a delegate — and hopefully this time — is to develop programs that bring those people into the fold. We’re always open to working with other organizations… but I think it’s important to have that specific voice that addresses the needs of our community.”
For the Modern Orthodox slate of Dorshei Torah v’Tzion, Lazar Price similarly stressed the unique qualities of the community that it represents, which she said made it well-suited to serve as a bridge between the Orthodox parties in the World Zionist Congress and the progressive ones.
Israel365 Action, a slate that is strongly aligned with evangelical Christians, was singularly focused on Israeli annexation of the West Bank, also known as Judea and Samaria. When asked how the slate would make the “broad diversity of American Jewry” feel engaged with Israel while advancing a contentious issue like West Bank annexation, Hoffman sidestepped the question by saying that engagement and inclusion would only be possible once there was security. He did not, however, explain how annexing the West Bank would necessarily provide this security.
Skolnik, speaking for Mercaz USA, which previously supported a two-state solution, said the slate had moved away from this position. “The Conservative movement is a big tent. When I get up to speak at shul on a Shabbat morning, I recognize the fact that I talk to people who have varying opinions. There are some people who would like to see a two-state solution created tomorrow. And there are some people who believe that the idea is so far gone that it can never be brought back to the table,” he said.
Tonight’s debate will feature: Rabbi Josh Weinberg representing Vote Reform; Roei Eisenberg for ANU; Liz Berney for ZOA Coalition; Rabbi David Gedzelman for The Jewish Future; Daniel A. Kaskel for Herut Zionists; and Rabbi Aryeh Katzin for Beyachad. Register here.
Recordings of all of the debates will be posted online later this week.
BREAD OF AFFECTION
Los Angeles interfaith Seder celebrates unity and resilience in wake of wildfires
The Jewish Federation Los Angeles, in collaboration with the city’s Museum of Tolerance, hosted its annual Interfaith Passover Seder on Thursday, bringing together faith leaders, first responders, civic officials and Angelenos directly impacted by the recent wildfires. This year’s Seder, held at the museum, carried the theme “From Hardship to Hope: The Power of Collective Strength,” focusing on the devastating wildfires that ravaged parts of Los Angeles. Nearly 20 religious institutions were lost to the fires, and many other houses of worship suffered serious damage, reports Ayala Or-El for eJewishPhilanthropy from the event.
L.A. strong: Originally planned as an outdoor event, the Seder was moved indoors due to rain that began earlier in the day. Attendees included community and religious leaders and elected officials, among them newly elected Beverly Hills Mayor Sharona Nazarian, Rep. Luz Rivas (D-CA), LAFD Interim Fire Chief Ronnie Villanueva and LAPD Commander Jonathan Tom. Rabbi Noah Farkas, president and CEO of Jewish Federation Los Angeles, emphasized the Seder’s deeper significance, stating, “Passover provides a springboard for reflection, unity and resilience. In the spirit of this holiday, our Interfaith Seder honored the collective strength of the Los Angeles community. This gathering served as a powerful reminder of the enduring resilience of the human spirit and the transformative force of unity in the face of adversity.”
THE 501(C) SUITE
You can’t solve antisemitism. But you can raise a generation of vibrant, proud young Jews.
“Antisemitism is the world’s original sin, and while it is hard to write and probably harder to read, I believe we are spending too much of our community’s time and dollars on a problem that is not primarily ours to solve,” writes Barry Finestone, president and CEO of the Jim Joseph Foundation, in the latest installment of eJewishPhilanthropy’s exclusive opinion column “The 501(C) Suite.”
Real talk: “Let me be crystal clear: We need organizations that keep us safe and secure and coordinate with local, state and government entities. We must continue to make sure that the safety and well-being of every Jew is paramount… Antisemitism has ebbed and flowed throughout history over the course of millennia, and it has always occurred as a result of larger complex societal issues that time after time make Jews the scapegoat. It is never about what Jews do or don’t do. That doesn’t mean that we should throw up our hands and stop trying to address it, but I must ask: Do the expensive and high-profile ad campaigns, brainstorming sessions, tweets and gatherings make a difference? Are they reaching people who really need to be reached? If yes, are people’s opinions changing? We don’t have data that says they are, and yet tens of millions of our community’s dollars are being devoted to these efforts.”
TOOLS FOR SHULS
Building a data-driven synagogue
“By utilizing data and analytics, synagogues can not only streamline their activities but also deepen their impact, creating a more vibrant, inclusive and engaged community,” writes Jason Plotkin, executive director of Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Mich., in an opinion piece for eJewishPhilanthropy.
The details that matter: “At its core, tracking engagement is essential to understanding what resonates with congregants. By tracking key metrics, we can learn how members and non-members engage with our communities. We can assess trends in involvement and find out who are those individuals so ‘adjacent’ to our community that they are worth approaching for membership… Having data is great, but the real key is the investment in both personnel and time in using it. In addition to the programmatic details that are now logged, we are populating data on both our members and non-members’ accounts within the system in a manner comparable to the medical records at your doctor’s office — the notes the physician reads before an appointment as a reminder of prior conversations, health issues and concerns or goals presented during past visits… A synagogue’s strength always lies in its community. If we can utilize data to help ensure that members feel connected — that they have received outreach and feel seen, valued and supported — it goes a long way in ensuring the vibrancy that our synagogues seek to establish.”
Worthy Reads
A Dose of Humility: In Sources Journal, president and CEO of the Jewish Funders Network Andrés Spokoiny critiques both the traditional Jewish philanthropy model of federated giving and modern individual philanthropy in Jewish communities. “A few years ago, at the annual JFN conference, I talked about ‘empowered humility,’ the idea that funders need to be aware of their power to change reality and not be afraid to use it. At the same time, they need to be aware of what they don’t know and treat the work of those who preceded them with respect and even reverence. Humility comes from ‘humus,’ Latin for soil: being humble is being grounded in a series of principles and relations that set limits to our power. In Jewish terms, it reminds me of the teachings of Rabbi Simcha Bunim, who said that every person should carry two notes, one in each pocket. One note says, ‘For my sake, the world was created,’ and the other says, ‘I am but dust and ashes.’ Each note serves as a reminder of a different essential truth about life and human existence, but when read together, they help us realize our power while keeping us humble and responsible.” [Sources]
In the Hot Seat: In The Times of Israel, Galit Cohen warns that policy steps must be taken to protect Israel’s long-term prosperity from the effects of climate change. “The latest Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Economic Survey of Israel, released Wednesday, highlights a stark reality: Israel is not on track to meet our climate goals and international commitments. This finding by the international organization founded in 1961 to promote policies that improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world highlights not just an environmental failure – but an economic and strategic one as well. If Israel does not take bold action now, we will remain behind as most countries reform their economies by increasingly switching to renewable energy or electric vehicles. Lagging behind risks our economic competitiveness, undermines national resilience, and deepens the burden on future generations.” [TOI]
Rules of Engagement: In a post for Blue Avocado, Melodie KG shares three “Rs” for ethical community engagement: research, relationships and remuneration. “If you have ever worked for a nonprofit or in public office, or lived in a town with a budget, you may be familiar with the cycle of participant surveys, focus groups, or public forums that drive public processes and inform policy. These are examples of community engagement. However, there is a delicate balance to be struck when institutions reach into communities that are marginalized, underserved, and/or over-criminalized to pull data and insights from that community. The problem here is that there is a tendency to under-compensate and exhaust the people we are trying to serve by inundating them with requests for feedback. This trend is especially harmful to low-income people of color, who are most alienated from the benefits these institutions provide. If your organization builds community engagement processes into program development, you should be implementing non-extractive methods that include compensation for time and lived experience. What do I mean? To be non-extractive means to build genuine relationships with people and organizations through which there is reciprocity and mutual respect.” [BlueAvocado]
The New Exodus: The Wall Street Journal’s Emma Osman reflects on a recent conversation with former Israeli American hostage Keith Siegel and his wife, Aviva, ahead of the Passover holiday. “As they recounted stories of their time in Hamas captivity, they shared another meaningful numerical list. For Keith, 484 days in captivity. Thirty-three relocations throughout Gazan tunnels and apartments. One hundred-eighty days in complete solitude, in a room with no windows. For Aviva, 51 days in captivity. Thirteen relocations. Three days on which she was allowed to brush her teeth. And for the couple, 41 years spent living in peace at Kibbutz Kfar Aza, just over a mile from Gaza. Sixty-four neighbors murdered on Oct. 7, 2023. Next week, Jews will sit around the Seder table and tell the story of our ancestors’ journey out of Egypt. Our ritual will include the same numbers I’ve counted since childhood. But this year, Jews will incorporate new figures into the list, and these numbers won’t be ancient history. We will remember the 59 hostages who remain in the shadows of Gaza, starved and abused. We will count the 553 days throughout which they’ve been isolated underground.” [WSJ]
Word on the Street
Auburn men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl was named the Associated Press’ coach of the year, sharing the honor with St. John’s coach Rick Pitino…
And then there was one…. Florida coach Todd Golden became the only remaining Jewish coach of three who had entered the NCAA men’s basketball Final Four on Saturday when his team beat Auburn, coached by Pearl, who is also Jewish. Golden’s Gators take on the Houston Cougars tonight in the championship game…
The BBC spotlights Thessaloniki, Greece, which was prior to World War II the hub of Greece’s Jewish community…
Responding to a planned $510 million freeze on federal funds to Brown University, members of the Brown Corporation and Brown-RISD Hillel leadership issued a statement Thursday affirming the university’s strong commitment to religious freedom and Jewish life on campus…
GatherBay, an experimental nonprofit launched in 2022 as an offshoot of D.C.-based GatherDC aimed at connecting young adults to the Bay Area Jewish community, will close in June due to fundraising challenges after failing to become self-sustaining following initial seed money from the Rodan Family Foundation and San Francisco-based Jewish Community Federation…
The Auschwitz Jewish Center – now a museum and the only surviving synagogue in O?wi?cim, the Polish town that the Nazis renamed Auschwitz – will be offering packaged, shelf-stable kosher meals for visitors to the Auschwitz concentration camp beginning on the night of April 23, Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day; this is the first time in 80 years that commercial kosher food has been available in the town…
Lisa J. Rahman has been appointed chief operating officer of the Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Service in Boca Raton, Fla…
The Museum of Jewish Heritage’s 2025 Spring Women’s Luncheon raised $425,000 to support Holocaust education and remembrance. The event featured Holocaust survivor Alice Ginsburg as keynote speaker…
The Academy of the Hebrew Language has renamed a spotted orange butterfly in honor of murdered hostage Ariel Bibas, from Kitmit Yerushalayim (Orange Jerusalem) to Kitmit Ariel (Orange Ariel) due to the 4-year-old’s love for butterflies…
Dallas Rabbi Yitzhak Meir Sabo has been arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing a male student and has been put on unpaid leave by both Akiba Yavneh Academy where he served as director of Jewish life, and Tiferet Israel congregation, where is spiritual leader…
The Associated Press spotlights Rihanna’s charitable organization, the Clara Lionel Foundation…
More than 8,000 Israeli high-tech workers have left the country and relocated elsewhere since the Oct. 7, 2023, terror attacks, representing 2.1% of the industry’s workforce, according to a new survey by the Israeli Employment Service…
Pic of the Day
One hundred and twenty-three boys visit the Western Wall on Thursday to celebrate their becoming bar mitzvah as part of an annual event organized by the Colel Chabad nonprofit for children who have lost at least one parent. Each participant received his own set of tefillin as well as new clothes for the occasion.
“Every child deserves to know that they are not forgotten, particularly during these landmark occasions in Jewish life,” Rabbi Sholom Duchman, director of Colel Chabad, said in a statement. “When a boy approaches bar mitzvah, it’s natural to think that his father will be standing alongside him, and when that’s not possible, it’s critical that we find a way to ensure his mother and family have the emotional and practical support they so deserve.”
Birthdays
Chicago-based progressive activist, he is CEO and a co-founder of Project Shema, Oren Jacobson…
Professor emerita of philosophy at Vanderbilt University, Marilyn Ann Friedman… President of Yale University for 20 years, then CEO of Coursera, an education-focused technology company, Richard Charles “Rick” Levin… Consultant on aging, longevity, law and policy, Naomi Karp… Software engineer at FlightView, Jonathan Ruby… Professor emeritus at Pennsylvania State University, he was born in Haifa, Simon J. Bronner… Los Angeles-based casting director, Jane Sobo… Director of project staffing at Tower Legal Solutions in Addison, Texas, until three months ago, Ilene Robin Breitbarth… Member of the House of Commons of Canada from the Winnipeg area, Martin B. Morantz… Screenwriter, actress and director, Andrea Berloff… Philanthropist who practices so-called ‘trust-based philanthropy,’ MacKenzie Scott… White House and Congress editor for USA Today, Darren Samuelsohn… Director of business development at Storytel Thailand, Justin Ross Lee… Communications director for the national security sector at Leidos, Gregory Hellman… Reporter covering the White House and Washington for Politico, Daniel Lippman… Executive director of Camp Seneca Lake for the JCC of Greater Rochester (N.Y.), Marissa Wizig Klegman… Managing partner of Reno-based Mazal Capital, David Farahi… Professional golfer who joined the PGA Tour in 2015 when he won Rookie of the Year, he has since won four tournaments, Daniel Berger … Pitcher and first baseman for Team Israel at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Ben Wanger…
