Your Daily Phil: EXCLUSIVE Birthright makes post-Oct. 7 volunteering trip permanent
Good Thursday morning.
In today’s edition of Your Daily Phil, we report on last night’s American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad) Lamplighter Awards gala in Washington, D.C., and on the election of the next Anti-Defamation League board chair, Nicole Mutchnik. We feature an opinion piece by Ely Winkler about the role of education and open conversation within the Orthodox community in fostering LGBTQ+ allyship at a communal level. Also in this issue: Robert Kraft, Candy Berman and Malky Berkowitz. We’ll start with Birthright Israel making its post-Oct. 7 volunteer initiative a larger, permanent program.
Recognizing that Israel will need far-reaching help regardless of how long the war in Gaza lasts, Birthright Israel is transforming its volunteer program into a major long-term initiative, joining its signature 10-day Israel visit and internship program Onward Israel, eJewishPhilanthropy’s Judith Sudilovsky has learned.
“We started this as an experiment,” Elias Saratovsky, president and CEO of Birthright Israel Foundation, told eJP. “We saw a massive demand from Diaspora Jews [to do something], and we saw a massive need in Israel. None of those have dissipated since we launched the project. We are constantly adding new partners in Israel that require volunteers. We believe this will happen for years to come, as the needs in Israel will continue to exist… We haven’t even begun to approach northern Israel, where there’ll be massive needs one day.”
Birthright Israel aims to recruit 10,000 volunteers annually in order to provide young adults and their alums with a meaningful second experience in Israel, which will require increased support and new funding. Applicants must be ages 18-40 and identify themselves as Jewish.
“My first thought as CEO of Birthright Israel in those initial moments after Oct. 7 was, how could world Jewry take part in defending Israel, which belongs to them as much as to Israeli citizens. I immediately thought we need to bring young Jews to rebuild the south,” Gidi Mark, CEO of Birthright Israel, told eJP. “It was mind-blowing to see how these people felt so fulfilled to give something of themselves, and to take part in doing good for Israel in the south.”
Since the inception of the program, 7,000 volunteers from 50 countries around the world have participated in the program, said Mark, and another 1,000 volunteers are anticipated to participate by the end of the year. Participants receive accommodations in Tel Aviv with reinforced rooms, transportation to and from the volunteering sites and health insurance. Participants must cover the cost of their flights and travel insurance, though there is the possibility of receiving partial reimbursement from Birthright Israel for the flight.
The budget for the volunteer program this year is $18 million and will grow to between $20 million to $24 million next year, Saratovsky said, and they have been seeing an increase in donations for the project from previous donors as well as contributions from new donors earmarked for the volunteer program.
“Among the most touching moments is when you hear from the Israelis, who are the beneficiaries of this work,” Saratovsky said. “The owner of the flower farm broke down in tears, and he told us that if it weren’t for the Birthright Israel volunteers they would have lost all their crops. Instead the crops were picked and they were being sent to market, and his livelihood was able to continue.”
The most emotionally meaningful task for the volunteers so far has been to help the people from the southern kibbutzim pack up their things from the hotels in Tel Aviv where they have been staying and to go with them to the south, unload the trucks and help them clean up their homes and get back into their homes, said Mark.
Recently graduated pediatric nurse Chaya Backman, 26, from Brooklyn, N.Y., who last came to Israel with Birthright Israel in 2018, said she had been looking to come back to Israel and following Oct. 7, she knew this was the time. Being able to help residents from Kibbutz Erez return to their homes showed her the true meaning of resilience.
“It is bittersweet,” she told eJP, speaking during her final week in Israel on the program. “It was nice to be able to help the residents come back…they told us how they haven’t been home for months and coming back was exciting but also so scary, so it was hard. I don’t have words for it. It was emotional but there was also a sense…of resilience. The community is there to protect each other. There is no place like Israel, where there is a sense of community resilience even though you feel the sadness and anxiety that comes along with war.”
SHINE A LIGHT
American Friends of Lubavitch gala fetes bipartisan support for Jewish community
As klezmer music echoed through the Andrew Mellon Auditorium in Washington, D.C., last night dozens of members of the House and Senate gathered alongside more than 100 Jewish leaders, ambassadors and politicos for the annual American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad) Lamplighter Awards gala. At the cocktail reception, guests noshed on kosher charcuterie and sushi as they heard remarks from several pro-Israel stalwarts in Congress including Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) and Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), eJewishPhilanthropy reports. During dinner, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) was presented with the Lamplighter Leadership Award, a menorah made from rockets fired by Hamas into Israel, for his support for the U.S.- Israel relationship.
A somber note: The usually celebratory event was held against a somber backdrop this year, on the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks — and a few weeks before the first anniversary of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks in Israel, while more than 100 hostages remain held in Gaza. The evening opened with a moment of silence for the victims of Sept. 11, followed by a United States Marine Corps Color Guard tribute. Several Gold Star families and members of the U.S. armed forces were in attendance.
Starting a tradition: “I stand with Israel because it’s a matter of faith for me and it always will be,” Johnson told attendees. “America’s support for Israel has been and must remain bipartisan,” he said. Johnson recalled hosting the inaugural menorah lighting inside the Capitol last Hanukkah, alongside Rabbi Levi Shemtov, who leads American Friends of Lubavitch. “I was surprised to learn that that did not happen before,” Johnson said. “I’m glad we began that tradition.”
Both sides of the aisle: Johnson was introduced by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY). “There is a special relationship between the U.S. and Israel and our commitment to Israel’s security is ironclad and unbreakable,” Jeffries said, adding that he and Johnson are committed to ensuring that support for Israel “remains bipartisan.” In his speech, Jeffries referred to this week’s Torah portion, which concludes with the obligation to “remember what Amalek did to you on the way” out of Egypt. “But the Jewish people are resilient, and we will stand up for Israel’s right to defend herself. We will stand up to make sure that we crush antisemitism and bury it in the ground never to rise again,” Jeffries said to applause from the crowd.
TRANSITIONS
L.A. native Nicole Mutchnik elected board chair of the ADL
The Anti-Defamation League elected Nicole Mutchnik to serve as the next chair of its board of directors, the organization announced on Thursday. Mutchnik, who has been involved with the group for some 20 years, currently serves as the ADL’s vice chair and as chair of its Los Angeles regional board, reports eJewishPhilanthropy’s Judah Ari Gross.
Fighting extremism: “In this era of polarization and pain for the Jewish community and America at large, I have deep faith that American values of respect, tolerance and goodwill will prevail over extremism, hatred and violence,” she said in a statement. Mutchnik, who enters her position in January 2025, will succeed Ben Sax, who has held the role for three years. “There’s really no one better suited or more knowledgeable to lead our board through this time of rising antisemitism and hate,” Sax said.
‘A natural progression’: “At a time when we are facing unprecedented levels of antisemitism, we are fortunate to have a leader of Nicole’s experience and caliber moving into our top volunteer leadership role,” Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO, said in a statement. “This is a natural progression for her, and we deeply appreciate her and her service.”
Civic work: The L.A.-based Mutchnik and her husband, Allan, who serves as president of Harbor Freight Tools, are both deeply involved in national and local civic work. They co-founded the California Democracy Fund in 2018. Nicole Mutchnik served on Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’ transition advisory committee and she is also on the boards of the Women’s Political Committee, the Luskin School of Public Affairs at UCLA, the Aspen Institute Leadership Council and Civicas Women’s Civic Action Network.
STAND UP AND BE COUNTED
Beyond the Shabbos table: LGBTQ+ allyship as a communal responsibility
“It’s time to shore up Israeli women. Listen to them, believe them, invest in them,” writes Rabbi Rebecca W. Sirbu, executive vice president of the Jewish Funders Network, in an opinion piece for eJewishPhilanthropy following her recent visit to Israel on a trip organized by the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation and the Charles and Lynne Schusterman Family Philanthropies.“Since Oct. 7, I have personally felt caught between my Jewish and LGBTQ+ identities, as though I have to take a stand on one side or another,” writes Ely Winkler, director of advancement for Eshel, in an opinion piece for eJewishPhilanthropy. “I was isolated in spaces that were once warm and friendly, but this feeling was unfortunately not new to me.”
Concerning trends: “A survey published by Eshel in February found that 44% of the 133 parents surveyed reported their children being treated differently in synagogue after they came out, with 67% reporting that their children felt they had no choice but to leave Orthodoxy. How can we be so worried about antisemitism from outside when children aren’t even safe in our own communities?”
In their own closet: “While the examples of rejection are plentiful, the evidence of acceptance also cannot be ignored… So many people in Orthodox communities are privately allies: They would never reject an LGBTQ+ person from their Shabbat table, or not invite them to their family simcha. But publicly, would they demand that the same LGBTQ+ person receive a kibbud (honor) in their shul? Would they demand an LGBTQ+ family be accepted into their local day school? While some Orthodox organizations are standing up to say they’re inclusive of LGBTQ+ people, most would still prefer to deal with the question on a case-by-case basis rather than take a stand.”
A path to next-level change: “Eshel has helped hundreds of LGBTQ+ Orthodox Jewish people and their families find shuls, schools and communities where they belong. We have consulted with hundreds of leaders, rabbis, educators and more, but how does Orthodoxy get to a place where LGBTQ+ people don’t need an organization to help them find a safe community? How do we shift the stance of not just individuals and leadership in private but the entire community?”
Worthy Reads
Your Demeanor Sends a Message: In The Wall Street Journal, lawyer Mike Kerrigan reflects on an unanticipated life lesson he gained from an encounter with Boulder, Colo., shuttle bus driver Dave Moller. “I might not have noticed him, but the whimsical song he was playing — ‘A Groovy Kind of Love’ by the Mindbenders — broke my newsfeed’s gravitational pull. Looking up from my iPhone was good fortune. It allowed me to see festive bunting reading ‘Cheers to 45’ that adorned the bus cabin. Mr. Moller has driven airport shuttles for Hertz for 45 years, a fact he shared with pride moments later over the public address system… Based on how swiftly he moved luggage from bus to curb, Mr. Moller appeared to be as light of foot as of heart. As his shuttle pulled away, a thought occurred to me. Mr. Moller had performed the morning’s repetitive tasks multiple times a day for more than four decades, yet still he did them with the purposefulness and lightheartedness of an applicant looking to land the job. The admirable marriage of consistency and mirth got me thinking about this bus driver’s job, and the one to which I was returning. All things being equal, work done joylessly is work done less effectively, for nothing ever happens in a vacuum. Someone is always watching, whether it’s an office colleague or a bus passenger, and influenced accordingly. This means that whatever a man’s vocation in life happens to be, what he does is scarcely more important than how he does it.” [WSJ]
An Intergenerational Effect: There are several reasons why religious congregations have not seen the same downturn in donations that secular organizations have experienced since the enactment of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, reports Mike Scutari in Inside Philanthropy. “Perhaps the most salient variable is how frequently an individual attends a religious service. The 2017 ‘Giving USA Special Report on Giving to Religion’ found that ‘people who attend religious services on a monthly basis are 11 times more likely to give to religious congregations, and give an average of $1,737 more to religion per year than people who attend less than once a month.’… But saying that donors kept the checks flowing to congregations post-TCJA because they attended services or hail from a religious household doesn’t tell the whole story. Individuals — religious or otherwise — don’t materialize as fully formed donors out of thin air… If a parent consistently tells their children that giving to their church is important, that teaching can have a lasting impact. In a 2016 study titled ‘Generational Transmission of Religious Giving: Instilling Giving Habits across the Life Course,’ researchers Patricia Snell Herzog and Scott Mitchell noted, ‘in many cases, it seemed that [religious] giving later in life was shaped by parental teachings about giving in younger years, which were activated or supported in adulthood religious participation.’” [InsidePhilanthropy]
I See You: Philanthropy Daily features an open letter by consultant Emily Marble expressing her appreciation for an unnamed nonprofit CEO. “I know you are tired. You are working on your passion project, something that has the capacity to change the world. You are a bright light in a world that is all too dark. You help me believe the future can be hopeful… Every task, moment of growth, or donation solicitation feels like an uphill battle. Sometimes, it would be much easier to wave the white flag. After all, you’re not perfect. You make mistakes, just like the rest of us. Part of what makes your job difficult — and your efforts commendable — is working past those mistakes (just like the rest of us)… I don’t see you as purely a revenue stream, but rather a friend. I stand behind your mission not only because I want that future too but also because you’re a leader I believe in and want to emulate. Because of you, I can say with deep conviction that I love my job… In fact, I’d almost say that I love you, because we are working together for a bright and hopeful tomorrow for those we care about. I believe in you. Through thick and thin, through failure and success, keep going.” [PhilanthropyDaily]
Around the Web
The Committee on House Administration moved by unanimous consent to advance legislation bringing the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia into the Smithsonian Institution to the full House…
The social justice nonprofit Repair the World announced its National Days of Jewish Service initiative, which will run Sept. 15- Oct. 15…
ESPN documents New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft’s 12-year-quest to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame…
Reboot Studios, which is backed by the Spielberg Foundation and supports innovative new Jewish content, announced its 2024 Creator Fund recipients to include a Ladino language cowboy movie featuring a family of Crypto-Jews at the end of the American Civil War; an original Iranian-Jewish production on Yalda, the ancient Persian celebration marking the winter solstice; a theatrical documentary on the resurgence of antisemitism; and a podcast series on tools for the post-patriarchal Jewish life in the 21st century…
Candy Berman has been named as board chair of Atlanta’s Jewish Homelife, having previously served as board vice chair and resource development committee chair…
Malky Berkowitz, a so-called “chained” woman whose case prompted Orthodox-influencer “Flatbush Girl” Adina Sash to call for women to refuse to go to the mikveh, has received a get, or religious divorce contract, from her now-former husband…
The Wall Street Journal looks at the financial empire succession saga of the Rupert Murdoch family, which heads to court in Nevada on Monday…
Dovid Efune, publisher of the New York Sun and chairman of Algemeiner, has put in a bid to purchase the British newspaper The Telegraph…
The University of Maryland celebrated on Sunday the official groundbreaking ceremony for its new Hillel center building, which is due to be open to students in spring of 2026…
New York City’s Noguchi Museum fired three employees who violated its dress code — which bans attire with a political message — by wearing keffiyehs in solidarity with the Palestinian cause…
Anton Samborskyi, the adopted son of one of Ukraine’s chief rabbis, Moshe Azman, will be buried today in Kyiv’s Jewish cemetery after he was killed while fighting Russian forces just weeks after he was drafted into the Ukrainian military…
Philip Abram Kaplan, a retired businessman and philanthropist from Marietta, Ga., died earlier this month at 89…
Pic of the Day
Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund, Jewish National Fund-USA and the U.S. Embassy in Israel hold their annual memorial ceremony yesterday to honor the victims of the 9/11 attack.
The 9/11 Living Memorial Monument in the Jerusalem Hills is one of the few memorial sites to the attacks outside the United States. The ceremony was attended by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Jacob J. Lew; Ifat Ovadia-Luski, the KKL-JNF world chairwoman; Talia Tzour Avner, chief of staff of JNF-USA in Israel; Eyal Caspi, commissioner of the Israel Fire and Rescue Authority; and Tel Aviv Police Commissioner Amar Peretz.
During the ceremony, representatives from various organizations and agencies, including the New York Field Office of Customs and Border Protection, laid wreaths in memory of the victims of the disaster, accompanied by U.S. Marines and Israeli firefighters. Lone soldier Jamie Gartenberg Pila, whose father died in the 9/11 attack, and her mother, Jill Pila, were also in attendance. Singer-songwriter Daniel Wais, from Kibbutz Be’eri, who lost his parents in the Oct. 7 terror attack performed at the ceremony.
Birthdays
Israeli singer, songwriter and musician, he has performed around the world, Idan Raichel…
2020 Nobel Prize laureate in medicine, Harvey James Alter… Chairman at Waxman Strategies, he served for 20 terms through 2015 as a Democratic congressman from Los Angeles, Henry Waxman… 2017 Nobel Prize laureate in economics, University of Chicago behavioral economist, Richard H. Thaler… Director of intergovernmental affairs in the Obama White House, he was previously lieutenant governor of Kentucky and mayor of Louisville for 20 years, Jerry Abramson… President of Israel21c, she is a former president of AIPAC, Amy Rothschild Friedkin… Former U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, he was governor of Kansas and a U.S. senator, Sam Brownback… Miami-based chairman of American Principles Super PAC, Eytan Laor… Former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, he is now a partner at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson, Geoffrey Steven Berman… Denver Jewish leader, Sunny Brownstein… SVP of government and public affairs at CVS Health, Melissa Schulman… Internet entrepreneur and a pioneer of VoIP telephony, Jeff Pulver… Attorney specializing in the recovery of looted artworks during the Holocaust and featured in the 2015 film “Woman in Gold,” E. Randol (Randy) Schoenberg… Senior paralegal and contract manager at The St. Joe Company, Sherri Jankowski… Senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, Max A. Boot… Screenwriter, producer and director, he won three Emmy Awards for episodes of “Robot Chicken,” Douglas Goldstein… Deputy chief advocacy officer at the Credit Union National Association, Jason Stverak… Founder of the Loewy Law Firm in Austin, Texas, Adam Loewy… Venture capitalist and one of the co-founders of Palantir Technologies, Joseph Todd “Joe” Lonsdale… AIPAC’s area director for Philadelphia and South Jersey, Kelly Lauren Stein… Actress, director and singer, she directed and starred in the 2022 Peacock miniseries “Angelyne,” Emmanuelle Grey “Emmy” Rossum… Former advisor to the prime minister of Israel for foreign affairs and world communities, Sara Greenberg… Manager of operations communications at American Airlines, Ethan Klapper… National political correspondent at Politico and the author of The Bidens: Inside the First Family’s Fifty-Year Rise to Power, Ben Schreckinger… Senior product manager at Amazon, Natalie Raps Farren… Film and television actress, Molly Tarlov…
