Your Daily Phil: JFN West gathering focuses on Israel, high impact philanthropy
Good Wednesday morning.
In today’s edition of Your Daily Phil, we report on next week’s “March for Israel” in Washington, D.C., and feature an opinion piece from Rebecca Dinar on the importance of supporting journalism. Also in this newsletter: Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, Carrie Bornstein and Marc Besen. We’ll start with the Jewish Funders Network West’s annual gathering.
Nearly 120 people representing more than 75 funders gathered this week to talk about funding the Jewish future, particularly the future of Israel, at the Jewish Funders Network West convening in Los Angeles, reports eJewishPhilanthropy’s Esther D. Kustanowitz from the scene.
At the opening session, Tzivia Schwartz Getzug, senior director of philanthropic engagement and of JFN West, said that, like an earthquake, the Oct. 7 attacks shook everything. “The ground underneath our feet has shifted, leaving us feeling off-balance and the uncertainty for our future,” she said.
“Many people have said to me that they feel like we’re at an inflection point, as a Jewish community, as a Jewish state and as a supporter of liberal democracy,” Schwartz Getzug continued. “How we respond now and over time, will determine the future for the State of Israel and Jews all over the world. There’s a lot we can’t control. But today we are here as Jewish funders as philanthropists with the power of our time, treasure and talent.”
In a “fireside chat” on Monday evening, Alon Friedman, CEO of Enter: The Jewish Peoplehood Alliance, called on the attendees to seize the moment to have an impact on what comes next in Israel.
“This will be an opportunity… for you guys to not let Israel be separate from your Jewish identity,” he said. “You own the place, whether it’s as shareholders or stakeholders. It’s yours as much as it is ours, and when we rebuild you need to be there.”
Come together
Hoping to rekindle the energy of huge Jewish community rallies on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., during the Second Intifada in 2002 and in support of Soviet Jews in 1987, the Jewish Federations of North America and Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, along with a host of co-sponsors, are planning a rally in the nation’s capital next week that would be a show of support for Israel at a fraught moment, reports eJewishPhilanthropy’s Haley Cohen.
Why Tuesday?: The curious timing of the rally — the middle of the afternoon on a weekday — was scheduled around when Congress will be in session and considering emergency supplemental aid to Israel, which JFNA President and CEO Eric Fingerhut called “an important element of this march,” even as the crowd size could be lower than it would be on a Sunday. “We believe people are going to show up, and that they must show up, and that they will come at the designated time for showing up… this is a moment when everyone knows it is their responsibility to come,” he said.
Safety first: William Daroff, CEO of the Conference of Presidents, said that security is a top priority and the organizers were coordinating with law enforcement. “The National Mall is also called America’s front yard and it is absolutely crucial that Jews feel welcome to wear their yarmulkes, to wear their Stars of David, to be Jews on America’s front yard,” Daroff said. “We’re sending that message to our detractors.”
Info war
Philanthropists must address urgent needs in Israel – and one of those is supporting journalism
“As of last week, there were about 1,500 foreign journalists in the country – five times more than before Oct. 7. Regardless of their familiarity with the region, this cohort will be the world’s primary source of information during the Israel-Hamas war,” writes Rebecca Dinar, director of communications at the Knight Foundation, in an opinion piece for eJewishPhilanthropy.
Boots on the ground: “I recently spoke with Uri Dromi and Talia Dekel from the Jerusalem Press Club (JPC). They assist reporters who come in from all over the world, addressing issues that range from language barriers to mental health concerns and physical safety threats. … ‘So many of these foreign journalists know very little about the region, about Israel or about the history,’ Uri explained. ‘And they are totally unprepared mentally, physically or digitally to be in a country at war.’ That’s why the work of the JPC and other organizations like them are so important. They offer translators, ‘fixers’ and other resources to help journalists maneuver daily life in Israel and gain critically important context for the war’s day-to-day events.”
Why it matters: “According to ABC News, Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube all are coping with a flood of unsubstantiated rumors and falsehoods about the Israel-Hamas war, which make it impossible for people to distinguish fact from fiction. Journalists play a critical role in countering misinformation and disinformation. … By investing in journalism, you not only empower the truth but also combat misinformation, safeguard democracy and ensure that an informed and engaged society prevails.”
Worthy Reads
Community-Based Solution: In Philanthropy News Digest, Shani Buggs and Mona Mangat call for public and philanthropic support for community violence interventions (CVI) in communities ravaged by gun violence, unemployment, food insecurity and additional challenges. “CVI programs take many forms but share basic features. They employ neighborhood outreach workers with the local credibility and communication skills necessary to connect with those at highest risk for becoming involved in violent activity. The workers identify and intensively engage these vulnerable individuals to help keep them safe and their lives on track, offering mentorship, mediation in brewing conflicts, and services from cognitive behavioral therapy to job training to housing assistance. And most importantly, these programs are run by individuals working within their own communities. For decades, dozens of local CVI programs have done meaningful work while subsisting on sporadic municipal and philanthropic grant funding. Program leaders have had to repeatedly lay off workers when money ran dry, which is hardly a recipe for relationship building. But last year the Biden administration dedicated a historic $100 million to CVI initiatives. This federal funding promises to stand up the field in a whole new way, providing support for adequate staffing, organizational capacity building, and research to understand what works and what doesn’t. But federal funding alone isn’t enough. Unrestricted private funding is another necessary tool to support the kinds of violence interventions that quite literally save the lives of many young people.” [PhilanthropyNewsDigest]
What’s AI Got to Do With It: Some philanthropists are gung-ho about supporting the development of AI technology while others are focused on understanding and mitigating the risks it poses — but what implications does the technology have for the field of philanthropy itself? If you don’t know the answer to that question, you’re not alone, reports Dawn Wolfe for Inside Philanthropy. “Back in August, the Technology Association of Grantmakers (TAG) conducted a quick online poll of its members about artificial intelligence … In a nutshell, respondents said they’re curious about how to incorporate AI into their processes and how to conduct due diligence when evaluating which AI tools to use, and expressed concerns about AI’s ethical risks, including data security. Their No. 1 response, though, probably nails the real question for many of us when it comes to artificial intelligence: ‘What is AI, and should we care about it?’ … In order to get some answers, I sat down with TAG’s outgoing Executive Director Chantal Forster. Drawing on that conversation and some additional research, here’s a primer on AI and nonprofits: what AI is, nonprofit and funder uses for it, and who is funding nonprofit AI tools right now.” [InsidePhilanthropy]
Around the Web
A suspect has been identified, but not yet arrested, in the death of Paul Kessler, 69, during an altercation at a dueling pro-Israel/pro-Palestinian protest outside Los Angeles earlier this week…
The House of Representatives passed a bipartisan resolution censuring Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) for her recent anti-Israel comments…
Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has been making the rounds in New York City this week, meeting yesterday with the Conference of Presidents, local business leaders and Jewish students, while also giving interviews to multiple American media outlets…
The Federation CJA West Island and Congregation Beth Tikvah synagogue in Montreal were each firebombed on Monday night, resulting in light damage and no injuries. No arrests have yet been made…
Israel Bonds has secured more than $1 billion in bond investments from investors since Oct. 7, mostly from U.S. state and municipal governments and institutions. The group said it expects annual global bond sales to surpass $2 billion…
In a special session, the Florida House passed measures expressing support for Israel and providing additional funding for security at Jewish institutions and other places that could be targets of hate crimes…
The New York state education department and budget office released $45 million in immediate funding for Jewish and Islamic schools in the state amid rising “anti-Semitism [sic] and anti-Islamic threats”…
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona warned universities that they could lose funding if they fail to comply with federal Title VI guidelines barring discrimination based on race, color or national origin, amid rising antisemitism on campus…
Israeli President Isaac Herzog sent a letter to American university presidents, calling for them to condemn the Oct. 7 attacks “publicly and unequivocally” and to clamp down on “speech promoting violence”…
The American Jewish Committee, along with dozens of other Jewish groups, called for social media platforms to do more to combat antisemitism and support for terrorism online…
Israeli Immigration and Absorption Minister Ofir Sofer said he anticipates higher than normal immigration to Israel, or aliyah, in light of rising antisemitism around the world and was instructing his office to prepare accordingly. “The State of Israel is the home of the Jewish people. We are waiting for everyone here,” he said in a statement…
The Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs issued a $400,000 grant to the Charleston, S.C., Jewish Federation to develop “community-based approaches to prevent and address hate crimes”…
The Jewish-American Hall of Fame selected photographer, artist, explorer, author and inventor Solomon Carvalho, who died in 1897, as its 2023 honoree…
Carrie Bornstein, the former CEO of the Mayyim Hayyim Living Waters Community Mikveh and Education Center, and Rabbanit Dalia Davis, the co-founder and spiritual director of UpRooted: A Jewish Response to Fertility Journeys, are joining the Jewish womanhood group Svivah as consultants…
The American Jewish University started offering college-level coursework for Jewish early childhood educators as part of a partnership with ElevatEd, which launched earlier this year…
Gail McGovern will step down as CEO of the American Red Cross next June after 15 years in the role. She will be succeeded by chief operating officer Cliff Holtz…
Jewish Australian businessman and philanthropist Marc Besen, a Holocaust survivor who donated to a variety of causes, died today at 99…
Pic of the Day
Concentrating intently on her artwork, a third grader at Farber Hebrew Day School in Southfield, Mich., joined Jewish children at day schools across North America in crafting cards for Israeli soldiers since the war broke out. “Toda raba,” her card reads simply in Hebrew, “thank you very much.”
Birthdays
Television producer, she is the co-author of Sheryl Sandberg’s 2013 book Lean In, Helen Vivian “Nell” Scovell…
U.S. attorney for New Jersey, then a U.S. District Court Judge, now a criminal defense attorney, Herbert Jay Stern… Actress, comedian and writer, she played the recurring role of Doris Klompus on “Seinfeld,” her solo theater shows include “Yenta Unplugged” and “The Yenta Cometh,” Annie Korzen… French heiress, pediatrician, businesswoman and philanthropist, Léone-Noëlle Meyer… Former CEO of the Clinton Health Access Initiative, Ira C. Magaziner… Leader of the Sephardic baal teshuva movement in Israel, Rabbi Amnon Yitzhak… Senior managing director and global head of government relations for Blackstone, Wayne Berman… Chief operating officer at Forsight, Michael Sosebee… Emirati businessman who is widely known as the developer of the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Mall, Mohamed Alabbar… Financial consultant at Retirement Benefits Consulting, Michelle Feinberg Silverstein… Israel’s minister of defense, Yoav Gallant… NYC-area attorney, Charles “Chesky” Wertman… Principal at Lore Strategies, Laurie Moskowitz… Popular Israeli female vocalist in the Mizrahi music genre, Zehava Ben… Chair of community engagement at the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, Allison Gingold… Sports journalist for ESPN Deportes, he was born in Ashkelon and has covered both the World Cup and the Summer Olympics, David Moshé Faitelson… Professional poker player and fashion designer, Beth Shak… Founder of Ayecha, Yavilah McCoy… Congregational rabbi in Paris and co-leader of the Liberal Jewish Movement of France, Delphine Horvilleur… CEO of Gold Star Financial Group, Daniel Milstein… Israeli singer, Lior Narkis… Deputy assistant secretary of state for regional security, Mira Kogen Resnick… Director of high school affairs at the American Jewish Committee, Aaron Bregman… Principal at Bayit Consulting, Roei Eisenberg… Film and television actor, Jared Kusnitz… VP of marketing and communications at StoryFile, Alana Weiner… Student at Johns Hopkins University, Cameron Elizabeth Fields… Allan Waxman…
