Your Daily Phil: JFNA General Assembly to kick off at fraught moment
Good Friday morning.
For less-distracted reading over the weekend, browse this week’s edition of The Weekly Print, a curated print-friendly PDF featuring a selection of recent eJewishPhilanthropy and Jewish Insider stories, including: After Trump’s victory, what comes next for Jewish philanthropy?; ‘He didn’t do anything small,’ remembering Bernard Marcus, larger-than-life businessman and philanthropist; and How Trump will approach the Middle East in a second term. Print the latest edition here.
In today’s edition of Your Daily Phil, we report on the workplace improvement nonprofit Ta’amod becoming a for-profit organization due to funding issues. We feature an opinion piece by Aya Shechter on making Israel education about feelings, not facts, and another by Rabbi Micah Greenland and Rabbi Chaim Neiditch about the role that Bernie Marcus played in their organizations. Also in this newsletter: Daniel Stid, Brian Kemp and Yechiel Leiter. We’ll start with the Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly, which kicks off this weekend. Shabbat shalom!
Less than a week after a divisive national election and with emotions in the country running high, Jewish communal leaders, philanthropists, professionals and nonprofit officials from North America and Israel are flocking to Washington, D.C., for this Sunday’s Jewish Federations of North America’s annual General Assembly, reports eJewishPhilanthropy’s Nira Dayanim.
Sensing the national mood in the wake of the victory of President-elect Donald Trump, a polarizing figure in the Jewish community, Eric Fingerhut, JFNA’s president and CEO, warned against postelection disunity in the midst of a year of ongoing crisis for Israel and the American Jewish community. “We don’t have time for disunity. We don’t have time for a postelection period to further divide us,” he told eJP yesterday.
Much has changed since the last GA, which was held in Tel Aviv six months before the Oct. 7, 2023 terror attacks, when Israel was in the midst of bitter domestic turmoil over the government’s judicial overhaul plans. The Hamas massacres and the ensuing war against the terror group in Gaza — and now against Hezbollah in Lebanon — and the accompanying wave of global antisemitism have dramatically reshaped life in Israel and Jewish life around the world.
This year, the event takes place against the backdrop of Trump’s resounding victory in the United States and renewed protests in Israel over the government’s handling of the grinding wars in Gaza and Lebanon, most recently over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s firing of the country’s defense minister, Yoav Gallant.
The GA kicks off on Sunday with a rally at Nationals Park — dubbed as the “Stand Together” Event — which is expected to draw some 30,000 people. “Emotions are very high right now on both sides of the political aisle in America and on both sides of the ocean, because of what’s happening in Israel. And that’s even more why we need to be together to remind ourselves of our shared values and common goals,” Fingerhut said, adding that he hopes the event and the conference will garner a spirit of bipartisanship and unity at a complicated juncture for world Jewry.
“We are absolutely working with officials from both parties and leaders in both parties, and of course, a wide diverse range of voices across the Jewish community will be present to model this way of working together,” Fingerhut said.
Among the over 150 speakers at this year’s GA will be Israeli President Isaac Herzog, as well as former Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg; Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas; Rev. Dr. Wendell Anthony, president of Detroit’s NAACP chapter; American journalist Bari Weiss; and Israeli activist Hen Mazzig.
Scheduled GA sessions will cover a range of topics including antisemitism in academia, Black and Jewish relations, responding to a post-10/7 surge in Jewish lifeand therole of Jewish leadership at the White House.
According to Fingerhut, Herzog’s address will be a major highlight of the GA. “To thank the American Jewish community and thank the American people for the support of the last year, to be able for him to do that personally, I think is very significant. He is so highly regarded and in such close touch with the American Jewish community,” said Fingerhut. Since the Oct. 7 attacks, JFNA has raised over $850 million in emergency funding for Israel through its Israel Emergency Campaign, almost $700 million of which has already been allocated, according to Fingerhut. Several hostage family members will also be in attendance, with one slated to speak during one of the plenaries, Fingerhut said.
But this year’s GA will also focus on security and safety for the Jewish community and investing in American Jewish life during a surge in antisemitism. “We have to continue that work, but we also need to make sure that we’re investing in Jewish life and the flourishing of Jewish life,” said Fingerhut.
PIVOT PLAN
Lacking funding, Ta’amod to shutter as nonprofit in March, will spin off into a smaller for-profit agency
In the wake of the #MeToo movement, there was a rush of funding to launch Ta’amod, a nonprofit that looked to address gender inequality and harassment and generally improve workplace culture. But six years later, the group, which means “stand up” in Hebrew, is being forced to shutter as funding has dried up and spin off into a smaller for-profit organization, reports Jay Deitcher for eJewishPhilanthropy.
Wanted, then not: The closing of Ta’amod as a nonprofit comes amid a general shift away from many of the diversity, equity and inclusion efforts that took root in workplaces across the United States in the wakes of the #MeToo movement and the George Floyd protests in 2020. “Over and over and over again, we were being told by funders, ‘This work matters. We need it, and nobody else is really doing what you’re doing, but we’re not going to fund it. At least not now,’” Nicole Nevarez, Ta’amod’s CEO, told eJP. “Oct. 7 stopped the conversation altogether.”
Service provider: Ta’amod is still taking on work provided it can be completed before the end of March, and it is lining up work for the new for-profit organization, which has yet to be named. The JCC Association of North America, for instance, plans to continue to work with Ta’amod staff after they go for-profit. “Just because they’re sunsetting Ta’amod doesn’t mean that the work can stop or will stop,” Joy Brand-Richardson, vice president of training and professional development at the JCC Association, told eJP.
FEELINGS, NOT FACTS
How do you educate a heart? A new approach to Israel education?
“Knowledge of history is necessary, but facts alone are insufficient for building the emotional ties, the cultural love and the sense of peoplehood required to foster lifelong advocates for Israel… When young Jews are only taught names and dates, they miss out on the essence of Israel — their emotional and cultural heritage, which binds them to the land and to their people,” writes Aya Shechter, chief programming officer of the Israeli American Council, in an opinion piece for eJewishPhilanthropy.
Start them young: “The question, then, is how do we move from simply teaching facts to creating emotional connections that will last? Israel education must start at an early age, emphasizing love, attachment, and belonging. Children need to understand not just that Israel exists, but why it exists — how it’s central to who they are as Jews. That’s not something a history lesson alone can accomplish.”
Foster a connection: “We need a comprehensive approach that nurtures emotional connection throughout life and that meets participants where they are at. Programs like Hebrew language and Israeli culture programs for children, teens’ hands-on experiences, leadership initiatives for adults, communal holiday celebrations as well as remembrance events play a key role in fostering that connection.”
IN MEMORIAM
Paying tribute to Bernie Marcus, who empowered young Jews
“We mourn and pay tribute to Bernard ‘Bernie’ Marcus, z”l, who died on Monday night. Bernie was an extraordinary philanthropist, visionary and steadfast supporter of Jewish communities around the world, and especially in Atlanta. As such, we wanted to share reflections from both the national and local perspective,” write Rabbi Micah Greenland, international director of NCSY, and Rabbi Chaim Neiditch, director of Atlanta’s Jewish Student Union, in an opinion piece for eJewishPhilanthropy.
Rabbi Micah Greenland: “As we reflect on Bernie Marcus’ profound impact, we are reminded of the Jewish saying, ‘Kol Yisrael arevim zeh bazeh’ — all of Israel is responsible for one another. Bernie lived this principle in every sense, ensuring that Jewish communities have the strength, resources and unity to thrive. His vision empowered a generation of young leaders who will carry his legacy forward, infusing Jewish communities with hope, resilience and a deep sense of belonging.”
Rabbi Chaim Neiditch: “At this meeting, and each subsequent meeting, I was deeply moved by Bernie’s passion for securing the Jewish future and his insightful, strategic thinking about how to strengthen the Jewish community. Bernie’s respect for others and their work left a lasting impression on me… The legacy he’s building goes beyond today; it’s about empowering the next generation and ensuring that Jewish identity and pride are cherished and celebrated for years to come.”
Worthy Reads
Be For, Not Against: In The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Daniel Stid argues against concerned donors funding efforts to fight the Trump White House and instead recommends promoting pluralism. “How should grant makers concerned about the health of democracy in America respond to the 2024 election? One response would be for them to counter-mobilize and once again join the vanguard of the resistance to Trumpian populism… However, the demonstrated staying power of Trump and the Republican party that he has remade along populist lines — despite billions in philanthropy devoted to opposing their agenda — suggests this is not a winning strategy… For philanthropy, addressing populism requires adopting a proactive and engaging stance rather than a defensive one. The emphasis should not be on protecting democracy from populism but on practicing and promoting responsible pluralism… Democracy in America will prosper if the multifaceted pluralism built into the nation’s founding — and more fully realized over the course of its history — is reawakened, enabled, and defended.” [ChronicleofPhilanthropy]
Around the Web
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports from Bernie Marcus’ funeral, which was held yesterday at his synagogue, The Temple, in Atlanta and attended by current and former Home Depot employees, nonprofit leaders, Atlanta businesspeople, the city’s mayor and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp; at the funeral, Kemp referred to the concept of tikkun olam to describe Marcus, saying he was a “repairer of the world” and adding that his “contributions will have multigenerational impact”…
Jewish Insider looks into how President-elect Donald Trump’s White House may address antisemitism on college campuses…
Yechiel Leiter, a Scranton, Pa.-born former aide to Israeli Prime Ministers Benjamin Netanyahu and Ariel Sharon, has reportedly been selected as Israel’s next ambassador to the U.S., succeeding Michael Herzog, whose term ends Jan. 20…
Daniel Lurie, an heir of the Levi Strauss family, won San Francisco’s mayoral race, ousting Mayor London Breed…
Kansas City was picked to host the 2026 JCC Maccabi Games; the city last hosted the sporting event in 1997…
The Chronicle of Philanthropy examines new research on generational shifts in philanthropic giving, including a GoFundMe study that found that Gen Z donors were 10 times more likely to announce donations on social media than baby boomers…
A recent review of British parliamentary records found that between Oct. 7 last year and Oct. 18 this year, British parliamentarians discussed Israel more than twice as much as they debated the country’s (oft-maligned) National Health Service…
Police in Chicago charged two individuals with trespassing after the two entered the Chicago Loop Synagogue and damaged property…
A Jewish man on death row in Texas will get a new trial after an appeals court ruled that the man faced antisemitic bias by the judge who sentenced him to death for his role in a 2000 jailbreak that resulted in the death of a police officer…
Charles Fenyvesi, a Hungarian refugee who became a journalist focused on gardening and political-insider gossip, died on Sunday at 86…
Pic of the Day
Pro-Palestinians riot at Amsterdam’s Anton de Komplein square ahead of the UEFA Europa League football match between local team Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv last night.
After the game, assailants attacked Maccabi fans on the streets of Amsterdam, injuring at least 10 of them, in what American and Israeli leaders described as a “pogrom,” with videos showing Israelis being attacked with knives, clubs and vehicles, and attackers shouting anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian slogans, report Marc Rod and Lahav Harkov for eJewishPhilanthropy’s sister publication Jewish Insider.
As of Friday morning, three Israelis were still unaccounted for, likely due to lost, stolen or broken phones, according to the Israeli Foreign Ministry.
Birthdays
Congregational rabbi in Paris and co-leader of the Liberal Jewish Movement of France, Rabbi Delphine Horvilleur, celebrates her birthday today…
FRIDAY: 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, he was a senior White House aide to President Bill Clinton, 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… COO at Forsight, Michael Sosebee… Emirati businessman and developer of the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Mall, Mohamed Alabbar… Health care executive, venture capitalist and real estate developer, Daniel E. Straus… Financial consultant at Retirement Benefits Consulting, Michelle Feinberg Silverstein… Israel’s minister of defense until three days ago, Yoav Gallant… Television producer, she is the co-author of Sheryl Sandberg’s 2013 book Lean In, Helen Vivian “Nell” Scovell… New York City area attorney, Charles “Chesky” Wertman… Principal at Lore Strategies, Laurie Moskowitz… Popular Israeli female vocalist in the Mizrahi music genre, Zehava Ben… Board member at the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, Allison Gingold… Sports journalist for TelevisaUnivision Deportes Network, he was born in Ashkelon, Israel, 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… CEO of Gold Star Financial Group, Daniel Milstein… Israeli singer, Lior Narkis… Deputy assistant secretary of state for Israeli and Palestinian affairs, 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… Consultant on media and strategic communications, Alana Weiner… Student at Johns Hopkins University in the Class of 2026, Cameron Elizabeth Fields… Allan Waxman…
SATURDAY: Israeli novelist and playwright, she is the mother of former Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid, Shulamit Lapid… British businessman and philanthropist, formerly chairman of Lloyds Bank, Sir Maurice Victor Blank… Professional baseball manager in the minor leagues and college, he managed Team Israel in 2016 and 2017, Jerry Weinstein… Israeli war hero and longtime past member of the Knesset, Zevulun Orlev… Principal of Los Angeles-based PR and public affairs firm Cerrell Associates, Hal Dash… San Diego-based media developer, Daniel Ajzen… Mitchell Bedell… Former deputy national security advisor for President Trump, Charles Martin Kupperman… U.S. senator (D-Ohio) and chair of the Senate Banking Committee until his 18-year term ends in January, Sherrod Brown… Senior producer at NBC Nightly News, Joel Seidman… Political consultant and fundraiser, she founded “No Labels” in 2010, Nancy Jacobson… Executive director of Los Angeles-based Remember Us: The Holocaust Bnai Mitzvah Project, Samara Hutman… Professor of journalism and media studies at Fordham University, Amy Beth Aronson… Partner in the Chicago office of Kirkland & Ellis, Douglas C. Gessner… Partner at Covington & Burling specializing in export controls and sanctions, he was previously the assistant secretary of commerce for export administration during the Bush 43 administration, Peter Lichtenbaum… Chairman and CEO of Sky Harbour, he is an American-born Israeli fighter pilot and author of a 2018 book on the future of Judaism, Tal Keinan… Grammy Award-winning record producer specializing in comedy, Dan Schlissel… Founding CEO of OneTable, Aliza Kline… Associate Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court since 2015, despite being legally blind since birth as a result of retinitis pigmentosa, Richard H. Bernstein… Journalist and pioneering podcaster, he is the creator and host of “How I Built This” and “Wisdom from the Top,” Guy Raz… Israeli singer and actress, Maya Bouskilla… Co-founder and executive director of the States Project, he was elected the youngest member of the New York State Senate in 2008, serving until 2017, Daniel Squadron… COO at Orchestra, a PR and communications firm, David Levine… Singer, songwriter and rapper, Ari Benjamin Lesser… Chess grandmaster, he has 437,000 subscribers on YouTube, Daniel Naroditsky… Army JAG officer, Matthew Adam McCoy…
SUNDAY: Manager of the Decatur, Ga.-based Connect Hearing, Murray Kurtzberg… Former NBA player in the 1960s who became a lawyer and then a New York State judge, Barry D. Kramer… One of the four deans of Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, N.J., one of the largest yeshivas in the world with more than 9,000 students, Rabbi Yerucham Olshin… Professor emeritus at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, he is a co-founder of Nebraska Jewish Historical Society, Oliver B. Pollak… Former Reagan administration appointee at the Department of Agriculture, Howard Marks … Former CNN news anchor whose first day on the job was Sept. 11, 2001, Aaron Brown… Former executive director of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at California State University, Los Angeles, Raphael J. Sonenshein… Journalist at Holaro and The Muck-Rake, after 30 years at CBS’s 60 Minutes, Howard L. Rosenberg… Israeli journalist, Elli Wohlgelenter… Chief administrative officer at the Legacy Heritage Fund, Elaine Weitzman… ESPN’s longest-tenured SportsCenter anchor, Linda Cohn… Rabbi at Temple Beth Kodesh in Boynton Beach, Fla., Michael C. Simon… Professor at Bar-Ilan University, he is a social historian, Adam Ferziger… Senior rabbi of Leo Baeck Temple in Los Angeles, Ken Chasen… Former MLB right-fielder for 14 seasons, he founded Greenfly, a software firm for sports and entertainment organizations, Shawn Green… National security editor at The Washington Post, Benjamin Pauker… Co-founder in 2004 of Yelp, where he remains the CEO, Jeremy Stoppelman… Executive director of the Ruderman Family Foundation, Shira Menashe Ruderman… Chief investigative reporter at ABC News, Josh Margolin… Senior advisor on the public health team at Bloomberg Philanthropies, Jean B. Weinberg… YouTube personality with 350 million views, Josh Peck… Actress and producer, Zoey Francis Chaya Thompson Deutch…
