Your Daily Phil: Public infighting imperils Mothers Against Campus Antisemitism
Add EJP on GoogleGood Monday morning!
In today’s edition of Your Daily Phil, we report on a growing feud between the founder of Mothers Against Campus Antisemitism and the board of the nonprofit that she launched. We examine a pledge by American Haredi donors to withhold funding for Israeli yeshivot that disparage the Israel Defense Forces. We speak with friends and colleagues of South African-born Israeli entrepreneur and philanthropist Morris Kahn, who died last week, and look at Jewish communal legislative priorities going into 2026. We feature an opinion piece by Karen Kolodny reflecting on what she’s learned over the past year, and another by Tamar Bodek Mala about the significance of hospitals in the rehabilitation of northern Israel. Also in this issue: Sigrid Rausing, Romi Gonen and Deryn Sousa.
What We’re Watching
We’re monitoring the situation in Venezuela and how Jewish organizations and philanthropists are responding to it.
We’re also keeping an eye on the protests in Iran.
What You Should Know
In the wake of the Oct. 7 terror attacks, Elizabeth Rand launched the Facebook group Mothers Against College Antisemitism. Less than a month later, MACA had over 42,000 members, reaching 60,000 within a year, reports eJewishPhilanthropy’s Jay Deitcher.
In response to calls to action, members — affectionately known as MACAbees — flooded campus administrators’ inboxes and voicemails with complaints, calling for professors to be fired, pro-Palestinian programming to be cancelled and Israel divestment resolutions to be rejected. Rand served as the face of the movement, appearing in major media outlets including The New York Times, pushing to crush encampments and deport foreign protesters.
At Rand’s behest, in December 2024, The MACA Foundation, Inc. was approved as a 501(c)(3), under which she acted as president of the board before stepping down in November. Today, she’s grappling with the board for control of what she considers to be her baby, and on Friday, she received a cease-and-desist letter demanding that she halt any actions related to MACA.
The situation, Rand told eJP, is synonymous with giving “a child up for adoption because you think that the child will have a better life than you can give it, but you still want to have some visitation and you want to be able to still see that child. That is how I envisioned my leaving the board. However, that’s not what happened.”
Since its inception, the group, whose acronym resembles and politics are often in line with President Donald Trump’s Make America Great Again movement, has inflamed controversy, accused by critics of stifling free speech on campus through intimidation and by former members of banning people with what Rand and the group’s leaders seemed to be divergent views on Israel, Zionism and Palestinian rights.
But over the past three weeks, the MACA Facebook page has become entrenched with infighting between Rand and the board, with Rand controlling the narrative by deleting posts with opposing views and banning members, including the entire current board.
Members of the Facebook group, supporters of MACA and campus officials described the internal feud to eJP as distressing and counterproductive.
RELIGIOUS DEBATE
Over 100 U.S. Haredi donors pledge to withhold support for Israeli yeshivot that oppose IDF
At least 100 Haredi donors and lay leaders in the United States have pledged to withdraw financial support from Israeli yeshivot and other religious institutions that publicly denigrate the Israel Defense Forces. First reported in the Israeli Haredi press, the pledge, which establishes a “Coalition for Talmud Torah and Security,” underscores divisions between the Israeli and Diaspora Haredi communities surrounding the Israeli military, in the aftermath of the Israel-Hamas war and amid ongoing tensions in Israeli society surrounding Haredi conscription, reports eJewishPhilanthropy’s Nira Dayanim.
‘In good conscience’: “We cannot in good conscience support institutions whose public posture undermines those charged with defending Jewish life. Accordingly, we will only provide financial support to Torah institutions that do not publicly speak against, protest or delegitimize the IDF while they bear the burden of defending Jewish lives,” the letter reads. Currently, the public list of signatories sits at just over 100, though the full number has grown closer to 1,000, Rabbi Nechemia Steinberger, senior program officer at Maimonides Fund, who leads the group’s Haredi philanthropy department, told eJP. The listed donors range from mid-level givers to top donors within the community, he said. The pledge quickly faced criticism within the Haredi world almost immediately after it was published, resulting in several signers backing out of the initiative, claiming to have been misled about its purpose.
BARUCH DAYAN EMET
Morris Kahn, Israeli entrepreneur and philanthropist who backed moonshot, remembered as ‘visionary’
Morris Kahn, the South African-born Israeli entrepreneur-turned-philanthropist who died last week in New York at 95, was hailed by friends and colleagues as a visionary, willing to stake his fortune and reputation on literal moonshots and also on saving the lives of impoverished children in need of heart surgery, reports Rachel Gutman for eJewishPhilanthropy. Born on March 5, 1930, in Benoni, South Africa, Kahn was active in the Habonim Zionist youth movement and made aliyah in 1956 with his wife, Jacqueline, and their two young sons. His breakthrough came in 1968 when he won a government tender to produce Israel’s Golden Pages telephone directory, leading to the co-founding of Amdocs in 1982. Amdocs grew into a global leader in telecom billing software, now with a market capitalization of $8.85 billion.
Mission-driven: In his later years, Kahn devoted himself almost entirely to philanthropy, investing roughly $200 million across a range of causes — from the environment to medical research to therapeutic horseback riding and protecting Israel’s democracy, among many. “For him, the issue of naming or ego didn’t exist — he didn’t care at all, he didn’t demand it, he didn’t ask for it,” Amos Elad, vice president for development and alumni affairs at Tel Aviv University, told eJP. “He did it for the impact, to advance the issue or advance the field.” Kahn is perhaps best known now for backing SpaceIL, an Israeli nonprofit aimed at sending a spacecraft, dubbed Beresheet, to the moon. The effort, which was largely funded by Kahn, was partially successful in 2019, with the craft entering lunar orbit — making Israel the seventh country to realize the feat — but crashing onto the surface.
ON THE AGENDA
Security remains Jewish community’s top lobbying priority for 2026
Going into 2026, Jewish community groups said their advocacy priorities for Congress and the federal government remain largely consistent, with a focus across many of the major advocacy organizations on bolstering community security through the Nonprofit Security Grant Program and tackling antisemitism online, reports Marc Rod for eJewishPhilanthropy’s sister publication Jewish Insider.
The hurdles: While Congress has increased its attention to Jewish communal issues in the years since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel, including a string of high-profile hearings on antisemitism and several bills passed to support Israel and combat Iran, many key legislative priorities for the Jewish community — including bills on antisemitism and substantial increases to annual security funding for nonprofits — have remained stubbornly intractable.
Read the full report here and sign up for Jewish Insider’s Daily Kickoff here.
LIFE LESSONS
10 things I learned this past year about Jewish philanthropy
“For years, I called myself a donor. I wrote checks, attended galas and responded to appeals. But last year, my husband and I finally established a donor-advised fund, driven partly by life stage and partly by the upcoming tax law changes. What I didn’t expect was how different I would feel. With money segregated specifically for giving, I find myself researching more carefully, thinking strategically about impact, planning rather than reacting. The shift from donor to philanthropist has changed how I see myself in relation to the causes I care about: more empowered, more thoughtful, more generous,” writes Karen Kolodny, a longtime nonprofit professional and advisor, in an opinion piece for eJewishPhilanthropy.
New year, new plan: “Last year taught me that Jewish philanthropy stands at an inflection point. We face unprecedented challenges — stretched resources, generational shifts, existential threats to Israel and Jewish communities worldwide. But we also have unprecedented opportunities. Creating my DAF forced me to think differently about strategy and legacy. Working with philanthropists and nonprofits has made me proud of our community’s generosity and impact. But pride isn’t enough. As we begin 2026, the future of Jewish philanthropy requires all of us — donors and organizations — to show up differently. Donors as partners, not ATMs. Organizations as vehicles for donor vision, not just recipients of charity. Collaboration over competition. Innovation alongside tradition.”
GOOD MEDICINE
Resilience in practice: Why hospitals are key to northern Israel’s renewal
“In an almost unimaginable year of war, uncertainty and disruption, something extraordinary happened in Israel’s north: a major rehabilitation center was established, opened and began operating. While rockets fell, communities were evacuated and medical teams worked under constant strain, professionals across disciplines mobilized with a shared sense of purpose. Physicians, nurses, therapists, administrators, government partners and philanthropic supporters all stepped forward. The result was not merely continuity, but growth. This is what resilience looks like in practice, writes Tamar Bodek Mala, the CEO of the Friends of Tzafon Medical Center Association, in an opinion piece for eJewishPhilanthropy.
Engines of recovery: “If Israel seeks a strong, stable north, the path forward is clear. Regional rehabilitation requires institutions that people trust, rely on and choose to build their lives around. The public health system has already demonstrated its capacity to lead under the most difficult conditions. With strategic vision and sustained philanthropic partnership, it can continue to serve as one of the most powerful engines of recovery and resilience for northern Israel.”
Worthy Reads
Twist of Faith: In a Times of Israel opinion piece, Steven Windmueller examines the state of religion in America as we enter 2026. “‘Stable volatility’ may best define the American religious landscape. While the long-term decline in traditional religious affiliation has slowed, the ways Americans engage with faith are shifting toward personalization, mental health, and political identity. … Within the Jewish communal tent, we can observe a number of specific trends: In the U.S. about a quarter of adults who were raised Jewish no longer identify as Jewish. The latest data on the “Surge” found that 31% of the Jewish community is more engaged than before the attacks of October 7th, 2023. … The number of new Jewish boutique, alternative religious and spiritual initiatives is slowing, and the amount of funding directed to some of these counter-cultural, non-denominational models however appears to be leveling off. … One can readily expect that the power and message of religion will continue to flourish, even as the instruments of faith have in some cases been weakened and are being recast today in new and innovative forms.” [TOI]
Oh, the Humanity: In The Sunday Times, Sigrid Rausing discusses her decision to cut funding to human rights groups that supported the Oct. 7 terror attacks and the blowback her foundation received for it. “Atrocities against civilians are obviously contrary to human rights and international humanitarian law, and we cancelled our contracts with the groups in question. It wasn’t a hard decision to make, but it drew criticism from activists in the US who seemed to have wilfully misunderstood what we did and why. … Nothing much happened after our bruising social media experience. There were whispers and conversations behind closed doors. Some members of the International Human Rights Funders Network were said to be ‘uncomfortable’ about sharing a platform with us at a conference, so we withdrew. We should have held our ground, I now think — we might have persuaded some of them that sympathy with a cause (or a people) can never justify violence against civilians. … As for the Sigrid Rausing Trust, we now have a more limited regional focus (Eurasia, the Balkans and Turkey), fund more anti-corruption work and have started a number of focused initiatives. One of our grantees in Serbia told me last year that she doesn’t have hope, she has commitment. I feel much the same.” [SundayTimes]
Word on the Street
Newly inaugurated New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing criticism for repealing executive orders issued by former Mayor Eric Adams aimed at tackling antisemitism, including implementing the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism and an anti-Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions order. The revocation of those orders came as part of a blanket repeal of all of Adams’ executive orders following his September 2024 indictment on federal corruption charges, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports…
The Australian Jewish security organization Community Security Group NSW revealed that it had warned local law enforcement of an increased threat of violence ahead of the Hanukkah candlelighting event at Bondi Beach, where 15 people were killed by terrorists…
A new report from the Israel Advanced Technology Industries Association found that more than half of the companies surveyed saw an increase in requests from employees to relocate outside of Israel…
The National Post spotlights “Lech L’Tulsa,” a new initiative by the Tulsa (Okla.) Jewish Federation aimed at enticing Canadian Jews to move to the city…
The New York Times reports on efforts to repatriate items that had belonged to Holocaust victims to their descendants…
The BBC reached a five-figure settlement with an Israeli family from the Gaza envelope whose home a BBC reporting team filmed from without permission in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks…
Former Israeli hostage Romi Gonen recounted multiple incidents of sexual assault during the 471 days she spent in Hamas captivity in Gaza, in an interview with Israel’s Channel 12…
Einav Zangauker, who gained prominence in Israel for her advocacy on behalf of her son, Matan, who was a hostage in Gaza, announced Matan’s engagement to Ilana Gritzewsky; Zangauker was released from Hamas captivity in October 2025, while Gritzewsky, who was also taken hostage on Oct. 7, 2023, was freed in November 2023…
Singer Este Haim married tech entrepreneur Jonathan Levin in a New Year’s Eve wedding in Los Angeles…
The St. Louis Jewish Light interviews Eric Sirkin, the new chair of the U.S.-based Friends of the Lone Soldier, which supports Israeli soldiers who do not have parents in the country or do not receive financial support from their families…
Italian police arrested seven people suspected of raising millions of Euros for Hamas…
Israel has suspended the operations of more than three dozen humanitarian organizations in Gaza, including Doctors Without Borders, after the groups failed to meet new NGO requirements, including submitting a list of Palestinian employees…
The Jewish Federations of North America and Jewish Council for Public Affairs defended Imran Ahmed, CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, after the Trump administration barred him and several other digital speech activists from entering the country, citing their support for “extraterritorial censorship.” Ahmed spoke at the JFNA General Assembly in November…
The New York Times profiles Larry and David Ellison, the father-son billionaire media moguls currently at the center of Paramount’s hostile bid to purchase Warner Bros.…
The Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg (Pa.) sold its former Jewish Community Center to the Islamic Al-Huda School for $1.1 million…
The Times of Israel previews the Israeli Diaspora Affairs Ministry’s upcoming antisemitism conference set for late January. The conference’s lineup will once again include several far-right European politicians and few Jewish communal leaders…
Rena Secter Elbaze, the executive director of Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Winnipeg, Canada, which was vandalized with antisemitic graffiti over the weekend, told local press that the community will not be intimidated…
The Chabad house in Kathmandu, Nepal, is temporarily closed following a dispute with the building’s landlord; Rabbi Chezki and Rebbetzin Chani Lifshitz are looking for a new site for the Chabad house, which is a popular site for Israeli and Jewish trekkers and gained fame for hosting the largest Passover Seder in the world…
Morton Sher, the Jewish American fighter pilot whose plane was shot down in China during World War II, was buried late last year, 82 years after his death, after his remains were identified earlier in 2025…
Swiss officials identified the body of Israeli teenager Charlotte Needham and Jewish sisters Alicia and Diana Gunst, who died in a fire at a Swiss ski resort on New Year’s Eve…
Journalist Tatiana Schlossberg, the daughter of Amb. Caroline Kennedy and Edwin Schlossberg, died last Tuesday at 35… Stanley Roth, a Sydney, Australia-based real estate mogul and philanthropist, died on Dec. 28 at 72… Former Orthodox Union head Rabbi Julius Berman, who previously served as chair of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and chair of the board of Yeshiva University’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, died last week at 90… Richard Pollak, the founder and editor of More magazine, died at 91… Holocaust survivor Eva Schloss, the stepsister of Anne Frank, died at 96… Yehezkel Dror, an Israeli political scientist who helped found the Jewish People Policy Institute, died last Thursday at 98… Holocaust survivor Edward Gastfriend, who was instrumental in the creation of Philadelphia’s Holocaust Memorial Plaza, died at 100… Josef Veselsky, who survived the Holocaust and became a table tennis champion, died on Saturday at 107…
Major Gifts
Florida State University’s College of Business will now be named for optometrist, inventor, businessman and philanthropist Herbert Wertheim after he donated $65 million to the school…
The Essel Foundation donated $10 million to the psychiatry department of Columbia University‘s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons to establish the Dr. Herbert Pardes Scholars Initiative, which is meant to support early-career faculty members…
Transitions
Mickey Gitzin, the executive director of the New Israel Fund in Israel, will begin serving as acting CEO, as the CEO, Daniel Sokatch, goes on sabbatical…
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee appointed Deryn Sousa as its next spokesperson, succeeding Marshall Wittmann, who retired at the end of 2025 after 13 years in the role. Sousa steps into the public-facing position during a time when AIPAC is regularly in the spotlight — and as the powerful pro-Israel organization faces outsized criticism from the far left and far right over its influence in the American political system, Jewish Insider’s Gabby Deutch reports…
Shiran Yahav was named the next director of the World Zionist Organization’s Israel-Diaspora and Jewish Peoplehood Department…
William Kleinbaum has been hired as the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto’s next senior vice president of Israel & Overseas and director-general of its Israel office…
Pic of the Day
Some 400 young Jewish adults take part in ADI Negev-Nahalat Eran’s fourth annual “Race for Inclusion” last Wednesday, running a 2.5-kilometer course around the southern Israeli rehabilitation village to raise money for the organization. The participants came from the Alexander Muss High School in Israel, the Jewish National Fund-USA’s Alternative Winter Break and from a number of gap-year programs, including Midreshet Tiferet, Yeshivat Ashreinu and Amudim. Following the race, the participants held a dance party with residents of the village, which include people with long-standing disabilities and soldiers and civilians wounded over the past two-plus years of war.
“The whole event felt so communal, positive and uplifting, but the dance party following the race really touched my soul,” said Oliver Ferber, a JNF-USA Alternative Winter Break participant, who won the race. “Everyone was dancing together as one, and I felt so happy to belong to such a beautiful people.”
Birthdays
Retired chairman of the Jewish National Fund (Keren Kayemet LeYisrael), Daniel “Danny” Atar turns 68…
Author of 10 books including Mitzvah Man and collections of short fiction including Minyan: Ten Interwoven Stories, John Jacob Clayton turns 91… Sports journalist, author and former ombudsman for ESPN, Robert Lipsyte turns 88… NBA superfan who attends over 100 basketball games nationally each season, James F. Goldstein turns 86… Former member of the Knesset for the National Religious Party, Eliyahu Gabai turns 83… Former Philadelphia mayor for eight years, and then another eight years as Pennsylvania’s governor, currently a special counsel at Ballard Spahr, Ed Rendell turns 82… Retired attorney from Latham & Watkins, Paul Israel Meyer… San Diego-based attorney, she served as a member of Congress and as chief of staff for former California Gov. Gray Davis, Lynn Alice Schenk turns 81… Former attorney general of the United Kingdom, now London co-managing partner and chair of the European and Asian litigation practice at Debevoise & Plimpton, Lord Peter Goldsmith turns 76… CEO of Legacy Interactive / Legacy Games, Ariella Lehrer, Ph.D…. Founder and principal of Washington-based Mager & Associates, a boutique public policy and advocacy consulting firm, Mimi Mager… Journalist John F. Solomon turns 59… Actress and television personality, she is best known for her nine seasons on “The Real Housewives of Orange County,” Heather Paige Kent Dubrow turns 57… Partner of both the law firm Galper & Goldberg PLLC and the PR firm Trident GMG, Joshua P. Galper… Professional poker player with more than $29 million of winnings, including $10 million at the 2025 World Series of Poker Main Event Championship, Michael Mizrachi turns 45… New York City-based saxophonist, composer, bandleader and educator, Oded Tzur turns 42… Founder and creative director of Alsall Studio, a social media and web design firm, Alexandra Lauren Sall… Tennis player ranked No. 1 in Israel for most of 2022, Yshai Oliel turns 26..
