Your Daily Phil: Shabbat shalom? Jews scramble to mark, fret over new Trump initiative
Add EJP on GoogleGood Thursday morning!
In today’s edition of Your Daily Phil, we report on fresh donations by Open Society Foundations, which has supported many anti-Israel groups, to progressive Jewish organizations that it says are aimed at curbing antisemitism and anti-Muslim discrimination. We examine how Jewish organizations and congregations are, or aren’t, marking President Donald Trump’s national Shabbat 250 initiative. We feature three opinion pieces focused on the discourse around Israel in the Jewish community and beyond by Rabbi Stuart Weinblatt, Samuel J. Abrams and Shanie Reichman. Also in this issue: Dana W. White and Shahar Azani, Daniella Greenbaum Davis and Betsy Berns Korn.
Today’s Your Daily Phil was curated by eJP Managing Editor Judah Ari Gross, Opinion Editor Rachel Kohn and Israel Editor Justin Hayet. Have a tip? Email us here.
What We’re Watching
A Hezbollah drone strike near the northern Israeli town of Rosh Hanikra wounded three civilians today, including two who remain in serious condition, in one of the first attacks by the Lebanese terror groups to injure Israeli civilians since a tenuous ceasefire went into effect last month.
Thousands of Israelis are expected to march through Jerusalem’s Old City this afternoon as part of the annual “Flag March” to mark Jerusalem Day, which begins tonight, when Israel celebrates capturing the eastern part of the city and reunifying it in 1967. The march is often marred by anti-Muslim rhetoric and occasional violence.
UJA-Federation of New York is hosting its annual Sports Luncheon later today. Gary B. Bettman, commissioner of the National Hockey League, will be awarded the David J. Stern Leadership Award.
What You Should Know
The Open Society Foundations, the major international organization founded by left-wing investor and philanthropist George Soros, announced yesterday that it had pledged $30 million over three years to combat antisemitism and anti-Muslim hate, directing those funds to a number of progressive groups, some of which are at odds with the mainstream Jewish establishment, report eJewishPhilanthropy’s Nira Dayanim and Jewish Insider’s Haley Cohen.
Jewish recipients of the funding include progressive groups such as the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, the Nexus Project and Jewish Social Justice Roundtable. Alexander Soros, George Soros’ son, was a founding chair of Bend the Arc Jewish Action, which is another grantee. The younger Soros is a longtime donor to progressive Jewish causes and chairs OSF’s board of directors.
OSF has also come under fire within the Jewish community for funding initiatives that are openly hostile to Israel, including providing grants for Jewish Voice for Peace, which spearheads and supports anti-Israel campus demonstrations. (JVP is not yet one of the new grantees.) For groups like JCPA, which does political advocacy for the Jewish community, including supporting Jewish students during the 2024 anti-Israel encampments, this will mean receiving funding from the same organization that was backing the demonstrators.
“No grantee of any foundation agrees with every position of every other grantee,” Amy Spitalnick, JCPA’s CEO, told JI. “We’ve been a clear voice calling out antisemitism wherever it exists across the ideological spectrum and underscoring that our legitimate concerns should not be exploited to attack democratic norms and institutions, including university research funding.”
Asked about the OSF’s support of anti-Israel groups, a spokesperson for the organization told eJP, “We’re a human rights organization and we were created in part to counter discrimination and hatred which are contrary to ideas an open society needs to flourish. Everything we fund is aligned with those values but a lot of the work is focused on many other issues [unrelated to antisemitism].”
The commitment also deepens the fragmentation in the American Jewish community’s efforts to combat antisemitism, potentially weakening the collective power of legacy organizations like the Anti-Defamation League, American Jewish Committee and Jewish Federations of North America, which have historically been the communal leaders on the issue.
SHABBAT SHALOM?
After Trump proclamation, Jewish groups scramble to plan ‘Shabbat 250,’ even as some have concerns
When President Donald Trump declared the first national Shabbat, beginning tomorrow night, “in special honor of 250 glorious years of American independence,” many Jewish leaders were floored. “I was blown away,” Rabbi Eliezer Wolf of Miami’s Beit David Highland Lakes Shul, told eJewishPhilanthropy’s Jay Deitcher. “I [couldn’t] believe what I [was] reading. No president has ever done that. A president doesn’t need to do that. This was something that was very unique, especially during a time like this, where Jews, even in America, are feeling a lot of hate.”
Shomer Shabbat: While many Jewish groups — mainly Orthodox and conservative ones — have wholeheartedly embraced “Shabbat 250,” other more progressive organizations and congregations have expressed misgivings about it, concerned about the erosion of the religious freedoms that Jews in particular fought for in the United States. “I propose that we show up for Shabbat, but that we rewrite the guest list. I suggest we each adapt this ‘National Shabbat’ in our own unique way – not because a leader commanded it, but because our humanity demands it,” Rabbi Amicha Lau-Lavie, of the progressive Lab/Shul in New York City, wrote in a note to members.
Restful thoughts: In a Washington Post opinion piece, Daniella Greenbaum Davis highlights the joys of Shabbat, particularly in a tech-filled world where people rarely have an opportunity to disconnect.
A RABBINIC RESPONSIBILITY
On Israel’s eighth front, rabbis should be on the front line
“For the past two-and-a-half years, Israel has been fighting a seven-front war: against Iran; against Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen; and against militants in Iraq, Syria and the West Bank,” writes Rabbi Stuart Weinblatt, chair of the Zionist Rabbinic Coalition, in an opinion piece for eJewishPhilanthropy. “And there is also an eighth front — the global war in the court of public opinion.”
The cost of focusing on criticism: “What some of our colleagues do not realize is that when rabbis publicly criticize a specific Israeli governmental policy or leader, the nuance often gets lost. Instead of instilling pride, their critiques instill a sense of shame and guilt. And when people are not proud of the Jewish state, they tend to be less proud of being Jewish, which often leads them to disconnect and disengage not just from Israel but from the Jewish people and, ultimately, from Judaism. … Our role as rabbis is to ensure that people’s relationship with Israel is not defined and determined by Israel’s detractors.”
DATA DIVE
The largest generational divide in American politics is about Israel
“The most recent Gallup data released show that, for the first time in decades, Americans no longer sympathize more with Israel than with the Palestinians. New analysis of the Yale 2025 Youth Poll tells us why — and what it means for how the Jewish community must now think about strategy, resources and the long-term future of American support for Israel,” writes Samuel J. Abrams, a professor of politics at Sarah Lawrence College and a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, in an opinion piece for eJewishPhilanthropy.
Barking up the wrong tree: “The Jewish community’s predominant response has been to invest in better messaging — more compelling hasbara, more aggressive social media, more op-eds. The data suggest this is insufficient. You cannot message your way out of a 56-point generational swing rooted in lived historical experience and reinforced by an entire media and educational ecosystem. Nor will organizational proliferation help. … For philanthropists and communal professionals, this demands a harder strategic reckoning.”
REAL TALK
The conversation that we avoid but need to have
“With new data emerging regularly demonstrating the declining support for Israel in America, there is a question looming large for American Jews that I am hearing in every meeting: How do we engage in constructive conversations about Israel amid a toxic discourse both inside and outside of our community?” writes Shanie Reichman, director of strategic initiatives for the Israel Policy Forum and director IPF Atid, the organization’s young professionals’ division, in an opinion piece for eJewishPhilanthropy.
Make contact: “The most effective tool for changing hearts and minds isn’t a social media post, a well-crafted talking point or a compelling op-ed. It’s a personal relationship built on genuine trust — and I say this knowing this requires far more time and sustained investment than anything that scales. But personal relationships give us something no algorithm can: the ability to choose a starting point based on shared values rather than contested ones.”
Worthy Reads
Covenant Crumbling: In an opinion piece on the Fox News website, Randolph L. White Foundation’s Dana W. White and Shahar Azani argue that the longstanding “covenant” between the Black and Jewish communities is being intentionally dismantled by divisive identity politics. “Over the past year and a half, the Trump Administration has done much to address antisemitism… But it’s not only up to the government to fight this disease. More needs and must be done by us, the “ordinary people.” Not just by passive remembrance, but by taking action. It is time to stop the smears. It is time to reject the “woke” wedge being driven between Blacks and Jews, and between America and its Jewish community. It is time for the silent majority to cry out and make a stand — politically and publicly. If we allow these suspicion-laden tropes to win, the only victors will be the extremists who want to see America divided.” [FoxNews]
Art of the Gala: In The Chronicle of Philanthropy, M.J. Prest explains that the traditional charity gala is being replaced by a more intentional strategy designed to capture the attention of today’s mega donors. “Big donors have been to glitzy charity dinner parties a dozen times. What moves them today is an event that feels specific, intimate, and distinctly tied to the mission. … Instead of traditional tables, some nonprofits are decorating lounges with the same types of furniture they provide to the people they serve to create a homey-feeling experience. ‘If billionaires come, they come because of the vibe,’ says Georgie Smith, founder of A Sense of Home… A successful gala does more than yield a big fundraising total; it’s a springboard for deeper involvement, and the morning after is when that work begins.” [ChroniclesofPhilanthropy]
Priced Out Paradise: Israeli urban planner Ido Klein warns Diaspora Jews in Haaretz that the concentration of foreign property investment in central Jerusalem neighborhoods is driving an affordability crisis. “When people who are not Israeli citizens purchase apartments in these areas, this has a significant effect on housing prices. Rising prices push many Israelis who actually live and work in Jerusalem into impossible situations: leaving the city altogether, living in apartments that are too small for their families or taking on crushing mortgages. … Jerusalem is not only a symbolic city. It is also a living city. And cities must first and foremost remain livable for the people who actually live in them.” [Haaretz]
Word on the Street
Jewish Insider’s Gabby Deutch details the recent summit of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, whose leaders said is working to both counter the Trump administration’s agenda and to push back on the anti-Israel sentiments rising in the Democratic Party…
At JDCA, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) called for a dramatic increase in funding of the federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program, saying that it should receive $1 billion — up from the $300 million that Congress allocated in last month’s homeland security funding bill…
In his annual speech to parliament, King Charles III pledged that his government “will take urgent action to tackle antisemitism and ensure all communities feel safe,” including through the Tackling State Threats Bill, a legislative effort to combat foreign-sponsored extremism by hostile actors such as Iran and Russia…
In an opinion piece in The New Statesman, Prince Harry urged the British public to reject both antisemitism and anti-Muslim hate…
Sarah Lawrence College’s student senate blocked the formation of a J Street chapter, with some student leaders comparing the progressive Jewish group’s platform to white supremacy…
Australia’s Royal Commission on Antisemitism revealed that a Jewish security agency warned police about the Bondi gunman via email years before the attack…
A pro-Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) super PAC is facing widespread condemnation for a campaign ad that uses a rainbow Star of David to target Jewish philanthropist and GOP donor Paul Singer over his support for LGBTQ rights and Israel…
The New York Times spotlights how the VC firm Andreessen Horowitz has become the single largest donor of the 2026 midterm cycle by distributing more than $115 million into federal elections to shape the future of artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency regulation — outspending individuals like George Soros, Elon Musk, and Jeff Yass…
William Paul — the adult son of Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) — engaged in an antisemitic verbal assault against Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) at a Capitol Hill bar on Tuesday night, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod and Emily Jacobs report…
Lufthansa and Wizz Air are set to resume flights to Israel in the coming weeks; Swiss Air plans to resume flights to Ben Gurion Airport in early July…
Morris Zilka, president of the Israel Boy & Girl Scouts Federation and recipient of the Bronze Wolf Award, died at 97…
Major Gifts
The Center for Jewish Philanthropy of Greater Phoenix has awarded over $1.7 million in 2026 grants to support local nonprofits and Israeli partners with a focus on financial vulnerability, mental health and community enrichment…
Washington University in St. Louis received a $200 million commitment from the Bursky Family Foundation to fund faculty, scholarships and research at its newly launched School of Public Health…
Transitions
Betsy Berns Korn was reelected for a second term as chair of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. Matthew Bronfman was elected as chair-elect…
Naftali Ejdelman was hired by the Mayberg Foundation as its new senior program officer…
Reshet Media CEO Emiliano Calemzuk is stepping down amid an effort by an investment group led by Wiz co-founder Assaf Rappaport to purchase the channel from Len Blavatnik…
Israel’s Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu nominated Esther Schreiber as the next director general to lead the Israel Antiquities Authority…
Pic of the Day
Danna Azrieli (right), chair of the Azrieli Foundation Israel, and Sallai Meridor (left), chair of the National Library of Israel, present the National Library of Israel’s Prize for Pedagogic Excellence to three Israeli teachers last night at the National Library in Jerusalem.
The teachers (from left) — Aamer Kais, from Sheikh Danun in northern Israel; Noa Milikowsky-Marienberg, from Jerusalem; and Einat Pinto, from the northern city of Nahariya — received the award, which is done in partnership with the Azrieli Foundation, along with a NIS 25,000 ($8,600) cash prize in recognition of their work strengthening humanities studies in Israeli schools.
“Today, we see the younger generation processing the complex experiences they have accumulated in recent years, and it is our role to ensure that these experiences are translated into growth and resilience,” Azrieli said in a statement. “Through their work, they build our shared value-based foundation and strengthen the cohesion and resilience of Israeli society.”
Birthdays
CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven, she is a former seven-term Connecticut state senator, Gayle Slossberg turns 61…
Born in Casablanca, Morocco, and raised in Paris, NYC hair stylist and owner of La Boîte a Coupe salon, Elie Laurent Delouya turns 78… Physician and social activist, she was the Green Party’s nominee for POTUS in 2012, 2016 and 2024, Jill Stein turns 76… Professor emerita of computer science at Technion, Orna Grumberg turns 74… Dean of UC Berkeley Law School, he is one of the most frequently cited American legal scholars on constitutional law and federal civil procedure, Erwin Chemerinsky turns 73… Los Angeles city attorney from 2013 to 2022, Mike Feuer turns 68… Author of seven international bestsellers on topics such as strategy, power and seduction, Robert Greene turns 67… Head of school at the Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School in Palo Alto, Calif., Daniel L. Lehmann turns 64… Former member of Knesset for the Meretz party and a major general (reserves) in the IDF, he now leads the Democrats party, Yair Golan turns 64… Former ESPN anchor and football sideline reporter, Suzanne Lisa “Suzy” Kolber turns 62… Retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel and former defense staffer on the Hill, Robert Levinson turns 61… Education program lead of Bloomberg Philanthropies, Howard Wolfson turns 59… Record producer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, he has won nine Grammy Awards, Greg Kurstin turns 57… Managing partner of Alexandria, Va.-based MVAR Media and a leading strategist in Democratic politics, Jon Vogel… Political director for the Northeast region at AIPAC, Jason Koppel… Emmy Award-winning executive producer at NBC’s “Meet the Press,” David Philip Gelles… Director of media relations and a spokesman at Chabad Lubavitch, Rabbi Mordechai “Motti” Seligson… Chairman, CEO and co-founder of Meta/Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg turns 42… Bloomberg News and Bloomberg Businessweek reporter covering the union movement, labor law and related policies and politics, Josh Eidelson… Actor who has appeared in 13 movies, she is the daughter of Steven Spielberg, Sasha Rebecca Spielberg turns 36… Senior managing director of government relations at The Blackstone Group, Alex I. Katz… Associate at O’Melveny & Myers, he is a former track star and then football player at Harvard, Andrew Ezekoye… Former pitcher for Yale and then Team Israel, he is now an analyst at Citadel, Eric Brodkowitz turns 30… Center for the NHL’s New Jersey Devils, he was a member of the United States team that won the gold medal in the 2026 Winter Olympics, Jack Hughes turns 25…
