Your Daily Phil: New program looks to connect young Reform U.S. Jews to Israel
Good Thursday morning.
In today’s edition of Your Daily Phil, we report on the growing calls for Chicago’sBoard of Education president to step down over antisemitism social media posts.We feature an opinion piece by Amit Natanzon about supporting Kibbutz Nir Oz, one of the hardest-hit communities in the Oct. 7 attacks; another by Ron Wolfson in response to a New York Times essay by outgoing Ford Foundation President Darren Walker about the need for courage in leadership; and one by Rabbi Noam Raucher on how synagogue men’s clubs can combat toxic masculinity.Also in this newsletter: Evan Feinberg, Lee Yaron and Tzvi Solomon. We’ll start with a new grant for the Stephen Free Wise Synagogue to connect young Reform adults to Israel.
As the grinding war in Gaza and the emerging fighting in Lebanon have tested ties between liberal American Jews and Israel, Stephen Free Wise Synagogue Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch has emerged as perhaps the Reform movement’s most vocal critic of the dangers of young Jews pulling away from Zionism. Now, armed with a $250,000 grant from the Jewish National Fund-USA’s Boruchin Center, Hirsch’s Manhattan synagogue will launch a program to try to stem the tide, reports eJewishPhilanthropy’s Nira Dayanim.
The grant, which is contingent upon the synagogue’s ability to find matching donors, will support the Reform Movement Alumni for Israel (RAFI), a leadership program for American Reform Jews ages 22-35. RAFI is an extension of SWFS’ Amplify Israel Initiative, “an education and advocacy initiative aimed at healing the fractured relationship between American liberal Jews and Israel,” according to its website.
Capitalizing on the leadership potential of young Reform Jews is a big component of the program, according to Hirsch,. “They will be, in the coming years, some of the important volunteers in the American Jewish community, and some of the important donors,” he told eJP.
The Amplify Israel Initiative was started by Hirsch in 2023 with the intention of addressing a distancing that he had observed between North American liberal Jews and Zionism, Rabbi Tracy Kaplowitz, SWFS’s Marilyn and Joseph Schwartz Israel Fellow, told eJP.
“We couldn’t wait for someone else to address the problem,” Kaplowitz said.
Through its annual rabbinic fellowship, Amplify Israel has provided its first cohort of 12 early-career Reform rabbis with the opportunity for professional development and mentorship as well as the opportunity to travel to Israel for a seven-day symposium.
According to Boruchin Center Chair Scott Schreiber, this model is part of what stood out about the Amplify Israel Initiative. “Here’s Stephen Wise saying we’re going to appeal to people where they are, not where we want them to be,” Schreiber told eJP.
The RAFI program’s inaugural cohort will follow a similar model, as 25 Reform movement alumni across nine different cities are provided with educational opportunities and a trip to Israel.
Hirsch is excited to see the program expand. “It means we’re going to be able to reach substantially more people with more geographical diversity than we otherwise would have, and it also leverages the successes of other parts of the program,” he said.
SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL
Chicago councilmembers call for education board president to resign over antisemitism
Twenty-six aldermen on the 50-person Chicago City Council are calling for Rev. Mitchell Johnson to resign from his position as president of the Chicago Board of Education due to his history of making antisemitic remarks online, reports Gabby Deutch for eJewishPhilanthropy’s sister publication Jewish Insider.
Reasonable representation: “We call on Rev. Johnson to apologize and step down from his position immediately,” the 26 aldermen, representing more than half of the body’s members, wrote in a joint letter. “The thousands of Jewish families who send their kids to Chicago Public Schools deserve representation who values them and does not express hate towards the Jewish community.” Johnson’s comments, including a statement saying his “Jewish colleagues appear drunk with the Israeli power,” were first reported in JI.
Mayoral support: Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who is facing criticism from the city’s Jewish community for omitting the Jewish identity of a shooting victim, declared his support for Johnson yesterday, giving the embattled Board of Education president a lifeline. “Reverend Johnson has been a strong faith leader throughout the state of Illinois and has expressed sorrow and is seeking atonement for the words that he has shared and that he’s expressed,” Johnson said in a press conference.
Read the full report here and sign up for Jewish Insider’s Daily Kickoff here.
HELPING HARD-HIT HOMES
Supporting the rebirth of Kibbutz Nir Oz: A year of healing and solidarity
“As Israel marks the one-year anniversary of the devastating Hamas attack, the survivors of Kibbutz Nir Oz — one of the communities hardest hit on 22 Tishrei — are in greater need of support than ever… [On] that dark day, Nir Oz suffered unimaginable losses — one-quarter of its residents were killed or abducted, 80% of its infrastructure was destroyed and the survivors were forced to flee their homes. Now, 29 residents remain in captivity, representing one-third of the Israeli hostages still held in Gaza,” writes Amit Natanzon, a member of the board of the recently formed American Friends of Nir Oz, in an opinion piece for eJewishPhilanthropy.
Much to do: “The effort to rebuild Nir Oz is monumental. It is about much more than restoring homes and farmland — it involves helping survivors rebuild their lives and maintain their community ties. The displaced residents, temporarily housed in Kiryat Gat, need help sustaining their livelihoods, preserving their community connections, and healing from the psychological scars left by the attack. They face a long road to recovery, and now is the time for Americans to extend a hand.”
Sending a message: “By supporting Nir Oz, we honor the memory of those lost, provide comfort to the survivors, and ensure that the legacy of this extraordinary community endures. Rebuilding Nir Oz will take time, resources and emotional resilience, but it will also be a powerful statement: even in the face of unimaginable adversity, communities can rise again.”
LESSONS IN BRAVERY
Courage: An indispensable quality of leadership
“Outgoing Ford Foundation President Darren Walker argues in a recent New York Times guest essay titled ‘There is No Leadership Without Risk’ that prevalent American culture ‘actively discourages the courage’ needed for impactful leadership, ultimately undermining the effectiveness of leaders. As a student of nonprofit leadership, this insight aligned with my own understanding of courage as a defining characteristic of great leaders,” writes Ron Wolfson, a Professor of education at American Jewish University and the author of Jewish Communal Leadership: Lessons Learned from Leading Practitioners, in an opinion piece for eJewishPhilanthropy.
Tough times: “The lessons learned and shared by the nine effective and thoughtful leaders I interviewed [for my book] would be welcome always, but especially during what has been one of the most challenging decades in modern Jewish history… Now is the time to reflect on the crises that have engulfed us in just the past four years: a once-in-a-century global pandemic, polarized politics, the tragedy of Oct. 7, the existential threats to the State of Israel, the rise of antisemitism.”
Help wanted: “There is no doubt we live in perilous times, times that demand of our leaders to speak truth to power, to mine Jewish literature and history for responses to crises, to be unafraid to take risks, and to understand that when signing up for leadership, the thousands of courageous professional and lay leaders of the Jewish community are needed now more than ever.”
MEN’S CLUB REFORM
Beyond being a mensch: Fighting misogyny and antisemitism in the ‘manosphere’
“The recent Mother Jones article, ‘Masculinity Influencers Are Pivoting to Wildly Antisemitic Claims,’ sheds light on a disturbing trend within the so-called ‘manosphere’ — a loosely connected online network of blogs, forums and communities that promote and discuss topics related to men’s rights, masculinity and often perpetuate misogynistic, antifeminist and sometimes extremist views on gender relations. Antisemitism is one of the extremist views floating around the manosphere,” writes Rabbi Noam Raucher, executive director of the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs, in an opinion piece for eJewishPhilanthropy.
More dangerous than ever: “This blend of misogyny and antisemitism is not new, but its resurgence in the digital age and its spread through influential voices make it a particularly insidious threat. The reach of these ideas, and the ease with which they can be disseminated online, means that they have the potential to shape the attitudes and actions of millions of men around the globe — particularly those who are young, disillusioned or simply seeking a sense of belonging. Jewish boys and men are not immune to nor protected from toxic influences on their own.”
A role to play: “The Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs and the broader movement of men’s clubs’ work within Jewish communities have a crucial role to play in combating misogyny and toxic masculinity. By fostering spaces where Jewish men can engage in meaningful dialogue about their roles and responsibilities, men’s clubs can help dismantle harmful stereotypes and promote healthier models of masculinity rooted in Jewish values.”
Worthy Reads
Beating Back Polarization: In The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Evan Feinberg makes the case for philanthropists to invest in grassroots community initiatives to help combat the polarization in American society. “Why is politics undermining our mental health? The answer is simple. We’ve raised the stakes of our national politics to an unhealthy level… Thankfully, there are better ways to solve America’s biggest problems. We can all immediately drive progress from the bottom up. And doing so is critical to restoring our sense of well-being — both individually and as a society. Few things are more powerful than stepping up in our own communities… For philanthropy, this presents an important opportunity to enable and grow programs that drive such engagement. By supporting initiatives that make it easier for individuals to volunteer, connect, and contribute, funders can play a transformative role in enhancing individual and community resilience… The choice is ours. We can keep getting more and more sick over toxic politics. Or we can renew our mental health by actually healing what ails our communities.” [ChronicleofPhilanthropy]
Behind the Book: In Jewish Insider, Tamara Zieve interviews Israeli journalist Lee Yaron about her recent book 10/7: 100 Human Stories about the Oct. 7 terror attacks and its victims. “I tried to write a book that is not only about death, but it’s about life, and it’s about really seeing these people not merely as victims but also as the people they were… I wanted the book to be a way to understand, not just to get to know the victims, but understand Israel and the history of the conflict better… For me personally this war and writing this book made my commitment to peace and to a two-state solution stronger. I lost a very dear friend of mine, Gal Eisenkot, who was the son of Gadi Eisenkot, who was the chief of the IDF and a minister. And the book is dedicated to Gal. His death was extremely painful, still is. We were good friends since childhood, he was a good friend of mine and my whole family. And he died on Dec. 7, two months after, exactly two months after it started… And just losing him, I feel like you know nothing, nothing is worth it. I mean, of course, Israel needed to respond, of course, what happened to us was horrible, but I would do anything to bring Gal back. We lost so many young lives, and I believe that, we always say in Israel that we need to be worthy. I think being worthy is really working for the next generations, not needing to experience what we’ve experienced..” [JewishInsider]
Around the Web
The Marcus Foundation is funding new research on a novel surgical technique for stroke patients with a $25.9 million grant…
The Anti-Defamation League highlights 10 universities and colleges that it says are taking concrete steps to address antisemitism on campus: University of Pennsylvania, University of Michigan, Michigan State University, SUNY Purchase, CUNY Queens College, CUNY Brooklyn College, University of Colorado, Boulder, Barnard College, Wellesley College and New York University…
Tzvi Solomon was selected as the next president of the Paramus, N.J.-based Sinai Schools, which operates a network of eight special education schools throughout the New York metropolitan area; Solomon succeeds Avi Vogel, who is leaving after nearly 10 years in role and who will remain on Sinai’s executive committee and board of directors…
In a New York Times opinion piece, Israeli literary agents Deborah Harris and Jessica Kasmer-Jacobs respond to a recent call by authors and literary figures for a boycott of Israeli cultural institutions, decrying the move as antithetical to the belief that “books have the power to change hearts and minds”…
Over 1,000 authors and artistshave also signed an open letter against the calls for a boycott of Israeli institutions…
Reuven Kasten, whose father, Stan Kasten, is president and partial owner of the L.A. Dodgers, was spotted at the Ohel, the gravesite of the Lubavitcher rebbe in Queens, ahead of the Dodgers World Series win last night over the New York Yankees…
Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeff Lurie is in talks to sell a minority stake in the team to the family of Amkor’s Susan Kim; Lurie has held a controlling stake in the team since 1994…
The Anne & Henry Zarrow Foundation donated $4.5 million to the University of Oklahoma’s School of Social Work, which is named in their honor; the gift will support annual cohorts of six Ph.D. students, fund a chair appointment and help create a new program to prepare high school and community college students to enter the university’s bachelor of social work program…
The Australian Jewish Independent spotlights an effort by the Zionist Federation of Australia to remove boundaries to entrance to the umbrella group in order to bring “more people with diverse views around the table and [expand] the conversation”…
The board of supervisors of Maricopa County, Ariz., approved $2 million in funding for the Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center, which will be built in Phoenix…
Israeli high-tech leaders frustrated by the lack of available direct flights between the U.S. and Israel following the decision by all American airlines to pause their direct flights to Ben Gurion Airportare in discussions to establish a seasonal route offering several direct flights a week to the U.S. from January through March…
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Western Pennsylvania filed federal hate crime-related charges against two people accused of spraying anti-Israel graffiti on Chabad of Squirrel Hill in Pittsburgh this summer; Jeffrey Finkelstein, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, said the vandalism underscored “the importance of the Federation’s work in enhancing security and fostering resilience across our community”…
Time magazine interviews Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, the special envoy for monitoring and combating antisemitism, about her work over the past year…
Former ADL chief Abe Foxman criticized the organization for omitting former President Donald Trump in its denunciation of the Republican candidate’s recent rally at Madison Square Garden, in which speakers made comments that were widely seen as racist, antisemitic and misogynistic…
The Secure Community Network is rolling out a four-part plan with a number of other organizations to protect American Jews on Election Day…
Pic of the Day
Rabbi Jonathan Markovitch holds a fragment of a Russian drone that damaged a Jewish school yesterday in Kyiv, Ukraine.
No one was injured in the school, but nine people were reportedly wounded in the same attack at an adjacent apartment building.
“It was a great miracle that none of the students were in the building at the time of the blast,” Markovitch said in a statement after the attack. “Just as the school has continued to operate throughout the war, we will continue to brighten the spirits of our children in these difficult days.”
Birthdays
Wheelchair basketball player and social media personality, Peter Berry…
Actor Ron Rifkin… British historian, born in Baghdad, emeritus professor of International Relations at Oxford, Avraham “Avi” Shlaim… CEO of Feld Entertainment, which operates the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and Disney on Ice, Kenneth Feld… Co-founder and co-chairman of Heritage Auctions, James L. Halperin… Author, historian and writer-at-large for the U.K.-based Prospect Magazine, Sam Tanenhaus… Staff writer for The New Yorker, her 1998 book was made into the award-winning movie “Adaptation,” Susan Orlean… Managing partner of Arel Capital, Richard G. Leibovitch… PAC director at AIPAC, Marilyn Rosenthal… British lawyer who has served as CEO of the Board of Deputies of British Jews and COO of World ORT, Marc Jonathan (Jon) Benjamin… Former MLB pitcher, now a managing director at Rockefeller Capital Management in Boca Raton, Steven Allen Rosenberg… Founding partner at Lanx Management, former president of AIPAC and past chairman of the Orthodox Union, Howard E. (Tzvi) Friedman… Director of development for Foundation for Jewish Camp until this past April, he defined his role as a “gelt-shlepper,” Corey Cutler… Chief brand and innovation officer of Ralph Lauren, David Lauren… Founder and CEO of MercadoLibre, the eBay and Amazon of Latin America, Marcos Eduardo Galperin… Film, television and theater actor, Assaf Cohen… Film and television director and producer, Ruben Fleischer… Professor, attorney, author, political columnist and poet, Seth Abramson… Member of the California State Assembly since 2016, Marc Berman… Actor who rose to prominence in the “American Pie” film series, Eddie Kaye Thomas… CEO at Clarasight, he is the founder of Pencils of Promise, Adam Braun… Rabbi and outreach coordinator at the Leffell Lower School in White Plains, N.Y., she is the founder of Midrash Manicures, combining Jewish education and creative nail art, Yael Buechler… Global strategy and capability development contractor at PwC, Spencer Herbst… Director of institutional advancement at Yeshiva Schools of Pittsburgh, Masha Shollar…