Tuesday, July 31, 2012

ZIONISM AND THE GNAT

A parable: In a large office the occupant grew more and more annoyed with a tiny gnat which, at the most inopportune times, would buzz around disrupting the relative peace that the occupant enjoyed. It grew so annoying that, periodically, the occupant would call out: "Would someone kill this gnat?" The gnat continued to buzz. One day a spectral woman arrived wearing a crown. In the hands of her consort were two huge fly swatters -- one was labeled "UNTRUTHS," the other "HALF-TRUTHS." "Take these," she told the occupant, "they will surely kill the gnat." Then, friends of the occupant arrived and they, too, were handed huge fly-swatters with the same labels. "Kill the gnat!!!" they screamed. WHAM!! SPLAT!! OY!! were heard as the fly-swatters landed. The gnat observed from the ceiling as the melee below resulted often in the swatters hitting each other, but never hitting the spectral woman in the crown or her consort....or the gnat. Exhausted, the occupant and his colleagues fell to the floor while the gnat continued to buzz. The moral: if you are going to come after a gnat, try the swatter labeled "TRUTH."
Recently, your Blogger has been accused of all sorts of things. I will try to sort them out for you. But know, at the outset, that the Federations which have issued strong statements accepting a "version" of events that JFNA leaders have been peddling as "the truth" surrounding the refusal to include the word "zionism"  have accepted a fable completely at odds with the facts.
The truth, based on an actual investigation: At a Global Planning Table Working Group meeting, federation leaders suggested the inclusion of the core value of "zionism" (not, as alleged, "zionist entity" or "zionist enterprise" and not in substitution for "the State of Israel."). It was the JFNA Board Chair herself who publicly objected to the inclusion of "zionism" as "too controversial to be in a Global Planning Table Vision Statement." (This is impossible to deny; the entire Work Group heard this rant.)


No one knows whom my sources were (I never reveal my sources) or how many members of the Work Group spoke (or wrote) to me verifying what I had written; yet, JFNA reports, and the federations assert that they know that it was but one. They are wrong. My original Post on the subject did not suggest that the excision of "zionism" was JFNA "policy" -- I wrote of "JFNA's leaders insistence that the cherished concept of 'zionism'...be excised from a Global Planning Table Work Group Report" -- yet, all of us can reflect upon the number of non-policy decisions over the past three years and longer (e.g., the claimed "consensus" that gave rise to the GPT itself) that have suddenly become JFNA "Policy" before our eyes. And, suddenly, in the middle of the third (or fourth) JFNA "response" to the cause celebre that it created and now perpetuates, for the first time Jerry Silverman asserts that the same Working Group "...reaffirmed our deepest support for Israel and Zionist principles." If only it were so; if only that had been the permitted discussion at the GPT Work Group; but it wasn't.  And I am accused of having "...twisted what really happened into a version with no basis in reality." I think we know, from the ever-changing "explanations" just who is doing the "twisting" here...and why.

And, just for a gratuitous shot, I am accused in CEO Jerry's effort at deflecting the truth as "...hostile to the federations and the Global Planning Table." To the latter, I plead guilty; as I have written from the start, it is an evermore expensive approach to reordering historic priorities at a time of declining resources that will create chaos. As to the accusation that I am "hostile to federations," Jerry, who frets over and sermonizes about in personam attacks, makes one that is laughable. I am only "hostile" to actions that would deconstruct and harm federations -- as the excision of "zionism" would have done.
I have offered my apologies and reiterate them here for even having reported these facts on these pages without giving consideration that some would read them and use them as an excuse to reduce or eliminate their gifts to and through their federations. As a lifelong fund raiser and as a one who cherishes all federations, I am so sorry. I urge everyone who reads these pages to increase their federation pledges as I have done.

I have shared with you and others my sincere belief that the vast majority of federations, and, in particular, my own, include Zionism and the values inherent in Zionism in our words and our work every day; we are inspired by the values of Zionism; we don't fear the concept -- we should fear those who would have it disappear from our lexicon as "too controversial." Clearly her/their effort, reflected most vividly in the JFNA "misinformation campaign," is to shine the light away from themselves and shoot down the messenger. (Someone I love and respect suggested that I "...stop being the messenger." Good advice.) Sadly, they won't, in the midst of their revisionist history, let the facts get in the way.

Next time, if you want to kill this gnat, you had better come after me with the truth -- coming after me with cover-ups and untruths and half-truths as JFNA has done and continues just won't do it.

Rwexler





14 comments:

  1. Richard, they'll never find that TRUTH gnat-swatter partly because they aren't really interested in it

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  2. Richard, I was in that room and know exactly what Kathy Manning said. I think you do, as well, and it's far worse than what you wrote.

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  3. Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "HOW DOES IT COME TO THIS?":

    You know that old song -- who took the Christ out of Christmas?

    Apparently the Jewish Federations of N.A. have decided to take the Zion out of Federations.

    What a group of nervous, P.C, fearful Jews. Time to begin a new federation, or Jews who remember and believe and support the existence of Israel.

    Carol

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  4. Dear anonymous who was there: go public. share your story. Otherwise the lack of corroboration and public statements by those who were in attendance leads many to think that all that Richard reports is not factual. Simply making anonymous comments do nothing to having the truth be fully determined.

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  5. Dear Richard

    I loved your tale. I know something about how you must feel regarding not wishing to do damage to the recipients of donor dollars. I was faced wtih a situation where I came across some rotton eggs at JFNA too. Although I was able to fix the problem, albeit at my own peril and with much abuse heaped upon me in the process, I could not go public because I always remembered in the back of my mind that good is being done by many well meaning people at Federations who give their money in good faith, and to do so would harm those people who greatly need our support who are the recipients of those dollars. So, I gritted my teeth and went on. Of course eventually the Queen made sure I would never be around to raise my voice again, but she will one day be a forgotten memory and those who did benefit because of my decision will hopefully go on to have better lives and outshine any damage that has been done due to her lack of vision and inabiltiy to accept anyones opinion other than her own. Can't wait for new leadership with Zionist ideals who aren't afraid to say so!

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  6. Do you think that JFNA doth protest too much? At least four statements (each often in conflict with the one that preceded it)and, now. a FAQ two-pager. Did some powerful CEO order Jerry to "take care of this any way you can?"

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  7. Richard, you just don't get it. JFNA and its cohorts ("only tell us good news") are using the fabrications on which they have built this "campaign" to intimidate you, of course, but also to intimidate any whistle-blowers. That's why Silverman keeps writing about how you built this web on only one person's testimony; that's why JFNA leaders have been calling lay leaders around the country accusing each one of being your "source."

    As someone once wrote: "Corruption thrives in secret places." As if this JFNA weren't secret enough already.

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  8. Thanks...but I "get it." Love the quote.

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  9. I wanted to respond to the Anonymous Commentator who began his/her Comment "Dear Richard." I would love to speak with you -- off-line and in confidence, of course. Perhaps I could learn from your example.

    Thanks for your caring and love for our People.

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  10. Are you and your readers aware that in addition to the series of Jerry's rants, there as also been a harsh and insulting letter from David Butler to the GPT "members?" Further attempts at intimidation.

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  11. Time for you and your older colleagues to move on and allow a group of passionate and committed individuals in our system to move forward. It's hard to step aside and let others lead, but it's time you do so. Be a role model once again, before it's too late.
    S.

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  12. I was in the room. Richard Wexler has softened the words of Manning. The truth is in his court. The matter would have ended easily in any organization that can admit an error. Not JFNA.

    It is all that more sad, because this is not how our Federations act.

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  13. Readers, please note -- now we're dealing with threats -- "before it's too late." Ominous.

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  14. ...and, please note... another informant from "in the room." Thanks to you for your honesty.

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