Thursday, November 28, 2013

THE FESTIVUS -- IT'S BAAAACK!!

Now that the failed GA is behind JFNA, it can turn its full and undivided attention to the next disaster on its events calendar -- the third attempt at making TribeFest a success. The cost to date has exceeded $2,000,000 -- that's more than $1 million/failure -- but CEO Jerry is determined to keep throwing money at an event that has produced nothing for the federations -- why? We'll never know.

So, the 2014 Festivus will be held in New Orleans. A recent JFNA promo for the March event coincided with the end of Daylight Savings Time (and the notice came out, appropriately, on the cusp of Halloween) -- so cleverly tagged Fall back...in love with Tribefest! If you hit the links for this fiasco, here's what you will learn:

  • There is no express purpose for TribeFest -- no defined audience other than an age cohort that covers a broad swath of young Jews 
  • If you examine the staffing, JFNA has committed its entire Young Leadership Cabinet senior staff (and a few others) to this thing
  • There will be "Purim Ball on Saturday night with dancing, music and a megillah reading" -- whoopee
  • There is a link to last year's "phenomenal main stage speakers" -- you can take a look and form your own conclusions
And, then, immediately pre-Thanksgiving, JFNA offered 8...that's eight... Grand Prize Winners a chance at a $300 discount off the $450 pre-Registration if they submit the winning social media entries. WOW, a "game" to win a total of $2400 to  8...that's 8...winners in the aggregate. Just writing the "rules" had to cost JFNA $2400 in staff expense. Not quite as much as Festivals will cost the system -- that will be in excess of $1 million -- just a drop in the bucket.

Someone ought to take a look and examine the entirety of the Young Leadership Cabinet investment, purpose and vision. Trotting out another Fest, another Retreat (with fund raising at its lowest levels per capita ever) and a Mission or 2, just isn't enough, is it? What happened to Washington Conferences (oh, yes, that's Aipac turf now), or the follow-on to Tel Aviv 1 or nothing else of meaning other than these "Fests" of fun, drinking and whatever. For "whatever" -- go to the Registration link and read:
"JFNA reserves the right to remove individuals from the conference, revoking conference credentials without refund, for what it considers to be inappropriate or harmful behavior."
Oh, yeah...got to be there. 

Rwexler

7 comments:

  1. No purpose to TribeFest? Are you kidding? It's intended to take our communities hard-earned money and convert it into waste.

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  2. I attended the second Fest -- to cal it worthless is an understatement. Not one takeaway of any value whatsoever.

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  3. Is there any other organization that after 12 years has accomplished so little, yet its leaders, lay and pro, appear totally lost, doomed to repeat the same mistakes over and over and over again? And we sit back doing nothing?

    I have asked my federation to demand that Dues be drastically cut, escrowed until we have an acceptable plan and budget for the next 5 years.What have you done?

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  4. Yes, back and ill-focused as ever. That "contest" for a bare few admission discounts has now been extended to 12/12. Suggests that there is no enthusiasm for this, this thing. Suggestion: CANCEL IT.

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  5. This is the worst example yet of the Dumb and Dumberer brand of leadership at JFNA that has characterized this so-called "organization" for the last 4 years. Is this ever going to be ended?

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  6. Guess what? They don't giveakuh a damn about your criticism

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  7. I cannot in good conscience go to another TribeFest knowing how much it costs the community. It actually sickens me a little when I think back on all the drinking and carousing and lack of purpose. All of us there were already committed to Jewish something or another. No new blood was brought in. I guess some people hooked up and that's ok, but still, all that money for a glorified singles weekend? $2 million?? Are you serious??

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