UPDATES

Every once in a while it is appropriate that I update some earlier Posts...

1. The Jewish Agency and Aliyah. I had characterized the reports last week that the Government of Israel had dictated that the aliyah function, the subject of a Covenant between the State of Israel and the Jewish Agency, be transferred to a new "quasi-governmental" company comprised of JAFI, Keren Kayemet L'Yisrael (JNF-Israel), Keren Ha'Yesod (but neither JFNA nor its UIA subsidiary) and the World Zionist Organization. JAFI was dismissive as if this were some non-event; JFNA, as is its history, sent a strong letter of protest. Well, Dan Brown, the founder of ejewishphilanthropy, has examined the matter -- and his conclusions are daunting: read them at http://ejewishphilanthropy.com/the-jewish-agency-appears-marginalized-in-aliyah/

Please go read this for yourself. Understand that JFNA's letter had the apparent impact, as you would expect of a letter written with no understanding of the facts, of merely making a bad situation worse as only it can.

2. Not as Feckless as I presumed. My Post Feckless in Florida about a South Florida federation burdened by a sorry history raised has been appropriately rebutted by that Federation's CEO. In a cordial conversation he pointed out to me the progress that has been made by him and his lay leadership in moving the federation forward in campaign and in allocations. And, if he is correct, and necessary firewalls have been constructed to protect the Federation's unrestricted endowment from claims, then I apologize for any suggestion that those unrestricted funds may have been put at risk. I guess we agreed to disagree as to the propriety of a senior federation professional's need to carry a gun on to the federation campus at any time even though I learned that this person supervises the security personnel on the campus. I can only wish this Federation great success.

Rwexler