Sunday, July 13, 2014

JUST A CONTINUING EMBARRASSMENT --THE "CIRCLE OF THE 15 SECOND CLUB"

Perhaps I am just tired -- like all of us, I wish there were more that I could do for our extended mishpacha in Israel at this trying time. We are on the phone constantly, we worry and we pray. Can't sleep. I, like you, want our leaders to represent us in large numbers expressing our solidarity.

Then, this comes from very hand that is supposed to guide and lead us, Jerry's:
Day 6: Update on Operation Protective Edge and Federation Response
July 13, 2014
Dear Friends,

This morning I traveled to Sderot with a small delegation of leaders from our Campaign Chairs and Directors Mission to meet with and hear from local residents and leadership. The city is tense and few people are out and about. Everyone is keeping close to their bomb shelters ever mindful of the 15 second rule – that’s how much time you have to get to safety. We’ve already had to make that unnerving dash to the shelters. 
                     
In our meeting with Alon Davidi, the Mayor of Sderot, we expressed the absolute solidarity and support of the Federations and the entire North American Jewish community support with him and his city.

And, it is good that those who will lead our Campaigns are there. But, from the hand that shimmied with the Harlem Shake came this gem of gems in the same Update:

Later today, a solidarity mission of senior federation leadership will arrive in Israel. They too will come in to the circle of the 15 second club when we head south. (emphasis added)

Readers, my friends and those who hate this Blog, haven't we all had enough of this insipidity? As if those who will head South for a briefing, for Solidarity, for comforting our People, are joining "...the circle of the 15 second club?" So stupid; so trivializing; so demeaning of what our brothers and sisters, our parents and grandparents, our children and grandchildren, our friends are going through 24/7 and have gone through year-after-year.

Will there be Tee Shirts? Will there be big buttons -- "I am in the circle of the 15 second club?" How long do we put up with this...crap? Shame, shame, shame, shame...on all of us.

Rwexler



8 comments:

Anonymous said...

You nailed it. This "we're so brave" stuff -- shake some hands, have some photos taken and leave. While my grandchildren have spent almost the entire nights the last week living in shelters or running to them.

I will never give another dime to my federation as long as Jerry Silverman has an office at JFNA.

The term "shame" doesn't cover this disgrace.

Anonymous said...

I read the "Briefing" and did what I think they call a"spit take" when I got to the line you have quoted and condemned. How dies a great businessman, a captain of industry tolerate a bumbling fool like this. Do we really need a court jester or aren't we pying enough to get an inspirational leader? This is disgusting.

Anonymous said...

Statements like this have made JFNA a laughingstock in Israel. Behavior like this, and the belief that this Silverman cares about anything other than his salary and promoting himself his own organization at the expense of any who get in the way of that self-promotion, beware.

Anonymous said...

His Tweets are even "funnier."

Anonymous said...

Send Silverman back to selling pants.

Anonymous said...

Symbolism,branding,and marketing, that is what we have become.
I'd rather see a circle of 15,000 who have made meaningful gifts to support our family who really are the circle of 15.
What do we do when Israel is in crisis...we rally together as a system and do miraculous things. Not any more---now we send a letter.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps you and your readers received the notice from the second in command of this Ship of Fools that there will be a second Solidarity Mission in one week. Perhaps this time neither the Chair of the Milwaukee Federation (whose community he led to cut the allocation to our partners in Israel by 50%) or the CEO of Boston (whose federation under his leadership allocates close to nothing or less to the core budgets) will be among the "leaders" expressing "Solidarity."

Anonymous said...

Perhaps you and your readers received the notice from the second in command of this Ship of Fools that there will be a second Solidarity Mission in one week. Perhaps this time neither the Chair of the Milwaukee Federation (whose community he led to cut the allocation to our partners in Israel by 50%) or the CEO of Boston (whose federation under his leadership allocates close to nothing or less to the core budgets) will be among the "leaders" expressing "Solidarity."