You surely recall the Government of Israel/World Jewry Initiative that descended into chaos two months ago when a dispute broke out between the leaders of the Jewish Agency and the Israel Diaspora Ministry over, what else, who is in charge. The dispute in the press grew ugly and as the control issues were not resolved, the parties appeared not to be speaking to each other, unnamed but highly aspirational UIA and JAFI lay leaders (none named "Rube Goldberg" but THEY appeared to be in the same gene pool from the work product) stepped up and the results...well, they speak for themselves -- here they are:
- There will be something that will be called a "Public Benefit Company" ...
- The shares of which will be held in Trust for a Steering Committee...
- Which will consist of 12 seats -- 4 for the Government, 4 for the "Principal Funders" (undefined what that means) and 4 for JAFI whose...
- JAFI seats on the Steering Committee will be selected by the JA Chair of the Executive (subject to approval by the JA Executive Committee), 3 lay leaders -- one each from the World Zionist Organization, Keren Ha-Yesod and UIA/JFNA...
- This Steering Committee will "steer" the Public Benefit Company "Oversight Committee" which will have 3 members -- one each from the Government, JA and the Principal (sic) Funders...who will "control everything by "consensus" and...
- Create a "New Project approval process" (undefined)...and
- Oh, there is that Public Benefit Company that will have Project Boards (undefined) directing "projects" approved by that Oversight Committee subject to a "Delegation of Authority" by its "Independent Trustees and Directors" to that "Steering Committee." HUH?
Remember, if you will -- the Government of Israel/World Jewry Initiative began as a Jewish Agency/Government effort. The Prime Minister and Jewish Agency, with JFNA jumping on the then bandwagon agreed that a Company would be formed, managed by the Jewish Agency, folding in the unfunded Global Planning Table "immersive Israel experience" Signature Initiative. On the cusp of the roll-out, the Diaspora Affairs Ministry asserted that it would be running the company, JAFI was relegated by the Government to a participant with the WZO, etc., and a public spat erupted in the press. Then, these two JAFI and UIA lay leaders (JFNA was once again relegated to no role) embarked on a compromise effort. What resulted, you may judge for yourself -- but it appears to this trained eye to now be a process with no one in charge, a compromise for compromise's sake and an "agreement to agree." Oy vey.
Most amazing, this is the work product of hundreds of hours invested in good faith by truly committed volunteers. That part of this is to be applauded and remembered. They prevailed where, frankly, in the political thicket in Israel, I never thought they could. More amazing, as reported in ejewishphilanthropy two weeks ago, this structure is the basis of a "non-binding Memorandum of Understanding" on tentative programming between the Jewish Agency and the Government, et al., whatever that means. The focus of that MOU is spelled out in detail in an official JAFI statement detailed in the ejp article. If this works, these volunteers are to be congratulated; even if it doesn't work, their efforts were truly prodigious. A more optimistic note was struck in an article in The Jerusalem Post: http://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Government-Jewish-Agency-approve-memorandum-on-Diaspora-Initiative-382043
Who will be the funders? Don't know. How will the money be raised and by whom? Don't know. How much money? Will anyone really be able to explain how this will all work? Don't know. But...we have a "structure," now, don't we? Don't we?
You must see the "flow chart" on a piece of paper -- as in the ejp -- it makes even less sense than my description. Such is compromise. Two volunteer lawyers had been running around Jerusalem selling as a "compromise." I have a strong sense, having spoken with friends in Jerusalem, that leadership there, listened, rolled their eyes, said "sure," initialed the thing and went back to their business. Sure, these fine gentlemen who drew up this structure convinced themselves this will work. I just do not think so; time will tell.
And, as an anonymous "senior leader at JFNA" observed: "So, we have an agreement but no money." A fair comment that ignores the reality that it is JFNA that committed to raise the money in a pro rata match with the Government.
Oh, that. Never mind.
Rwexler
up until this entry you have been pretty much on target but coming out against this initiatve at this early stage makes one think that you are just againt for the sake of being againt - this thing has high potential and you should be wishing it well and complementing all those that have worked so hard to keep it alive you may turn out to be right down the road but I personally hope that you will ha e to eat your words
ReplyDeleteup until this entry you have been pretty much on target but coming out against this initiatve at this early stage makes one think that you are just againt for the sake of being againt - this thing has high potential and you should be wishing it well and complementing all those that have worked so hard to keep it alive - you may turn out to be right down the road but I personally hope that you will have to eat your words
ReplyDeleteThis began as a engineer less train and is ending as predicted by many as a train wreck.
ReplyDeleteSometimes a Hail Mary is just a desperate throw with no receivers in sight.
Less is more. This is more like WTF? This isn't even a Hail Mary with no receivers. This pass will never get off the ground.
ReplyDeleteToo complicated. Too confused. Too lacking in a compelling vision in partnership with a government most American Jews don't feel with warm an fuzzies for.
Because the system is fractured and ungovernable, like other initiatives, this will never truly get the backing of individual federations (and that might not be necessary considering the handful of Big Boys don't need anyone else).
I would like to hear the lawyer from Miami who put so much of his time into drafting this agreement explain to all us the "plan" for raising money in North America.
ReplyDeleteYou, we, in the Federation world are so naive and so clueless when dealing with the Israeli political theater of operation. Dvir Kahane is a fundamentalist right wing protege of Naftali Bennett, Their greater Israel agenda is transparent and all roads will lead to Bayit Yehudi setting the tone and direction of the initiatives. As one example, Hillels will be transformed from centers of Jewish life to centers of partisan directed hasbara. A second nightmare might be the projected single Jewish cyber platform being funded by guess who in Las Vegas.
ReplyDeleteAnother way to look at this is that every involved party is showing its agenda and its malfunction!
ReplyDeleteThis makes the Global Planning Table appear well thought out.
ReplyDeleteIf a lawyer(s) really engineered this thing, that's proof of the rubric: advice is worth what you pay for it. Cause this sure appears to be worthless.
ReplyDeleteNow now JAFI is banking its future on this not the GPT
ReplyDelete“Any darn fool can make something complex; it takes a genius to make something simple.”
ReplyDelete― Pete Seeger
"Now now JAFI is banking its future on this not the GPT"
ReplyDeleteNot exactly; Alan Hoffmann is banking his future on this would be more accurate.
Can't we be certain that JFNA is delighted with this debacle and with the strange maze that those who promoted this structure have designed. Because if the Israelis (JAFI and Government) could actually agree then the burden would be on JFNA/federations to raise the funds to support their end of the deal and they can't do it. These incompetent people have proved that they haven't any ability to raise money for anything.
ReplyDeleteY'now what is the most no noxious part of this whole grand scheme? The deal posits "philanthropists" as a third leg of the funding as if they are investors from mars totally separate from communities. Yet for generations these families were the backbone of community fundraising. To whom are communities to turn to raise their "share"? "Philanthropists" must remember who they are accountable to and that their foundations are community trusts for which they or in many cases their dearly departed family members have taken generous tax deductions. Perhaps Federations should just walk away from this set up and wait for a more rational public spirited deal?
ReplyDeleteCheck out the wonderful post by Naomi Adland in today's EJP....
ReplyDeleteRichard, perhaps you could send it to Jerry Silverman?
http://ejewishphilanthropy.com/fear-fearlessness-and-forward-thinking/?utm_source=Dec+1+Mon&utm_campaign=Dec+1+Mon&utm_medium=email
Dear Anon,
ReplyDeleteSend it to Jerry? Law frowns upon exercises in futility. (1) Jerry claims to never read the Blog (HAHAHA) and discourages anyone and everyone from reading it; and (2) this perfect commentary on the GA, if read and understood (HAHAHA), would just get in the way of JFNA leaders' narrative that all is well and, even, great.
Thanks.
Pssst,
ReplyDeleteRichard, I think Jerry Silverman is Rube Goldberg, Tell no one.
Rube Goldberg knew what he was trying to accomplish.
ReplyDelete