~ Maybe someone will explain why JFNA leaders couldn't even express their condolences upon Danny Allen's, z'l, death. There is no excuse for this sad neglect of common decency with respect for a professional who worked so hard and so long for the Jewish People. There is no excuse for the neglect of Jewish humanity let alone responsibility. Shame of them.
~ I have unrequited respect for Eric Goldstein, the former lay leader who accepted the challenge of succeeding John Ruskay as President and CEO of New York UJA-Federation, certainly one of, if not the most complex of federations. While I don't profess to understand why Eric has led his community to turn inward, a sharp U-turn away from historic collective responsibility. I'm sure there is reason behind a series of decisions. At one and the same time there can be no explaining why, as reported in the Times of Israel and elsewhere, Eric would announce that "American Jews want 'to throw up' due to Netanyahu's policies." https://jewishstandard.timesofisrael.com/us-jews-leaders-want-to-throw-up-due-to-netanayahu-policies/
All of you have been readers of this Blog over the years know that I am one who believes our organizations must speak out on all issues impacting on us -- on the North American Jewish polity. But...in this way? Never. Goldstein's diatribe must have been born of the frustration of losing donors who believe that "Israel has rejected" our religious practices, our concerns...but that doesn't excuse the language used in any way. I hope that by the time this Post is published, Goldstein has apologized in every possible way.
~ Many of you have written me to question why Sandler (the past JFNA Board Chair) and Silverman (the soon to be past JFNA CEO) were JFNA's "representatives" at the Trump White House Chanukah celebration. I sense that in Jerry's case he has believed for years that these invitations are in personam, that he's invited because he is Jerry Silverman. HE IS WRONG. Why Sandler would be there is also a mystery -- isn't he from LA; isn't he out of office?
As we've pointed out on more than one occasion on these pages, the best practice, one always practiced at UJA, z'l, was to use these invitations to cultivate our donors and our future leaders. I can't remember a single occasion where we extended those invitations to the past leaders of the organization, unless to Max Fisher, z'l. Trust me, I knew and loved Max; Richard Sandler, a fine man and a wonderful Jew, is no Max Fisher.
When will it end; when will it ever end?
~ Y'all recall that after a specious set of recommendations on collapsing JFNA subsidiary UIA while expanding the work of the exercise in futility JFNA-israel, 4 federation leaders serving on the Committee which raised the Recommendations filed a forceful, thoughtful set of objections in a Dissent. Well, on Monday, December 17, the JFNA Executive Committee received the apparently Final Report and, its been reported privately (!!) included changes that, it was asserted, accommodated the Dissenters; heard the objections from UIA itself and, then...did nothing!! No vote...nothing.
So JFNA...so...nothing.But let us close out 2018 on a more positive note. Bob Hyfler, consummate communal professional, whom I first met in his senior professional role at the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, and, then, at JFNA in its formative years, wrote us with his own perfect tribute to Danny Allen's, z'l, memory:
"While attending (Danny's) funeral I considered the clearest lesson I learned from Danny. Danny always understood the nature of history, structure and change in the Jewish world. He was never enamoured with any single structure for its own sake and certainly not the permanency of any one structure. What motivated him always was a fearless commitment to protect the eternal purposes embedded in those structures he served with an uncompromising honesty: the survival of our people and our values; our responsibilities, big and small, one to another; and the hope and promise that Israel and the Zionist ideal represented. Danny leaves this world with his legacy and integrity intact. Shalom Chaver."A happy and healthy 2019 to each and every one of you and your families.
Rwexler
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9 comments:
Richard:
The article quotes Goldstein as saying some of his donors "want to throw up their hands".
That characterization is quite different than how you have framed it.
If the JFNA Executive "did nothing" and did not vote on the Gernsbacher document, that could mean that those running the show plan to table it - kill it - and not present it to the Board at the end of January.
That would indicate that they are not indifferent to the criticism that the report raised and that they actually care what lay leadership think and want to avoid a floor fight at the upcoming Board meeting.
Although the chances of the above being the case are slim, let us all be hopeful that we will be pleasantly surprised.
To Anonymous 12/30:
The article in fact quotes Mr. Goldstein:"People who, until three years ago, were the biggest supporters of Israel now say to us they want to throw up, that all of their love and labour on behalf of Israel went down the drain." Don't think it can be any clearer as to what Goldstein said.
Goldstein is a fool. Even if some of his donors expressed those feelings he should not have repeated them publicly. That's what happens when you hire someone who is not a Jewish Communal Professional.
To anon 9:21
Can you provide the name of the media source and a direct link to what you claim Goldstein said? Every media source I have found which quotes Goldstein does so in the context of "throw up their hands". The difference is rather significant.
To Anonymous (:21
Try https://www.richardsilverstein.com/2018/12/20/uja-federation-chief-executive-israel-makes-donors-want-to-vomit/
To anon 2:07
That site at least connects to the Maariv Hebrew article. The problem is that the Hebrew article has quoted Goldstein (in Hebrew) saying something, which then has the English translation that raised Richard's ire.
The real question is what, exactly, did Goldstein actually say, originally, in English to the Israeli delegation, and who provided those quotes of what Goldstein supposedly said? Even the translation (Google) of the Maariv article (no official English translation from Maariv has yet been made) is shoddy at best, if you know your Hebrew.
It seems to me that at best we're looking at a combination of sloppy journalism and sloppy translation from English to Hebrew and then back to English. At worst, and I have no pony in this race, it looks like a small handful of the media want to make Goldstein look as awful as possible. At present, given all that has been presented, I believe it is Goldstein who deserves an apology and not anyone else, unless it can actually be verified what he truly said.
No apology to Goldstein needed. He should not have been saying anything - no matter which translation is correct. Shows he does not understand the role of a professional
Au contraire--Goldstein has every right to communicate how difficult it is to be supportive of Israel right now. Not in the "throw up" quote, which is out of bounds, but most certainly in the "throw up your hands" quote. Because that's how more and more of us clearly feel.
He needed to let Israelis know in the clearest terms possible that they are fooling themselves if they think it is only the BDS crowd or the "unaffiliated" who have big time problems with Israel. This is becoming more and more of an issue within the mainstream US Jewish community. Israel has a constructive role to play in stopping the hemorrhaging, if it has the courage to do so. Lord knows it has dug quite a hole for itself.
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