How does a public charity pay its EVP/CEO $919,088? To a person who never had worked in Jewish Communal Service before...had no track record in Jewish FRD? And, why is Jack Habib, a venerated JDC professional leader paid $853,288 to lead JDC-Brookdale? (I would wagher we will hear that Habib's compensation reflected retirement benefits and stuff.) These are terrible examples of compensation overreach...egregious!! Is anyone paying attention? Someone write us and justify this kind of compensation.
Anyone?
Even if that now former CEO raised the tens of millions he claimed over his limited service, the JDC Board has some explaining to do. A lot of it. JDC's new tagline -- JDC is the Global Jewish 9-1-1 -- has been given new meaning. Someone needs to dial 911.
2. The Jewish Agency for Israel is convening its Quarterly (soon to be "thirdly") Board Meeting June 23-June 25. Rest assured there will be the perfunctory Committee Meetings and a "Global Strategic Consultation" but these are just the cosmetics for the true purpose for bringing hundreds to Jerusalem -- celebrations of service:
- An Opening Board Plenary honoring retiring Keren Ha'Yesod Board Chair, David Koschitzky, and Dr. Nachman Shai, the outgoing Chair of the Knesset Caucus on the Jewish People;
- A Dinner honoring the "Steves" -- retiring/retired Federation CEOs Nasatir and Hoffman; and
- A Closing Board Plenary honoring retiring UIA Chair, Andy Groveman, and Jerry Silverman
Ahhhh, JAFI...Na'Aseh v'Nishma.
3. The inexplicable.
A. Unfortunately, the JFNA Board Meeting convened to ratify the Search Committee's decision to hire Eric Fingerhut was nothing more than Kabuki Theatre. So instead of a Board Meeting open to all, JFNA did something called "polling the Board" and announced the unanimous decision that would have occurred in any event.
The JFNA Board Chair announced to the "JFNA Trustees and Guests" ("Guests" is an undefined term BTW) that Eric Fingerhut was unanimously elected the new CEO in a Board Conference Call on May 16. As a Past UJA Chair, I serve ex officio on the JFNA Board. Until now I have received every notice of a Board Meeting...yes, until now. Who else was among the uninvited?
B. I attended a dinner event last week. One speaker identified himself...himself...as follows: "when I first met him, in the first weeks after I became the President and CEO..."
Really, who talks about himself like that?
Asking for a friend.
4. As we predicted on these pages, JFNA determined that the new "slate" of UIA Directors would contain some excellent leaders but, more, a larger group of leaders who have had no experience with, interest in or advocacy for the Jewish Agency. (The UIA is organically the principal to the JAFI's agency.) Yes, JFNA will "fix it" by destroying it.
And, the draft JFNA 2019-2020 Budget discloses that the "savings" that will accrue because of the deconstruction of UIA will mainly inure to th4e benefit of the Jewish Agency.
Ahhh, JFNA...Na'Aseh v'Nishma.
Rwexler
3. The inexplicable.
A. Unfortunately, the JFNA Board Meeting convened to ratify the Search Committee's decision to hire Eric Fingerhut was nothing more than Kabuki Theatre. So instead of a Board Meeting open to all, JFNA did something called "polling the Board" and announced the unanimous decision that would have occurred in any event.
The JFNA Board Chair announced to the "JFNA Trustees and Guests" ("Guests" is an undefined term BTW) that Eric Fingerhut was unanimously elected the new CEO in a Board Conference Call on May 16. As a Past UJA Chair, I serve ex officio on the JFNA Board. Until now I have received every notice of a Board Meeting...yes, until now. Who else was among the uninvited?
B. I attended a dinner event last week. One speaker identified himself...himself...as follows: "when I first met him, in the first weeks after I became the President and CEO..."
Really, who talks about himself like that?
Asking for a friend.
4. As we predicted on these pages, JFNA determined that the new "slate" of UIA Directors would contain some excellent leaders but, more, a larger group of leaders who have had no experience with, interest in or advocacy for the Jewish Agency. (The UIA is organically the principal to the JAFI's agency.) Yes, JFNA will "fix it" by destroying it.
And, the draft JFNA 2019-2020 Budget discloses that the "savings" that will accrue because of the deconstruction of UIA will mainly inure to th4e benefit of the Jewish Agency.
Ahhh, JFNA...Na'Aseh v'Nishma.
Rwexler
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5 comments:
We have come a long way over the past 20 years and this is what has come of the now completed merger.
CJF + UJA + UIA = UJC = JFNA
JFNA - UJA - UIA = CJF
That's all that's left - CJF, an umbrella and trade organization for our Jewish federations.
The rest has been discarded along the way, except for the inflated budget and staff, which remain and will continue to remain until somebody begins to pay attention and care.
Anon 5:38 obviously doesn't know what s/he is talking about. CJF was much more than 'an umbrella and trade organization'. If only today's JFNA did 10% of what CJF did it would be considered successful.
There is nothing to worry about. We were told that they are doing zero based budgeting this year. That should reduce budget (and our dues) by at least 80%.
Unless, of course, they mean zero based budgeting, JFNA style. That is something else. If that's what they mean, we will keep circling the drain.
I have now had the opportunity to review the JFNA 2019-2020 Budget. I will report my own conclusions about the Budget in an upcoming Post. Suffice it to say, the document makes clear that "zero-based budgeting" is nothing more than a throw-away line at 25 Broadway.
More to follow.
Re Jack - it is his severance pay for about 35 years of service. Jack is a great guy who has devoted his life to strengthen Jewish life and in the process created the Brookdale Center, which will continue to impact our work for decades to come.
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