tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565163061165974643.post6830377262237703578..comments2023-07-27T04:33:11.719-05:00Comments on UJ Thee and Me: UPDATESGracklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14315763008609379449noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565163061165974643.post-19268845108721675352015-03-31T19:39:47.231-05:002015-03-31T19:39:47.231-05:00One small correction. The announced attendance at ...One small correction. The announced attendance at AIPAC's policy conference was 16,000, not 17,000. According to a very knowledgable source, this was also the actual attendance. No attendance inflation needed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565163061165974643.post-30391911736532454182015-03-31T12:50:21.831-05:002015-03-31T12:50:21.831-05:00White House logs disclosed that JFNA's William...White House logs disclosed that JFNA's William Daroff visited the White House 70 times over the Obama years. To what end? Was he shlepping Silverman alongside for some photo ops, some selfies?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565163061165974643.post-68220090475725452842015-03-31T12:24:00.962-05:002015-03-31T12:24:00.962-05:00to all of you who are so upset with Bibi's add...to all of you who are so upset with Bibi's address to Congress, here is a headline from todays Israel Times<br />"Iran militia chief: Destroying Israel is ‘nonnegotiable’.<br />Maybe its time to remember whose side the American Jewish community really needs to stand with.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565163061165974643.post-68819235959891432382015-03-29T14:23:59.562-05:002015-03-29T14:23:59.562-05:00To the last Commentator,
One thing I have learned...To the last Commentator,<br /><br />One thing I have learned over my years of involvement, no one can claim to know "the...'on the ground' sentiments of most of American Jewry" -- I don't and, certainly, one cloaked in Anonymity can't either.<br /><br />If you wish to take off that cloak, then we could have a real conversation.RWEXhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01583858140298821830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565163061165974643.post-87906518213946443272015-03-29T14:01:18.292-05:002015-03-29T14:01:18.292-05:00Mr. Wexler:
With all due respect, your stance cou...Mr. Wexler:<br /><br />With all due respect, your stance could very well be deemed out of order by many and, more to the point, any JFNA stance supporting this kind of WSJ (or for that matter, ZOA or JINSA) extremist right wing point of view would be highly partisan.<br /><br />This is unfortunately what Bibi has done--he has gone out of his way to make it increasingly difficult to reach any kind of consensus regarding Israel. For communal groups like JFNA and even for groups like AIPAC that historically have had considerable bipartisan support, this is very bad news indeed.<br /><br />Other than the predictable ZOA, I didn't see a single major American Jewish organization (other than those that remained silent) that did NOT take Bibi to task in some way over the past month.<br /><br />If you sincerely wanted JFNA to take such a stand, then you can indeed write off most young American Jews, including those that are quite actively Jewish, as well as a considerable portion of the rest of the Jewish population.<br /><br />Perhaps some large donors would feel otherwise, but surely they don't reflect the "on the ground" sentiments of most of American Jewry.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565163061165974643.post-58130540766766053922015-03-29T12:36:22.775-05:002015-03-29T12:36:22.775-05:00Friends, this is not the direction I had wanted th...Friends, this is not the direction I had wanted this discussion to take. To all: please moderate your Comments on this issue...or, reluctantly, I will have toRWEXhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01583858140298821830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565163061165974643.post-66554385332068346912015-03-29T12:32:18.602-05:002015-03-29T12:32:18.602-05:00Supporters of JStreet have the blood of Israelis o...Supporters of JStreet have the blood of Israelis on their hands. JStreet is as pro-Israel as the KKK is pro-Black. This year's JStreet conf featured a speaker who doesn't think Israel should be a Jewish State and another speaker famous for saying "F**K THE JEWS." One of JStreet's senior leaders has compared Israel to an addicted drunk! Israel has enough enemies - it is very depressing to know that so many Jews can be counted among those enemies.paul jesernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565163061165974643.post-74127064918785559742015-03-29T11:55:59.275-05:002015-03-29T11:55:59.275-05:00Dear Anon, Thanks for writing...but please see my ...Dear Anon, Thanks for writing...but please see my response to a parallel concern above. RWEXhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01583858140298821830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565163061165974643.post-81876277735972573592015-03-29T11:53:33.413-05:002015-03-29T11:53:33.413-05:00On the consultants--this has been going on for a v...On the consultants--this has been going on for a very long time. There are, I believe, at least two issues involved. One is the "good ol' boys" network as others have stated. <br /><br />The other is that UJC/JFNA will not bring them aboard because they would then have to give them employee benefits, contribute towards their social security, etc. With consultants, they have no such obligation.<br /><br />As far as extolling AIPAC and harping on our President--Richard, you are living in a vacuum. Have you not heard of the countless former Shin Bet, IDF and Mossad heads who have recently come out against Bibi, saying that what he has been doing is endangering, not enhancing, Israel's security?<br /><br />That is a critique coming from Israel, mind you. You don't see how Bibi has insulted our President and the Democratic Party over the past 6-7 years? Our President has every reason to really give it to Bibi--is this how someone who receives billions of dollars from this country treats our leader? <br /><br />The parallels between Bibi and some Republicans and their treatment of our President over the years are quite alarming.<br /><br />If you don't see the larger picture, you and AIPAC will have a very narrow Jewish base upon which to build support for not just US-Israel relations, but indeed for the American Jewish community.<br /><br />That is the plain reality--being pro-AIPAC does not define being pro-Israel, not does being pro-Bibi set the acceptable boundaries for what it means to be a Zionist.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565163061165974643.post-85331111885943353552015-03-29T11:34:57.060-05:002015-03-29T11:34:57.060-05:00My singular point is that neither Bibi nor his go...My singular point is that neither Bibi nor his government's policies are "Israel" and it is legitimate to take exception to the former. As to the "vitriol" issue I have not seen a goodly amount of respect and calm language coming from the PM over the past few months. One definition of a bully is someone who enjoys dishing it out but then cries foul when the other guy responds in kind. Thank you for your response and printing of my replies. Again, I look forward as always reading your future blogs.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565163061165974643.post-7671399562393065102015-03-29T11:11:17.358-05:002015-03-29T11:11:17.358-05:00Dear Anonymous,
Thanks for writing. You have int...Dear Anonymous, <br /><br />Thanks for writing. You have intentionally misinterpreted what I have written on the subject of your concern so as to insert your views on Bibi, J-Street and "the future of Israel." If you reread the relevant paragraph of the Post, my criticism is with our organizational silence with regard to the President's vitriol directed at Israel --as was the WSJ editorial cited. A federation call for Jewish unity in the face of this Administration's misplaced attacks on Israel would not be out of place would it?RWEXhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01583858140298821830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565163061165974643.post-35665214861271120472015-03-29T10:49:53.078-05:002015-03-29T10:49:53.078-05:00I look forward to reading your response to Bibi...I look forward to reading your response to Bibi's critics, in Washington and elsewhere, and why you believe that Federations must wade in on the issue. In preparation, you might however want to listen to Stav Shaffir's (Israel's youngest MK) speech before J street. Better yet, if you understand Hebrew, her gone viral speech in the Knesset on the true nature of the Zionist dream. And if you do, why not invite a few college students to listen with you. Then, ask who speaks for the hope and future of Israel. My bet is on Shaffir and those she speaks for and not the Libermans, Bennetts and Bibis or domestically the Adelsons, Boteachs and self-serving Republicans who stoke the flame of very real internal Jewish divides.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565163061165974643.post-70613426120140079592015-03-29T08:12:21.636-05:002015-03-29T08:12:21.636-05:00I would wager that these consultant contracts abou...I would wager that these consultant contracts about which you have complained have been awarded without any competitive bids to "friends of JFNA." How do we allow this to happen time and again?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565163061165974643.post-140040848211960102015-03-29T07:23:20.271-05:002015-03-29T07:23:20.271-05:00Instead of spending countless dollars on consultan...Instead of spending countless dollars on consultants, would an effective CEO not just hire and RETAIN the best possible talent as full time staff? Instead, there is no transparency and who gets to see the outcomes and impact of the consultants?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com