HOW'S THAT #ISH GOING?

Not well as it turns out...


Another interested party visited the #ish site just a few days ago and here is what he found:

"Have you checked the website lately? If so you are among the few and far between. Launched on May 9 with a goal of 200,000 tags (votes) to generate $50,000 for some worthy charity by all those Jews starving for social networking -- what exactly are the results? http://whatsyourish.com/voting.php

To date 1935 people have submitted their ish and exactly 175 have cast their vote for their favorite...The charity so far will benefit by the whopping amount of $483.75. So in 50 days they have reached less than 1% of their goal. At this rate (38.7 per day) it should take exactly 5,167.06 days or slightly over 14 years to reach the total."

How much was the marketing cost for this initiative? How much is that per vote..? I bet its even more than the per capita cost of a typical Chicago election."

If you visit the website, you will also find that more than one "vote" has been cast for some obscure comic ("Kindler") and similar.

This is the result of a breakdown in the lay/professional partnership, of a lack of adult supervision. It is what happens when "leadership" is off on vendettas and other distractions.

What a waste...of time and money that might have been invested in something other than this. That's my ish.

Rwexler

"THEY'RE NOT JFNA"

Back just a few years I had an argument with the then UJC Board Chair over his suggestion that the UIA Board members "were not JFNA." I pointed out to him that every UIA Board member had been recommended by her or his federation CEO and that most were present or past Federation Chairs and that his "suggestion" was offensive. He dropped this specious argument -- at least for the moment.

But, maybe this "closed shop" mentality is in the genes of JFNA leaders. I found it hard to believe that at a meeting among the JFNA CEO, federation CEOs and the lay and professional leaders of JAFI's FRD Planning Task Force during the JAFI Board of Governors sessions last week, it was Jerry Silverman who after arguing that the FRD planning was fatally flawed because "JFNA wasn't represented," played the "they're not JFNA" card. When it was pointed out to Silverman that the FRD Planning Task Force was led by a past Chair of a Large City Federation he responded "he's not JFNA." This was followed by pointing out that another member of the Task Force is the current Chair of another Large City Federation -- never mind, Jerry argued "he's not JFNA." I assume Jerry would have said the same thing about the JAFI Board Chair, a past Chair of his federation -- "not JFNA" or the mega-donor Canadian leader who sat on the Task Force-- "she's not JFNA" -- or the new President and CEO of JAFI NA, the immediate past CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, -- "was JFNA...now, not." These are shameful and shameless dismissals of Federation leaders reflecting the sorry attitude of JFNA's lay and professional leaders as to those they cannot fully control.

So, this raises the obvious question -- "who is JFNA?" Based on Silverman's retorts at the JAFI meetings, JFNA is..." whomever JFNA decides 'is JFNA.'" And, inasmuch as JFNA's "trusted leadership" is the smallest of the smallest of circles, only two of whom are active at JAFI (Manning and Gelman) that number ain't too large. I guess the number would include the "JFNA insiders" who can influence budgetary expenditures -- for example, this year "only $75,000 for Sheatufim." It also means "those we can control." Those who dissent -- "they're not JFNA." Oh, Jerry, ye who claims to want "robust" discussion and "robust" debate -- what you appear to really want are those who only shake their heads in the direction you point -- ah, yes, "they're JFNA."

By this characterization alone one can fully understand why JFNA is what it is, is where it is...but, then again, I'm "not JFNA" by JFNA's leaders' definition.

Rwexler

BIRTHERS, TEA PARTIES...AND JEWS?

There is nothing wrong with criticizing the President of the United States -- be it Barack Obama, or George W. Bush, or any other. We know there are the whack jobs out there -- I just didn't think that so many of them would be Jewish...even friends of mine. One example: At the UN "Human Rights Council" (a totally inapt name) a Syrian representative uttered a blood libel against Jews and the U.S. representative failed to respond. One of my friends sent the "story" out to his mailing list with the header: "Obama silent as Syrian rep spouts 'blood libel'..." Come on!!

And one of my buddies sends around the anti-American and, curiously, frequently anti-Israeli Government, anti-Israei Defense Forces leaders, of Caroline Glick's screed. Glick is great at anticipating the horrors that will be inflicted by the Obama Administration...and then aren't. I know my friend knows that Glick lacks any credibility but she is an Obama hater, lived in Hyde Park, hated it, etc...so, it's OK.

The shame of it all is that so much of this stuff emanates from "writers" in Israel. There is no need for embellishment, yet one guy wrote Obama's Plan to Destroy Israel. The "author," Daniel Greenfield, has discovered, among other things equally astonishing, and without citation that "Obama has chosen to cut backdoor deals with the Mullahs in Iran, offering them power over Iraq and Afghanistan." This stuff is then distributed by American Jews who themselves are condemned by this Greenfield to purgatory.

Or, how about this, one of my dear friends, an Israeli with American roots, never misses a chance to attack Obama for perfidy real and imagined. Most recently -- Obama Backstabs Israel -- what Else Is New? A link to a FoxNews.com column written by a source who is always finding evil where no one else can.

Then there is the latest -- a photo of the President alighting from a plane holding a book in his hand the title of which is clearly visible -- The Post-American World. The book is identified by those sending this one around as "written by a fellow Muslim." We are admonished by the anonymous writer -- "We must expose Obama's radical ideas and his intent to bring down our beloved America." The author of this best-seller -- Newsweek's Fareed Zakaria, who, among his other speaking engagements, was featured at a Plenary at the Philadelphia GA in 2002. Worse, this piece of dreck has been circulated on a federation's letterhead.

The President deserves the straightforward criticism he has received for turning his back on agreements reached by Israel with his predecessors, for apparently accepting the counsel of the Arabist John Brennan (promoting access to the "moderates" within Hezbollah) and for apparently charting a course that would, if carried out, further isolate Israel from the family of nations and overturn 62+ years of partnership between the Jewish State and the United States. His actions have encouraged and fed the mistrust of his words. He must be called out and we must work assiduously to turn that policy around. But what so many fail to understand is that we damage our cause when we resort to the utter nonsense and hatred of no credibility cited above. Do I expect it to stop -- hardly.


Rwexler

REAPING THE WHIRLWIND

CEO and President Jerry has been making the argument that JDC and JAFI must abandon their FRD plans. On this one Jerry appears to be tone deaf -- impose national discipline on the Joint and Agency while ignoring the reality that JFNA offers them nothing...nada...squat in terms of Development or advocacy in return. No national campaign (JFNA has neither the professional or lay leadership to mount what it has over 11 years abandoned); no advocacy (JFNA hasn't the will or the person power, lay or professional to do so); no national cash collection process...just "no, no, no..."

JFNA (which, given the absolute paucity of lay leadership, means "Jerry") took on the responsibility in May 2010 to lead the federations to consensus on a meaningful, binding allocations effort. So far, what has it done...or, should I write, what hasn't it done? Jerry has spoken at least once to each City-size executive group since the May JFNA Governance meetings. If he used those conference calls to bring the allocations issue up, it was done with such subtlety as to not register. JFNA's lay leadership, after a righteous discussion at the May Governance meetings on collective responsibility have, once again, totally abandoned the effort. "Leave it to Jerry," is their byword while they piddle and diddle with narishkeit.

So, Jerry makes the argument that JDC and JAFI will destroy local campaigns through their FRD within the federated communities -- I guess that's something Jerry thought about when he led the Camp FRD effort in the same jurisdictions. In fact, we have all heard the argument -- "we reached out to those who had either capped out their annual campaign gifts or wouldn't give to federation anyway." This rationalization has been articulated since time immemorial -- and it is farcical and fails to meet the smell test. What both JAFI and JDC assert is that they will fund raise in those communities which fail to support their core budgets. How does JFNA respond -- does it go into those communities on JAFI's and JDC's behalf? Does it advocate and make the argument for collective responsibility in those communities? No, instead, Jerry is sent out to threaten JAFI and the Joint if they pursue their plans.

In an insightful piece in his eJewish philanthropy preceding the WZO and JAFI meetings (June 14, 2010), The World Zionist Organization and Jewish Agency Struggle to Find Meaning, Dan Brown sums up the quandary of so much happening and needing to happen while the federation system appears to be but a by-stander: "Where are our Diaspora leaders while all of this is taking place? When might they wake up?" This seminal question applies with equal weight to the growing sense that these organizations and ORT have -- that they are no longer "partners" except when being patronized. Brown continued: "First and foremost, is the decision to establish a global center in New York (for the Fund for the Jewish Agency), and all the ramifications involved. Coupled with the beefing up of the FRD staffs of both the Joint...and World ORT, it heralds the decreasing influence of the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), through the United Israel Appeal, as a facilitator of global allocations...What does all this competition mean to JFNA"s constituent organizations and grantees?" (emphasis added) What, indeed.

Long before this Blog started (and certainly since), I have pleaded with a succession of JFNA lay and professional leaders to act in the best interests not only of Newco, then UJC then JFNA, and meet their responsibilities assumed in the merger of education and advocacy for collective responsibility. Now, JFNA having sown the wind is about to reap the whirlwind. More's the pity.

Rwexler

THE EDP ... CONTINUED

My Post on the failure of the EDP has generated some very thoughtful Anonymous responses (you can read all of them at the EDP Post) and a raft of private e-mails to your author. Here is a sampling:

~ Questioning whether Jerry Silverman and Jay Sanderson, LA's new CEO, were truly "outsiders" (given that both had "...been in and around the Jewish world -- Jerry at the Camp "thing" ["a prominent Jewish organization"] and Jay with the JTN. one Anonymous corespondent argues: "The insider/outsider label is silly. It's sadly typical of lay leadership to latch on to what what seems to them a miracle cure (and of course a cure that leaves their stewardship unscrutinized, as if but for the exec their ship would be at full sail instead of taking on water). As if only the insider exec is what's keeping the federation from success. So the outsider is the flavor of the month. Guess what -- our issues do not lend themselves to flavor of the month solutions."

~ The first Anonymous Commentator to the Post offered real insights about the EDP: "The issue of Federation 'outsider' vs. 'insider' continues to ring true in CEO searches. My impression is that most communities are seeking people from 'outside the system' (new ideas, new views, not stuck in the same old ways, etc.) yet name three federations where those individuals have had long-term success? A 'federation lifer' should be an asset to the system, not a negative. And JFNA...should push those individuals."

He/she offered a superb idea. Recognizing that growth communities will soon join the Top 44 federations if not the Large Cities, "[W]hy shouldn't emphasis be placed on getting top talent (perhaps these EDP graduates) to lead those emerging communities?" Going further, the Commentator observed of the LCE -- "...if they are so good at what they do, leave their long-time homes and challenge themselves to build up these emerging communities. There is a real challenge for you!"


~ Another Anonymous author offered insights as an EDP graduate: "Until the Federation system establishes an agreed upon mission and focuses on what it can do best (with the support of its constituency), it will be a waste of time to try to train people for positions which are undefined and in constant flux. Communal dollars will be best spent on developing mid-level professionals and on efforts that address recruitment and retention."

This professional stated further: "I continue to serve the Jewish community professionally. With more support (not dollars) from the system, I would still be a Federation Executive and mentor to others as I am nationally."

~ One piece of private correspondence sums up the writer's feelings and those of others: "I sit in amazement, just like you, that this is the sad state of my field. Trust me, I could tell you even more from my own personal/professional viewpoint about all of this..."

Sadly, friends, there is so much more to tell...but at JFNA there appears to be no one listening. Our money is wasted by an organization without focus or understanding.

Rwexler

THE EDP

Friends, the Mandel Executive Development Program (the "EDP"), begun with trumpets blaring and drums pounding, has proved to be less than the triumph it might have been...far less...far, far less. With a major investment by the federations through JFNA and the commitment of resources by the Foundation, it could have been a great example of a major foundation working together with our federation instrumentality in pursuit of great systemic goals. Instead, since 2005, it has become an example of what can happen when great plans are implemented by bureaucrats. And, it is a shame.

We have already written about the sad results of the first "class" of the EDP -- more than half of that class have left the federation system and JFNA's two professional leaders of the EDP left JFNA long ago. As to the the second "class," sources tell me that half of that class dropped out before graduation. And, then, after none...that's zero, zed, none...of the remaining members of the two classes have become Large City Federation CEOs, the EDP was disbanded -- or, shall I say "reoriented" (more about that below).


Now, the bizarre. If you go to the Mandel Foundation website, you will find a link to the EDP on the JFNA website. (Follow me here.) There the EDP is identified as an UJC program. (Are you following this?) As I noted above, the Program itself has quietly been deep-sixed -- a former "priority program" now unfunded (but still on both the Mandel and JFNA websites). Now, read the Program's noble purposes:


"The Executive Development Program's (EDP) goal is to develop a pool of outstanding candidates who will be trained and prepared to ascend into the the chief professional officer position in the top 40 federations."

And what happened? First, politics. A number of Federations demanded representation based on Dues payments, without regard to qualifications. Then unlike Chicago which offered opportunity to three brilliant young professionals, a number of communities sent "representatives" much like a reward (although the program had inherent value for sure) even as these professionals in many instances had no greater aspiration within the federation system. And then so many just dropped out of the system altogether.

Curiouser and curiouser. The federations' national search "arm" within JFNA is managed with Mandel. Yet, to my knowledge, not a single "Mandel EDP Fellow" has yet to be placed in a CEO position within the largest 40 federations. While Mandel search pros might argue that you do what the customers demand, my response might be that you are obligated to help influence the customers' choice consistent with the purposes and objectives of the EDP. Obviously, by result, I would be wrong.

This was an extremely expensive Program begun with such promise. I remember the enthusiasm at then UJC Executive Committee when Steve Hoffman and federation CEOs proposed the EDP Partnership. To watch the EDP deteriorate into a memory has been almost inconceivable. And no one seems to care that over $1 million was invested with no apparent sense of "ownership" at JFNA of this Program after its JFNA professional leaders resigned. Today, JFNA continues to invest in/with Mandel -- $500,000 in this year's Budget (if I read that Budget correctly -- and, trust me, that's hard to do) -- but for very changed purposes:

"Mandel/Federation Consultations -- Including Mentoring, Executive Coaching, S Planning (for Strength, Success and Succession [ed, oy vey, S planning!!] and work with new CEO's. The purpose is to raise the level of performance of Federation CEOs and key staff..."

Sad.

So, what "inspired" this Post beyond sadness and lost opportunity. The "graduates" of the first two (actually the only two) Mandel EDP "classes" are having a reunion in Chicago this month -- the 27th to 29th. They invited Silverman to speak. I saw a certain irony -- these professionals, drawn to the EDP because of the "goal" recited above, to give them the tool kit they would use to "ascend" to federation CEO leadership, would hear from JFNA's new CEO who rose to our national organization's chief professional officer position from Dockers through Camps, hired for the very reason that, among other reasons, he had no prior federation experience. And, Jerry is coming. Should be a great presentation!!

We live and work in complicated times.

Rwexler

JERRY, JERRY, JERRY

Hiring Jerry Silverman was a bold and desperate stroke, a Hail Mary (excuse me!!) pass if you will. From all I have observed, and from all that I have heard from Jerry directly and indirectly, this was a great hire. There is an ingenuousness about Jerry that is beyond endearing -- coupled with a deer in the headlights quality that can only be reduced if Jerry is receiving mentoring from Federation CEOs and others who understand what Federation with a capital "F" really means. There is only so much that Jerry can learn from his commendable visits with so many federations -- and he has learned much.

For those of us reduced to tears having watched our hopes for JFNA dashed on the shoals of years of incompetency and a void in lay and professional leadership, Jerry's words sound like celestial harps. But even Jerry would admit that to date, his words have been just that and no more. Some of us urged that Jerry build on "small victories" into larger ones. But, no. Oh, sure, there have been serious distractions -- Heroes, #ish are but examples -- that have acted as the juggling clown off to the side to distract from the obvious. Now the hard work begins. And Jerry continues to be without lay partners who have the ability to communicate the federation experience so vital to his and JFNA's success.

Jerry has now projected an Annual Campaign this year...2010...or maybe by 2011, that will reach $1 billion at a time when JFNA's own numbers conclude that in 2009 our aggregate campaigns fell by $110,000,000 to closer to $800,000,000. He projects increases in donors to 1 million when we are closer to one-third of that today. Now, I am from Chicago, often citing the brilliant Daniel Burnham who said "make no little plans." I congratulate Jerry Silverman for his optimism, for dreaming the greatest of dreams. But dreams without a scintilla of reality can quickly turn to nightmares.

And why do these dreams lack reality? Because to date...and I emphasize to date...JFNA has acquired no capacity to assist Federations in increasing their Annual Campaigns -- on either the senior professional (where JFNA may have taken action --if the New York annual campaign experience is a meaningful and transferable one) or lay sides. (On the lay side, lay leaders experienced in campaign have been "laid off" --or, in JFNA parlance, "rotated.") On the donor side, there is no basis in fact today for the hoped for "projection." (Oh that there were.)

But, given the lack of progress at JFNA in its first decade from the activities of the predecessor organizations, we need great dreams -- for a great dream can offer powerful motivation. Up to now we have had the "JFNA doll" -- you wound it up and nothing happened. Silverman offers, he embodies, hope. Now he needs greater mentoring, he needs to match hope with the skill set and the leadership support necessary to implement that hope in a focused way. Stephen Covey mandated that you must "begin with the end in mind." And, that just hasn't happened.

Rwexler

MILTON BRADLEY, SEATTLE MARINER, AND JFNA

Some of you, maybe a few, will know that Milton Bradley (the baseball player not the game maker) is a well-traveled major league baseball player who played for the Chicago Cubs last year. He was such a disastrous teammate that, in every instance of his own making -- tearing up a dugout, thinking there were two outs tossing a ball into the stands, being thrown out of game after game by the umpires and more -- he would blame everyone but himself. With weeks to go in the 2009 Season Cubs management told him not to show up at the ball park; he was traded to the Seattle Mariners where this Spring he has continued his behavior and blamed the Chicago media for "running me out of town" and then sought refuge and aid in anger management. Apparently his former teammates celebrated when Bradley was told by Cubs management not to return.

What, you may ask, does this have to do with the Jewish Federations of North America? When Milton Bradley was suspended last fall, the Cubs pitcher Ryan Dempster was quoted as saying: "It probably became one of those things where -- you're putting the blame on everybody else. Sometimes you've got to look in the mirror and realize that maybe the biggest part of the problem is yourself."

Dempster's admonition applies equally not just to Milton Bradley but to all of us -- and within the "all" those who don't even believe there is a problem at Jewish Federations of North America. And the "those" I am writing about are some of our lay leaders. These are the few who govern the many in the same way that Hugo Chavez rules Venezuela except they can't lock up those who dissent, instead they lock out.

Rwexler

BLACKHAWKS

Last night, with all Chicagoans, I kvelled as the Chicago Blackhawks won Lord Stanley's Cup, the National Hockey League Championship from a never say quit Philadelphia Flyers team. We celebrate championships in my City so rarely that this was very special. For me -- filled with memories.

In March 1961, my now wife had attended my fraternity Spring Prom. As all of you who went to Michigan remember, the weather was never too good for too long. So, after a beautiful weekend, I drove Bobbi from Ann Arbor to Detroit Metro, the then "international airport" in Ypsilanti a few miles away. We set out in a Spring blizzard of growing intensity -- by the time we reached the airport it was blinding. We went in and it was the two of us...and the Blackhawks, who had won the Stanley Cup that night. We were all young; they were at the bar but gentlemen. Bobbi's flight was canceled and I took her back to Ann Arbor where she left the next day -- by train. From that night forward, the Hawks had not, until last night, won the Cup for 49 years; Bobbi and I were married in 1962 and have lived happily ever after. I became a Blackhawks fan that night.

Over the next few years, I an a client attended game after game, even as the Blackhawks traded away or discarded the men who had won the Cup just years before. I lost interest -- older eyes find it hard to follow the puck you know. A few years ago I was invited to a game with my cousin, Richard Levy, z'l, a dear friend. I resisted -- the games were endless, the Hawks terrible. We went with Richard's business partners -- two brothers, the youngest of whom was an incredible fan and often outrageous. At dinner, at an Italian restaurant at Ashland and Ogden just blocks from the stadium, the younger brother excused himself after we ate, returning to the table with his own Blackhawks jersey -- with his name on the back. At the Chicago Stadium (this was before the construction of The Cell which would replace it) I was seated with the jerseyed brother, Richard and the older brother a few seats away. The game had hardly started when my seatmate started to verbally abuse a large guy for smoking. Things began to escalate -- as I shrunk away, a fist fight ensued. I grabbed Richard; "let's get out of here." And, we did. My last hockey game in person.

But this year's team rekindled interest for me, for all Chicagoans. And then there was last night. May this happen in your City and for your team...soon.

Rwexler

"OFF THE RECORD" AND "CONFIDENTIALITY"

Two things that the leaders of JFNA are particularly concerned with are the twin concepts of "off the record" and "confidentiality." Unfortunately, they don't have a clue what the terms mean. (This while they point fingers and accuse "you breached the confidentiality of _________.") So, as always, let's help them out.

"Off the record" -- "unofficially, in confidence, not for publication." Hello!! When JFNA and JCPA introduced a June 1 conference call (Jerry Silverman framed the call perfectly) on which Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon tried to explain the flotilla fiasco, the listeners/"participants" were told explicitly -- "this call is 'off the record.'" And Ambassador Ayalon reiterated the confidential nature of the call during his remarks.

So...guess what? By the end of the day, JFNA published a Leadership Briefing -- Israel's Deputy FM Ayalon Briefs Jewish Leaders on the Flotilla Incident. And, that would have been fine BUT the Briefing quoted Ambassador Ayalon at length and often. JFNA ignored its own admonition. In the interest solely of self-promotion, "off the record" became "on the record." Here is how I believe JFNA self- defines "off the record" and "confidentiality" -- "we can ignore 'off the record' any time we want -- you can't." Or, perhaps it is "only we know what can be quoted on the record even when the speaker believes the session is 'off the record.'"

Now if you or I (and it is far more likely it would be "I" than "you") were merely accused of having breached confidentiality, you or I (see above) would be immediately excommunicated by JFNA's "leaders." (Can one be excommunicated more than once?) It's do as we say, not as we do-- the "rules" apply to you, not to us. Got it?

So, my friends, consider this Post "off the record," would you please?

Rwexler