A GA SESSION

Kathy, Kathy, Kathy...I have my hand raised. I have a question. She won't call on me...but I will ask it anyway: "Back in December, almost one year ago now, you, Michael and Jerry presented 'the JFNA 2009-2010 goals.' I am certain you remember them. Wouldn't this GA be the perfect place to discuss those goals in light of our achievements since then?"


OK, it's a good question, I think, but I'm not there. So to be helpful, I will condense a 25 slide Power Point (still available at http://www.jewishfederations.org/getfile.asp?id=37723 if you wish to "read along.") So, follow the bouncing ball:


Position the Jewish Federations of North America as the premier and preeminent non-profit organization in the world. Now this wasn't about your federation or mine, chevre, this was all about JFNA. And JFNA was going to do this through the famous "five areas of focus" (you remember, the ones Jerry spoke about to your federation if he visited) -- "Power of the Collective," "Positioning for the Future," "Financial Resource Development," "Israel and Overseas" and "Talent."

So, as to the Power of the Collective -- "reenergize, excite and engage the Jewish community around collective action...to address critical needs of the Jewish people. Develop a system and culture based more on collaboration than compliance." Well, there have been no collective actions, collaboration or compliance. In fact within three weeks of the meeting where this was presented, the JFNA "cash collection systems" more or less disintegrated from a lack of any lay-professional national cash collaboration.

Then there was to be a collective Sample initiative -- "the Passport to Jewish Life." This was to be a "...system-wide outreach and engagement effort to enable Jewish... families to pursue their Jewish journeys through financial incentives and concierge-stewardship services." Maybe I missed it...but I don't think it quite happened.

Or an initiative to "Survey survivor population to discover individual needs and Shoah Survivor Services campaign including pairing up individual survivors with Next Gen..." I missed that one too...but, where did the idea even come from?

To me all this proved was that this leadership wholly failed to understand "the Collective" whatsoever -- the values and principles of the Collective -- nowhere to be found. But...that's OK, they accomplished nothing within this Area of Focus that I could discern. So much for accountability on that score...let's move on...

Then, in the area of Engagement there would be "[S]trategic coordination of opportunities for the consumer and for federation to support Jewish literacy and create a sense of belonging..." Missed it.

OK -- so...nothing. Let's move on to Positioning for the Future.

The Power Point started with "Execute clear messaging platforms" with the goal of "Strong PR and articulation of our Mission, areas of focus and impact," Based on the the samples of Collective Initiatives above, I guess we aren't quite there.

Then there was this beaut -- "Refine branding and marketing of the Annual Campaign and the development product portfolio" with the goal of positioning the "...Annual Campaign to meet needs of broader community and target segments." I know that one must have just blown by me. I recall a few weeks ago we eliminated from our nomenclature FRD and campaign because we are now all about "Philanthropic Resources" but what about the 2009-2010 strategy and goals? Noble intent, sure.

Now, here's one we hit "out of the park" -- "Launch a series of social networking initiatives." Sure Heroes and #ish, right? Well, not so much. The goal for this one was to "[P]osition the Jewish Federations as inclusive, broad based 'tent' that helps nurture community engagement and connection." Best I can tell, no one at JFNA has been able to explain why the investment..the continuing investment...in these social networking initiatives has provided no evident "community engagement and connection." Why is that, Kathy? Could you explain?

I could go on but you get the message. There were noble ambitions for 2009-2010. (And, as an aside, the only "Challenge/Opportunity" for Israel and Overseas was to "[F]ocus on resolving Jewish Agency/JDC allocation split issue" with the "Goal" -- a"[N]ew allocation mechanism(s) for collective funds in place" by year-end. OMG!!) You got your $30.3 million worth? Or something close?

So here we are. Gathered in New Orleans. Guess we won't be talking about the failure to achieve a single "sample goal" in the Five Areas of Focus, will we? We'll pretend they never existed...and we'll just move on...and on...and on.

If you would like a further refresher course, same results, the old cast, see my Post -- Priorities -- March 31, 2010. There we reviewed the last attempt (that was only five, count 'em, five...months before those Priorities of JFNA were abandoned for these priorities of JFNA. ) Round and round we go, where we stop....

Kathy, Kathy, Kathy...I have another question!!


Rwexler

CATCHING UP...SOME MORE

Of course, though it appears much is happening that turns out to be not so much...

~ HEROES? The "finalists" of Heroes 2 have been identified and they all appear to be "heroes" totally disconnected from our federations or our federation agencies...again!! As others have pointed out far better than I, no federation leaders, no women. You judge -- although you're not one of the judges, are you?

~ THE MASORTI LETTER. JFNA's fiction department went into overdrive just before Shabbat on October 29. Reacting to a letter from the Masorti Movement to its constituents questioning why the GA lacked programming on religious pluralism in Israel, with a focus on the Conversion legislation, the Board Chair wrote JFNA's constituency emphasizing a single scheduled GA panel (in other words, religious pluralism in Israel rises to the same level of JFNA attention as Heroes or #ish or a comedian) on the legislation and emphasizing JFNA's "successful effort" in keeping that legislation "...from being brought to the Knesset..." Another "victory" misstatement. Look, JFNA deserves credit for Jerry Silverman's work with JAFI in opposition to the legislation, as the Masorti Movement pointed out, JFNA "played an important and constructive role," but (1) does the Board Chair have a clue what has been going on in Israel -- the attempts to nullify even Orthodox conversions of those in the IDF and the continuing efforts to deligitimize the Conservative and Reform Rabbinate; and (2) that the Rotem Bill was in fact "brought to the Knesset?" Hello!!! Are "victories" for JFNA so few, that even positive episodes need to be over-stated? Rhetorical question.

~ TERRORISTS. Instead of the reflexive hyperbole in which JFNA seems to be trapped by its desire to claim as its own the temporary "triumph" of a six month "postponement" in the Conversion legislation, while JFNA was busy extolling its own "virtues," and patting itself on its own back, American Jewry and, specifically, my Federation were dealing with the terrorists' bombing threats to Chicago Jewish institutions delivered from Yemeni terrorists apparently directly tied to Al Queda. All Synagogues and Jewish institutions in Chicago were alerted through our national system's and our federation's rapid response security mechanism ("SCAN") -- one that Chicago's Facilities Corporation leadership helped then UJC under Steve Hoffman's leadership to structure -- a national security alert system for JFNA. In this instance that continental "early warning system" was in play. And, like the "successful" discovery of the terrorists' attempt to strike Jewish institutions in, at the least, Chicago, this was a true continental success. But, JFNA was preoccupied with the Masorti message. Veiyezmir.

~ TRIBEFEST. Apparently some will just print whatever JFNA tells them. For example, in The Fundermentalist's report on the GA, he took time to reflect on Tribefest. Someone at JFNA obviously informed him that there are already 1,600 registrants for the Fest -- unfortunately, the Tribefest link on JFNA's website reports that registration won't begin until sometime this month. But, a visit to that Tribefest link is worthwhile if for no other reason than to see visually how JFNA will attract young men and women to a federation-sponsored "event." Sad, sordid and insulting. It's not about substance or content. The hook seems to be hot tubs, bathing suits and booze. I'm so proud. My grandsons in high school have more content in their BBYO activities.

Rwexler

"THE BLOGGERS' ALLEY"

> A JTA story on the GA was sent to me today.

>"Bloggers’ Alley
>
> By Jacob Berkman · November 1, 2010
>
> Because you asked…
>
> In this past week’s newsletter, I mentioned that the JFNA would have
> what they are calling “Bloggers Alley” at next week’s General Assembly
> (Nov. 7-9, New Orleans.). A number of folks have emailed asking
> exactly what that is, and sadly I could not answer.
>
> Ask and you shall receive.
>
> It seems that the JFNA has enlisted a number of bloggers-in-residence
> and has set aside a separate press room at the GA for them to work and
> for other bloggers at the GA to visit and utilize.
>
> Or in the JFNA’s own words:
>
> Bloggers' Avenue is one of the new elements being introduced at The
> Jewish Federations of North America's 2010 General Assembly. Organized
> by Rabbi Yonah Bookstein and the folks at Jewlicious, one of the
> leading Jewish blogs, this will be a dedicated blogger zone within the
> GA's main exhibit hall, with plenty of laptop tables, power outlets
> and energy drinks. The space will allow the bloggers-in-residence to
> interact with each other and other bloggers who drop by, and write
> posts both about the GA and about the kinds of cross-pollination that
> takes place when leaders of Jewish groups large and small gather to exchange ideas. The
> bloggers-in-residence will give informal talks about blogging and
> blogging techniques to attendees. The list of bloggers-in-residence
> includes David Abitbol (www.Jewlicious.com); Tanya Gutsol
> (www.jewlicious.ru and www.jewmd.org); David Kelsey
> (www.thekvetcher.net); Esther Kustanowitz (www.myurbankvetch.com);
> Benji Lovitt (www.whatwarzone.com) and Margot Stern (www.leadel.net).
> We've invited JTA's own Fundermentalist to drop by and share his
> wisdom as well. Stop by Bloggers Avenue at any time during the GA,
> then come to the NOLAISM (New Orleans Innovation and Social Media) Schmooze-up Monday night."

Quite clearly this Blogger's invitation to the Alley (or the Avenue, as it is variously described) was lost in the mail. I won't be a GA "blogger-in-residence." I won't be attending the NOALISM Schmooze. My loss.

Rwexler

A PRE-GA BRIEFING

My federation has pled annually it seems with JFNA leaders to get a compelling GA Calendar on line as early in the year as possible. Doesn't seem possible. At least every other day I examine the GA Program in the hopes of finding some worthwhile programming that would draw 5,000 Registrants (a Co-chair's estimate made with great certainty [some months ago]) to New Orleans. So, here's what I have found:

~ In this "Jerry-era" someone from something called Big Duck is speaking on vu den? Brandraising Jewishly. Now, what might that be about? The wonders of #ish and Heroes or, maybe, changing logos and business cards? Should be just ducky.

~ Two old buds are going to observe upon "Disruptive Philanthropy" -- the insightful Jeffrey Solomon, a great thought leader, and Diana Aviv, the past Director of the CJF Washington Office. Jeffrey has written and spoken constantly about FRD in a 3.0 (or maybe it's a 2.0) world; Diana, to my knowledge, is brilliant in her role as CEO of Independent Sector (where Jeffrey may also be involved) but FRD as I know/knew it to be...not so much. This will be all about "crowd-sourcing innovations" and other such jargon (nothing yet, however, beats "bradraising").

~ There will be programs -- on the same day -- that evidence a certain confusion: Leading the Jewish Community Response to Poverty and the Recession one morning and, that very afternoon, The Post-Recessionary Federation. My suggestion: hold these sessions in the same room, at the exact same time.

~ On September 16, in one of its frequent hyperbolic announcements, JFNA broadcast that the redoubtable Israeli Ambassador to the U.S., Michael Oren, will speak at the GA. And that's fine in and of itself, and now the Prime Minister and the leader of the Opposition will also be on hand. And, more.

~ There are some excellent programs, including those led by Jack Wertheimer, Chicago's Midge Perlman Shafton (on the response to Iran), large segments of time dedicated to the social justice agenda and greening our system, and the Vice-President is currently scheduled to join the GA. But, OMG, you have to search and search again to distinguish the wheat from the chaff. And, more often than not...you can't. The GA is an imperfect paradigm for JFNA itself -- all over the place, unfocused and without energy, passion or fun (though I hear there will be a comedian, most of the comedy will be on ready display). And the ILOJE will have Judy Gold. None of this is to suggest that there are not presentations and panels of importance even criticality to the federations and the federation movement. There are.

~ Then there is this classic. The JFNA Endowment Department is holding its annual Endowment Leadership Institute during the GA. This has been an important event from time-to-time. The cost is $75 per participant...plus, the payment of full GA Registration of, I guess, still $695 per person, plus air, plus housing. For most endowment departments, for most endowment professionals, the costs are outrageous. They want to attend, but they cannot afford it. True for most lay leaders as well.

____________________________________________________________________

What would I suggest for programming, were I given a chance? Perhaps that someone read to the JFNA leadership Dan Brown's brilliant piece in his eJewish Philanthropy Blog: Rebuilding Our Global Jewish Family. In this brief challenging paper (on August 30), Brown wrote of the need for "new vision," the fact of our Peoplehood and the compelling need to remain "one." He pointed to JAFI's Director General, Alan Hoffmann's challenge: the "..issue of the future of the Jewish People as a people is the biggest issue we are facing." But while Dan found "...a renewed sense of desire, and strength to rebuild our Global Jewish family," I read nothing on the GA Program that reflects this vision, these desires and strengths. There is no examination of "...the future of community" about which the insightful marketing and communications consultant, Gail Hyman, wrote recently in a column again in eJewish philanthropy. No, we will gather in New Orleans and talk on the margins.

I would love (a) to learn from Jack Wertheimer on The High Cost of Jewish Living (instead of the amorphous "Vision" thing); (b) to listen to a panel of Jewish college students (from, e.g., Berkeley, Brooklyn College) moderated by Jehuda Reinharz on "defending Israel on Campus;" (c) partners from a number of American law firms on their learning experience in Israel advocacy sponsored last month by the Israeli Foreign Ministry; (d) from Ambassador Oren on "defending Israel in difficult times;" (e) a Panel on "Jewish Community Centers and the Federations: Changing the Paradigm Before It's Too Late;" (f) a reception honoring Ambassador Gabi Shalev on her service as Israel's UN Ambassador; (g) Doniel Hartman, as scholar-in-residence for the three days of the GA reminding and charging us with our responsibilities; (h) sessions on the federations' moral responsibility to fund needs in Israel and overseas during times of shortage, on the crisis in Jewish day schools and innovative funding of Jewish pre-schools; (i) awards to the Jim Joseph Foundation, the Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies and the Harold Grinspoon Foundation for their brilliant grant-making in Jewish education, new leadership and the PJ Library, respectively; (j) Bret Stephens on the growing attempts to deligitimize Israel; and (k) maybe, a panel discussion among North American and Israeli thought leaders (e.g., Irwin Cotler, Stephen Cohen, Danny Gordis) on "North American Jewry Speaking out on the flotilla and 'Who is a Jew' -- shanda or moral obligation?" Surely, you have even more thoughts after looking over the desultory Pre-Assembly Program on http://www.jewishfederations.org/

Friends, I remember the excitement of General Assemblies past. The Chicago contingent would meet before the GA to assure that we spread out to cover as many Panels and Break-Outs as possible because the GA was so content-rich. Today, we do have a golf outing and a mitzvah day, that's true.

I remember the incredible excitement of the 1987 GA where much of the entire program was discarded to channel the excitement of the federation system around the March on Washington that was organized there to become the great Rally on the Mall that brought 750,000 of us there...so many of you. I remember when "young Turks," including many young leaders from Chicago, used the General Assembly to demand their seat at the table, I remember the inspiration of Yitz Greenberg and Arnie Eisen, the appearances of Vice-Presidents George H. W. Bush in Chicago and later Al Gore, in Chicago. I remember the Boston GA Memorial Service in memory of Yitzchak Rabin, z'l, assassinated only weeks before, and, of course, I remember the Los Angeles GA, just a few years ago, where the federations had to coopt the agenda from JFNA to refocus it on federation issues and our system's relationship to Israel.

And, in a few days...you will get to see some old friends, make some new ones and, in general, wonder why you spent all of this money and time.

It's all so sad.

Rwexler

JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE SAFE...

When I wrote the Post, quoting my philosopher, Charles Barkley, STUPIDER...AND MORE STUPID, on October 20, little did I think that I thought I would have to add another "STUPID" to the litany. For I should have known that the powers that be -- the so-called leadership of JFNA -- would surface their own response to the Post (actually it's to "circumstances") -- a proposed Amendment to the JFNA Standing Dues Resolution dating back to 2002, to be voted on by the Federation Members Corporation at the General Assembly. The draft Resolution (claimed to have been vetted by JFNA's Governance, Financial Relations and Executive Committees) came out of the blue -- unmarked to show the changes from the prior Dues resolutions. So, let me help.

I worked with the venerated Albert Ratner and JFNA's pro, Rob Hyman (who is no longer on staff), in a Dues Committee/Financial Relations joint effort to derive a fair and standardized Fair Share Dues structure in 2002. It was quite simple: (1) a Dues formula based on the ratio of your federation's annual campaign to the aggregate of all annual campaigns in the formula year; (2) a payment schedule; (3) a failure to pay Dues would result in a termination of the defaulting federation's rights to membership (including the service of any of its leadership in any JFNA or JFNA-related roles); and (4) a Financial Relations Committee process to determine if a federation had suffered a hardship that might relieve it of the Dues obligation in the year of or year following the claimed hardship.

This process worked well at first. A great set of professionals under Sam Astrof were dedicated to the federations, JFNA and, as well, the overseas partners. A terrific group of Financial Relations Committee members joined me and Cheryl Lefland for JFNA, in visiting federations which asserted a hardship. Jerry Yanowitz, Jay Sarver, Connie Giles, Joel Alperson, and others all visited federations. At the time most of us were discharged (in JFNA-speak "rotated off"), there were no federations in Dues default.

Now, there are many in "default." Some believe they get no (or relatively little) value from the Dues they pay; many were devastated by Madoff; more were devastated by the economy (and many of those had unique circumstances0. And here is what happened -- with no authority to do so JFNA declared a "hardship moratorium." So, to be crass, for the past 6 years going on seven, JFNA's message was: "Yes, you might have a hardship but so what, so do a lot of others, and if we grant you hardship what about them. And we have to fund our budget."

Ahhh, the JFNA Budget, all $30.3 million of it, there's the rub. That Budget, each and every year, presumes full Dues payments by the federations. (I don't know, but if my business's income reduces, we reduce our budget. Same thing at home. But not JFNA.) The expressed attitude of the immediate past Board Chair do what my federation does -- take it off the overseas allocation. The attitude of the current Chair of the Executive has been for a few years that Dues come first and off the top. The best JFNA professionals have acknowledged that if my federation sends in a 1/12th payment of dues and allocation but fails to designate what percentage is to flow to JAFI/JDC, JFNA applies the entirety of the payment to its Budget -- I guess the attitude is that "we'll catch up later and JAFI/JDC can go borrow."

Granting no "hardship" relief, no matter the fact that hardships existed all over the continent, JFNA began cashing underpayments of Dues and sending back to the "offending" (or is that "defaulting") federations (a growing number) a promissory note and a payment plan for the difference between Dues paid and Dues "owed." No prior discussion -- just "sign and pay." Not really a "best practice" for a membership organization; and one being ignored by any number of federations unable or unwilling to pay.

Then as I wrote last week, word began spreading about Dues "deals" that had been cut -- with Palm Beach, Las Vegas, Orlando, etc., etc. -- across the country. Deals that were never processed at the JFNA Executive Committee. Deals of which the relevant JFNA professionals may have been unaware until after the fact. "Deals" that are characterized still sounds like "deals" to me. The communities I have heard about were all suffering hardships but, in reality, hardship status denied many other communities similarly situated.

This leadership now scrambles to codify its worst practices -- promissory notes and payment plans -- without ever discussing those plans with the federation members just as the deals cut have never been discussed with or presented to, e.g., the JFNA Executive Committee. (Want to wager that the JFNA Executive hasn't even seen a list of federations not paying full Dues...can't be trusted.) Oh, they'll have the votes -- it's weighted voting at the Federation Members corporation after all -- but will they have an organization when this is all over?

Do we have one now?

Rwexler

JUST MORE CONFUSION

Continuing the analysis begun in the last Post...For two years, in a truly transparent process, the Jewish Agency for Israel, our federations' exclusive agent in Israel, significantly revamped its governance -- a massive albeit incomplete set of changes designed in part to assure that representation on JAFI's governing board would be enthusiastic supporters of the Agency. The culmination of this governance process took place at a time that JFNA's leaders began their own exploration of placing on the Jewish Agency's Board only those loyal to...JFNA. (Readers will remember the rant -- "you're not JFNA and I am.") So, how does this play out?

When I was elected a JAFI Board member, as in all Jewish organizations in which I have been engaged, I came and continue with what JFNA's leaders seem to perceive to be heavy baggage. For I believed and believe that I represent the core values and beliefs of my federation and serve Chicago's and JAFI's best interests -- the great news is that those values and beliefs intersect. At no time have I sensed that I served JAFI in the interests of JFNA -- which, to the best of my knowledge, has neither core values nor a set of core purposes that support either my federation's or JAFI's work. To JFNA, service anywhere must be, first and foremost, to serve the interests of...JFNA...interests that are as undefined today as ever before.

So, under the current JFNA leadership's definition of whether I (or anyone else) should serve on JAFI's Board, the Blog aside, I would be disqualified. Forget that I have been nominated by my federation -- one whose JFNA Dues approach or exceed $3 million annually -- I am "not JFNA" (at least not this one). While I sense that there are very few federation leaders who serve on the JAFI Board who are not enthusiastic supporters of JAFI, the current JFNA leaders want only those who meet the "loyalty oath" of enthusiastic, even unquestioning support of JFNA.

Today, JAFI's Nominating Committee will still look to UIA/JFNA for JAFI Board nominees but not necessarily be bound by those recommendations. I have little doubt that the JFNA Board Chair would wish to control that JAFI Nominating process just as she would want to control the JAFI Leadership (Officers)Nominating process populating both Committees with those who "are JFNA" while JAFI searches for those who "are JAFI." There's no subtlety to this approach, just a wrongheadedness as in most things.

What seems clear is this -- the fiduciary duty and moral responsibility of those serving on the Jewish Agency Board is to the Jewish Agency. Those who feel and articulate some other duty need to resign or reevaluate their service. In our service we bring with us the basic historic principles and core values that inform our Jewish public service. But, we do so without regard to whether we are or are not "JFNA." For those whose service is not informed by those communal values and principles -- but only by their need for the accretion of ever greater control -- I only feel pity seasoned with a soupcon of contempt.

Rwexler

NA'ASEH V'NISHMA

There is in Torah the statement of our commitment to G-d -- Na'aseh v'nishma. Variously interpreted, the common meaning has come to be -- "we will do and we will obey." While this is a statement of responsibility of the Jewish People to our G-d, perhaps not surprisingly, it has become a commandment in Jewish organizational life translated from a commitment to G-d to an understanding that it is today a commitment of amcha to a transient leadership -- "we will do and you will obey."

To place this in perspective: JFNA through the United Israel Appeal is a "part owner" of the Jewish Agency for Israel; it has no ownership rights in the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (which clearly frustrates JFNA's acquisitive leadership no end) although the Joint has granted JFNA four seats on its Board (and I can only speculate as to who those four are). JFNA's leaders want to assure that the members of the JAFI Board of Governors from the United States are loyal not to JAFI but to JFNA -- it's the now old "they aren't JFNA" mantra in practice. They either see no conflict with their fiduciary duties to JAFI as a part owner or don't understand. Thus, JFNA's leaders who demand their brand of "loyalty" -- na'aseh v'nishma -- offer none to JAFI in return -- neither in the historic partnership sense nor in the current "ownership" model. (They would make the same demands of JDC but haven't any ownership that would allow them to do so. Tsk, tsk.)

This is your JFNA. Your leaders quite properly have expressed on our behalf their opposition to significant sections of the pending Knesset Rotem Bill but I can see them lining up in support of the "Declaration of Loyalty" legislation as proposed -- after all, they have developed an implicit loyalty oath to JFNA if you want "citizenship" there. (But, and this is a rather big "but") inasmuch as JFNA's current purposes are far from clear, if "purpose" is in their lexicon at all, that JFNA "Declaration of Loyalty" is really fealty to a transient set of chairs. If you don't make the "Declaration of Loyalty," you "aren't JFNA" of course and, therefore, in the mindset of this leadership, you may not serve in any role at JFNA or on the JAFI Board, or, if they could control it, anywhere else.

In their demands to control the UIA nominating process for JAFI Board and Committee membership, even beyond their "need" to control all. they ignore their own counsel. For, in an exhaustive legal analysis undertaken at JFNA's direction in 2009, preeminent outside counsel determined, among other things, that the service of UIA Board members on JAFI's Board was part of the implementation of UIA's responsibility (pursuant to IRS Letter Rulings on the subject) to monitor, as principal, JAFI's work as our Agent. Never mind, these leaders seem to assert, "they're not JFNA."

So, let's drill down -- just who are "not JFNA?" At the United Israel Appeal they are sitting Chairs of Large City Federations, past Chairs of Federations large and small who continue to serve on their Federations' Boards and Executive Committees, chief professional officers of federations representing every City-size, major donors and present and past Campaign Chairs from across the United States. (Canadian members of the BOG serve at the nomination of Keren Ha'Yesod. They have no pledge of fealty.) These are the leaders who JFNA claim are "not JFNA?" They are, of course, you and me.

Then, just who are those who "are JFNA?" Well, I can only surmise that they are (1) those who are part of the ever tighter, ever tinier, infinitesimal clique of JFNA's version of "leadership;" (2) those whom JFNA's leaders believe they can absolutely control; and (3) anyone that the Chairs and CEO point to with their magic wands and anoint as "JFNA." . And, as to JAFI, that's it -- the rest of us (and, I guess, our federations inasmuch as we have not been placed on the Jewish Agency Board and Committees without the recommendation of our federation) are traif. Now, JFNA's Chair wants JFNA seats on the JDC Board. As Ms. Manning would sarcastically say: "Like that's going to happen."

Na'aseh v'nishma, chevre.

Rwexler

YERUSHALAYIM

I am in Jerusalem for the Jewish Agency Board of Governors meetings. I arrived last Thursday and spent Shabbat in this glorious home of our People. All of you know the feeling of looking out from your Hotel at the Walls of the Old City on Shabbat and the sense one has of being home.

I also arrived in time to read Ethan Bronner's story in last Thursday's New York Times -- Palestinians seek leverage in the push for statehood. Here is how Bronner's story, by-lined Ramallah, West Bank, began: "The Palestinian leadership, near despair about attaining a negotiated agreement with Israel on a two-state solution..." What nonsense -- in their "despair," this "leadership" refuses to recognize Israel as a Jewish State, and in their hand-wringing (or is it Bronner's hand-wringing for them), these same Palestinian "leaders" would not sit with Israel and negotiate until the 9th month of the Israelis' 10 month settlement freeze (Bronner might wish to read Tom Friedman's op-ed of the same date; then again, perhaps not) and, even then, halfheartedly, apparently relying on a misguided Obama Administration to pressure Israel to concessions while neither making nor offering any themselves. Welcome to Yerushalayim.

And, last Thursday the Jerusalem Post and Ha'aretz reported on the Orthodox Rabbinate's determination to hold the Orthodox conversion of 1000's of members of the IDF hostage to the passage of the Conversion Bill. I think I have come to a full understanding of what perfidy and fundamentalist ignorance really have come to mean. And our North American organization -- silent. Welcome to Yerushalayim.

And coming here always means renewal -- of the spirit and of friendships. Meeting with past and present professional partners. with old and dear friends whom one hasn't seen for months. We compare our various maladies (something very Jewish). Helping to negotiate some serious issues on behalf of the Jewish Agency in a spirit of good will and mutual respect, in many ways renew one's and faith in the future, shadowed as always, by serious flaws in Israel-Diaspora relations that can only be remedied by new lay leadership in North America. For JAFI it is time for new plans, a renewed dedication to Jewish Peoplehood; a difficult and challenging road ahead to be travelled it appears with diminished resources. Our voices will not be silent as we carry the message of need home in a few days. Welcome to Yerushalayim.

I walk to the kotel, the Western Wall, and pray for the health of our older son, who will be in surgery tomorrow, and for the health of dear friends who could not join us this time as they fight to recover their health. Touching the Wall and all that the kotel embodies and symbolizes calms me and fills me with the sense that all will be well. God hear my prayers. Welcome to Yerushalayim.

Rwexler

YIKES!!!!

The JTA, last month, led off its Daily Briefing with "As recession drags on, middle class families forced to Jewish food banks." But...never mind:

Shortly before he left the New York UJA-Federation for the greener pastures of JFNA senior professional leadership, Paul Kane added a Blog Post for JTA titled "The Gift of a Crisis." I think that Paul's thesis was this: "...the economic downturn...the economic shockwave...is truly a gift to federations..." because "...it (will) change the way we ask members of our communities to partner with us."

So, let me get this straight -- the recession that has so damaged every one of our communities, that continues to impact on the daily lives of hundreds of thousands of Jews across the Continent, across the Jewish world, is really, if you look at it with this kind of cock-eyed optimism, "a gift." We will now be driven to nurture those who have so much less. Wow -- guess that Palm Beach and Boston and Minneapolis were twice-blessed: they had Madoff and the recession!! What nurturing must be going on in those communities!!

Of course, it helps to be in NYC. Where else could a federation hire "...eighteen PROs (those are "Principal Relationship Officers," got it?) working with 250 major donors" in the midst of the recession.

Now, we are in the third year, at least, of an economic catastrophe -- I guess we could call it "the gift that keeps on giving." Just think what "gifts" a Depression might bring.

As I wrote above -- Yikes!!!!

Rwexler

HISTORIC JEWISH SERVICE DAYS

Three weeks before the General Assembly, JFNA trumpeted a "unique" set of moments at this year's GA (no, not the Golf Outing) -- "HISTORIC JEWISH SERVICE DAYS SET FOR 2010 GENERAL ASSEMBLY." Something called Repair the World, "a new national platform organization," will lead the way. I thought to myself on reading the Leadership Briefing: how little our leaders know about our work, the history of our commitments, the help we give. I let it go. Then I received a letter from a federation leader, a passionate thought leader, a concerned Jewish citizen. I decided to completely reprint it here:

"I find this patronizing and obnoxious on so many levels

1) If Historic is defined as "having importance in or influence on history"
- this is far from historic. Its exaggeration as a part of Jewish History on any level either makes a mockery of our rich Jewish history or it displays the utter ignorance of Jewish History by the writer. A great observer of modern communications once said "The greatest export on the internet - greater, even, than information - is hyperbole"

There is a limit to hyperbole - JFNA has yet to find theirs.

2) I think that Service days are wonderful and I am fully supportive of them, BUT, the people who attend GAs - at least the lay people, are the Leading VOLUNTEERS in Jewish Life.; They all donate hundreds and hundreds of work hours every year, the last thing they need is JFNA trying to encourage them to give community service. This is Chutzpa to the nth degree. "

Friends, in my community and I would wager, yours, hundreds and thousands of Jews young and old, join together in Mitzvah programs -- in Chicago we call our terrific work the Tov Project, in your community it is named something else -- we didn't need "a new national platform organization" -- and we don't. What we need is national federation organization of purpose and passion. As they say in New Orleans -- Who Dat?

Rwexler