You may recall that when Jerry-being-Jerry was still unaware of what JFNA would be, his predecessor, demanding absolute fealty, began constructively terminating the entire Financial Resource Development professional staff. One after another, superb professionals were forced out -- each of whom landed on her/his feet, thank G-d, and each has proved their professional brilliance in other venues. To demonstrate how totally removed JFNA distanced itself from its core responsibilities to "raise more dollars/more donors," that CEO, before his contract was not renewed, placed FRD in the hands of the professional leader of what was then "UJC Consulting."
And...then came Silverman.
Jerry Silverman continued the emasculation of continental fund raising, rebranding it as "Philanthropic Resources," assuring that the organization was only in charge of cheer leading, and leaving the professional void to fester and grow. Then, as if there had been some message from on high, JFNA announced the hiring of, first, Matt Freedman, an experienced campaigner from the Baltimore federation, and Dr. Rueben Romirowsky, from the New York UJA-Federation. Yet, these two pros had to make it up as they went along -- there was no leadership to offer them guidance or support their efforts. Last year, Freedman left and, now...
...on two weeks notice, after professionally leading the JFNA 2015 Campaign Chairs/Campaign Directors Mission, Dr. Rueben Romirowsky, Senior Vice-President, Philanthropic Resources, appeared to have been summarily terminated, told to vacate his office two weeks later. Now, I don't know if Rueben was doing a great or competent or terrible job -- I do know that he never had a chance with a CEO who viewed FRD as an after-thought in a system that desperately needs a vital continental FRD effort. And, then, two weeks to vacate his office? How about two weeks for "Jerry-being-Jerry" vacating his?
Silverman, in announcing Romirowsky's departure,* endorsed the engagement of Vicki Agron, once the Continental system's professional leader of Financial Resource Development, to ostensibly lead a consulting effort to try to make sense out of the moribund JFNA FRD effort:
"A consultant to or having advised scores of local, national and international Jewish non-profits, Vicki comes well prepared for this consulting assignment. We look forward to her help in building a top notch team and aligning JFNA’s fundraising support services to meet Federation needs that will serve us well into the future. She will begin on August 3."**I wish Vicki every success just as I predicted on these pages the disaster her departure from JFNA in 2008 meant for FRD in the organization. But will she be able to "...help in building a top notch team and aligning JFNA's fundraising support services to meet federation needs" when those she may try to attract realize that they will be reporting, ultimately, to Jerry "We-Don't-Raise-No-Money-and-Never-Will" Silverman?
Upon discovering this latest example of dysfunction at 25 Broadway, one clever Blog Commentator wrote:
"FedWorld July 28 2015 NewsFlash
"JFNA's roadmap to fundraising has been paved. Agron is Back! Yes, Vicki Agron is back on the team and disco is en vogue. Agron will be flanked by Max Kleinman, retired CEO of MetroWest and Bob Aronson, the same from Detroit. What a team!! Jerry, you got vision! It's been heard that Jeronamoe is in the process of bringing back Elton Kerness and David Agronin. Stanley Horowitz was unavailable. What's old is new. Now that's a Fedovation! Hashem help us."These names brought back many memories. Then...I thought, how cynical it is that Silverman, knowing that now that there is no one populating FRD at JFNA, reaches out to Vicki Agron so that he can claim that he has "a plan;" when, of course, he, as always, has none. Absolutely none. And, you, Michael Siegal, do you have even a clue at how you continue to be played? Do you read what's on the Memos/Briefings you sign?
When JFNA reached out to Fort Worth's Harold Gernsbacher, a truly good man, as National Campaign Chair, I don't know what Harold was promised, but, whatever it was, here's what he's got -- a totally defenestrated FRD/Philanthropic Resources Department with, allegedly, a huge budget...and no staff. The JFNA 2015-2016 Budget allocated $17,718,000 to "FRD Impact Program Expenses." With no staff. "Inspiring Major Gifts" alone would double under that Budget to $7,000,000. With no staff.*** A joke. It appeared to this writer that all JFNA did was take a Financial Resource Development "Business Plan" drafted by a National Campaign Chair with no evident engagement in National Campaign planning or execution (he was not even on the JFNA Campaign Cabinet) and incorporated it into the JFNA Budget as if it were real...that may have made the National Campaign Chair feel great; but it...meant...nothing.
And...here is where JFNA stands: it has no senior professionals in Financial Resource Development; the Senior professional at the Network...gone; the long-serving Senior professional of Planned Giving and Endowment...gone -- there is nobody home...nobody. It is as if Rieger and Silverman (the latter with the connivance of Paul Kane -- finally we know what Kane was doing there) decided to destroy the Continental FRD effort -- one, Rieger, with intent; the other, Silverman, through willful negligence. Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall....Never have so few done so so much damage to so many.
Based on the evidence that the worse Jerry Silverman does, the more he deserves, let's give "Jerry-being-Jerry" another contract extension.
Rwexler
* For reasons unclear, both Silverman and Michael Siegal sent out the identical letter over their respective signatures to apparently different constituencies.
** It is unbelievable but Silverman/Siegal announced that Vicki Agron will begin her consulting role on August 3 -- Reuben Romirowsky vacates his office on August 2. I guess to the master mismanager this is "continuity."
*** There is one senior campaign staffer remaining at 25 Broadway -- Beverly Woznica, who leads the "Recognition Societies" effort, a superb professional,
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37 comments:
why bother? Richard Sandler, in answer to the recent eJP survey said very little of great substance but did say obliquely that Federation's once dominant role in fundraising is now over an more specifically organizations should be run by the pro's and lay people should have the good business sense to stay out of the way of the CEO. This is of course a perfect formula for Jerry and his survival tactic moving forward.
No discussion of the overseas agenda CHECK
marginalize lay people CHECK
convene and cordinate but seldom fundraise CHECK
I think we also need to admit that for a key segment of our retreating laity Federations and the very concept of an engaged community are just so 20th century. Or as other respondent(s) more or less say in the same survey, the very rich don't really personally need a great deal from Federations and can find better playgrounds to play in. Thank god for noblesse oblige says one, give them extra TLC says the other. Empathy is obviously overrated among our 1%.
for Jerry's successor, there must not be a search. There are two or three professional leaders who could put Humpty together and move the system in the right direction, but they will have to be courted. The position is complicated and needs to be someone with experience, political savvy, and speaking privileges so that the message is heard. The system cannot afford to blow the next one.
What next one? There is no indication that JS is going anywhere for the next 4-5 years. By then there may be no need for a successor. JS may simply be able to shut the lights and say goo-bye.
No, Silverman should stay at JFNA for life -- he is doing such a great job. Seriously, with almost 6 years of one failure after another, if he were to go, on that failed record, doubtful he could get a job as a Dockers salesman
So hasn't the time come to ACT?
If JFNA is such a mess and cannot or will not be fixed, maybe the time has come to create a new NEWCO and get it to work right this time!
The existential need to get back on track and restore some kind of unified support and fundraising system for our overseas partners - to make them partners again instead of just calling them partners and not meaning it - is too important for us not to ACT!
Time is running out so lets stop crying and get to work!
Where are the JDC, JAFI, UIA lay leadership? Isn't it time for a UJA comeback?!
How about something - anything - other than this dreadful mutant monster that has emerged?
The professionals are supposed to be working for us - not the other way around - so if the Federation Execs don't want to be a part of it we should bypass them and their Federations. They may "own" their Federations (because weak lay leadership lets them) but they don't "own" the Jewish People and Jewish Collective Responsibility!
This mess will only get worse on many fronts. The President made the accurate statement that those who are opposing the Iran treaty are among the same folks who dragged us into Iraq. The President's remarks were aimed at the Republicans. Daroff tweeted that this was a "canard" (against Jews?) ignoring the fact that Bibi, as a private citizen, testified in support of intervention. The Jewish politics of Iran has always been about the politics of Bibi. What is required is that JFNA step back and let others fight this out before the Jewish Federation movement is irreparably torn apart.
Our federations are being dragged into a partisan fight by JNF/AIPAC supporters who care very little for community. Their motives may be pure, for ahavat yisrael, but their agenda is republican and shameless.
You say their motives are pure. I see the AIPAC leadership gearing up for a fight and I don't see the ahava. I see hatred of those who question them, vicious attacks on those who dare to question their judgment, and accusations of bringing on another Shoah.
Richard, You need to speak out. The Anonymous Comments continue to shift the focus back to attacks on those with whom one or another or many disagree in the context of Iran. These attacks are tearing us apart. It's gotten too ugly and the consequences will be terrible for the Jews of America.
Are they shifting the focus or rightly focusing on what is most important? If the federations don't stand up for their values it won't matter who's doing what in JFNA.
Iran is not the issue for JFNA. It is an issue but differing opinions on Iran are perfectly normal and to be expected. The JFNA issue is totally different and revolves around Jewish solidarity and mutual responsibility. Both are important but this blog is not about Iran.
The only ones who seem to be standing up against AIPAC pressure are San Francisco and the area. Did Chicago even come out with a statement?
1. I know of no "Aipac pressure;" and
2. The Chicago Federation and JCRC are engaged in an extensive community consultation process
Richard, that's delightful.
"An extensive community consultation process" is diplospeak for "trying to stand up to pressure."
Richard:
The absence of evidence doesn't mean the evidence of absence. Remember who said that, kids? Donald Rumsfeld. That's right. Echoes of the past, anyone?
There's a lot of Aipac pressure. Just ask some of the federations that caved in to it.
What do you think is happening in NY and Chicago, Richard?
Give it a rest, OK?
For an extensive community consultation process, you'd think Chicago would have more than one small article written by a summer intern on their website.
Yes. It's like they don't know or care what's going on.
Do you actually know what's going on in Chicago, Richard?
Friends, this is bigger than Chicago. Our federations face a huge challenge.
Announcement from Chicago JCRC -- 8:30 a.m. today:
"As you already know, in order to determine whether a broad consensus exists and can be articulated on the Iran issue, we are hosting a JCRC meeting on August 6th at 11:45 am. Please note this meeting is for officially designated reps of JCRC member organizations and select invited guests only."
Richard, why do you put up with obnoxious know-nothings like this person who seems to want only to insult you and insult the intelligence of those of us who care about our system?
I'm not the poster above who attacked Richard. But it's a fair distinction to see the JCRC post as a private meeting and not as a community-wide discussion.
No good deed goes unpunished.. . We have always been our own worst enemies. JStreet, NJDC, today's Court Jews, too many 'anonymous' so-called pro-Israel Jews. So depressing
"Please note this meeting is for officially designated reps of JCRC member organizations and select invited guests only."
Wow. Who says we're not inclusive?
Too many haters. Especially today.
Calling people "Court Jews" and enemies is pretty much the worst thing posted on the blog today.
Richard, you need to speak out. JNF and AIPAC supporters on your blog are dragging our federation movement to a dark and ugly place.
Surely our own worst enemies were those who attacked other Jews, called them traitors and rejected their cries for an inclusive dialogue? Shouldn't we celebrate differences of opinion, rather than call on them to be quiet in the name of a deeply-flawed policy to rope us into the Republican Party?
Richard, do you think that there's no AIPAC pressure on the federations right now, on the Iran issue?
Dialogue yes, inclusion yes, UNLESS, their actions strengthen those trying to destroy Israel. JSTREET and NJDC fall into that catagory. If we haven't learned the pre- Holocaust lessons we are doomed. Nothing to do with either political party. Has to do with believing that we know what is better for Israel more than 78% of Jewish Israelis and the Opposition and leading Israeli Liberals all of whom think this deal will be disastrous for Israel. Absurd!
Yes. And you get to decide whose actions? JStreet and NJDC aren't destroying Israel. That's ridiculous. Shame on you. You're filled with hate for Jews you disagree with.
Haven't we had enough attacks on other Jewish organizations for one week?
"Nothing to do with either political party." So why exclude NJDC?
Richard,
I'm a strong supporter of your blog. You don't need to print this. I'm just saddened that you give Mr. Jeser's divisive and ugly comments such a prominence.
Yes, I think it's long past time for me to draw this "discussion" (if it can even be described as such) to a close. Even I have almost forgotten, as so many of you have, the subject matter of this Post.
I will reject any further Comments that are off the Post's subject.
Shabbat shalom and good night.
Anon 824. What about fighting for Israel's survival against people who think they know what is more right for Israel than the significant majority of Israelis do you find divisive and ugly?
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