Was this an attempt at transparency, inasmuch as JFNA had never engaged its Trustees in this way on a By-Laws change before, or was there something more (or less)? Was there some Draconian action contemplated by JFNA's lay and professional leaders or was this a welcome gesture of inclusion, or both? Or is it a reflection that so little is going on at JFNA that this non-event rises to the top in importance. (Yes, we know that By-Laws changes require notice to the Trustees in advance.)"Dear Large Federation Presidents, Executives & Trustees,As you know JFNA has been conducting a comprehensive review of the organization's bylaws. The proposed amended bylaws will be brought to the Board of Trustees and Federation Members Corporation for approval at the GA on November 14.In advance of that meeting, we are holding city size conference calls with Federation Presidents, Executives & Trustees to discuss the proposals.The large federations call is scheduled for Friday, October 7th at 11am ET.The bylaws documents will be provided well in advance of the call."
Well, last time JFNA dipped into the By-Laws revisions "game," in that process led by Richard Sandler before he moved up to Board Chair, the By-Laws eliminated the Chair of the Executive, vesting all lay "power" in the Chair. (Of course we know the mantra -- what good is having the power if one is not going to use it for good?). In theory, the now eliminated Executive Committee Chair was to be a check and balance on the Board Chair and, as the intent was to have an "operational executive," a check on the CEO as well. Inasmuch as the only times I saw a Chair of the Executive do more than carry the Chair's water, was during Sonny Plant's, z'l, terms; or when Kathy Manning thought she was the Board Chair.
Bizarre in my experience is that the current Board Chair effectively re-appointed himself (or just chose to continue a process he began before his Chairmanship began) By-Laws Chair as well, continuing his role begun under Michael Siegal -- bizarre in that I have never seen, in any non-profit on whose Board I have served, the chief volunteer officer assigned himself such a responsibility; then again, inasmuch as Richard has decided to look the other way while his CEO continues to flail in organizational mediocrity, he obviously has time for this. Was there some unfinished business from the prior administration?
So, in the ordinary course of business, the Board adopted the further By-Laws changes. Neither you nor I could possibly object to governance changes that make JFNA more efficient, but isn't it legitimate to question: efficient to what end? Best I can tell, JFNA is now an even more efficient vehicle; yet, and as usual, it is a vehicle delivering almost nothing. Strong on governance; short on substance.
It's clear, after a reading of the proposed changes that the amended By-Laws reflect Richard Sandler's expressed desire for a more efficient and streamlined JFNA. Seeing as he has already determined that the organization doesn't need a CEO inasmuch as it's doing just fine without one, you wouldn't think that anything more would be necessary, would it?
I guess so.
2. Then there is this: what the hell does Smilin' Jerry do to earn that excessive close to $800,000 (+/-) annual "gift" from the federations that is his compensation? Is it writing those periodic outbursts "From the Desk of" sermonettes?
We haven't a clue what Jerry does -- it's certainly not that which any of his predecessors has done, not at all. But we do know that the Smilin' One does serve on the Boards of organizations like LeadingEdge, the start-up offering, among other things, on-boarding professionals for future service as non-profit CEOs (something for which he is uniquely unprepared). We do know that he demands being on the invite list for any and all White House meetings that William Daroff can arrange for him. And we know, because he must be doing this to keep his job, he has been incredibly gifted at kissing up to JFNA lay leadership and the Large City Executives because nothing further could explain how he keeps his job. Friends, as has been said about others, there is a widespread belief that Jerry Silverman "...couldn't find India if he were dropped at the Taj Mahal."
This is a mystery that will never be solved. NEVER.
3. Arlene Berland has been serving the Jewish People for a remarkable 43 years. She is retiring after those 4+ decades of service on the staffs of UJA and, then, JFNA. I had the pleasure of working with Arlene many, many times -- she exemplified the true beauty of the lay-professional partnership. The last time we worked together was on the 2007 Prime Minister's Mission when, as was always the case, she would gently remind me that there were lay leaders to whom we should reach out to join us -- she always demonstrated a remarkable insight based on years of experience working in our treasured partnership with lay and professional leaders around the country. I know that every National Campaign Chair was the beneficiary of Arlene's professionalism. She will be so missed. Kal ha'kavod to Arlene upon her retirement.
4. You are such perceptive followers of this Blog. In response to the Post on WZO, one of you (G-d, I wish it hadn't been anonymously) pointed out the reality that as the WZO has decided to go into direct competition with the Jewish Agency, its continuing control (through its own voting rights and the voting control it maintains over Keren Ha'Yesod) of JAFI'S ultimate governance is a blatant conflict of interest that can only be resolved, in this writer's opinion, by the withdrawal by WZO from the governance and affairs of the Jewish Agency.
And, where, if anywhere, might the impetus for such a movement arise? From JFNA? Maybe in another lifetime. From KH? Maybe in another lifetime (although KH leaders have, over time, demonstrated periodic ncidents of thought and action that suggest that they might stand tall. Unfortunately, KH, even more so than JFNA/federations, has almost ceased, on a relative basis, its "free dollar" funding (undesignated) of the Jewish Agency.
All of this suggests a stasis that plays directly into the hands of the apparachniks at WZO. Exactly what they expected.
Rwexler
Posts
33 comments:
You are absolutely correct about the conflict of interest in WZO involvement in the Jewish Agency governance (which, by the way, we brought upon ourselves).
It is going to get worse and worse and it will end badly unless we reorganize the Agency's governance structure as soon as possible.
Those who contribute should be in control - certainly not those that contribute nothing and attempt to undercut and compete with the organization.
This should be an urgent action item for JFNA and KH - for all who want to build the Jewish Agency rather than allow it to be destroyed by political manipulators.
Richard Sandler wasting everyone's time with By-Law changes while the organization continues to disappear from any relevance is just like Nero fiddling while Rome burns. It is the height of irresponsibility for an organization that is itself irresponsible. It's beyond the pale.
New York State changed its not for profit law in 2013/2014 requiring most every not-for-profit legally incorporated in New York State to update their charter and bylaws. It seems like your pals at JFNA are finally getting around to this two years after most every church and synagogue, let alone UJA.
So, it doesn't seem nefarious, just sloppy.
https://www.mcguirewoods.com/Client-Resources/Alerts/2013/10/NY-Non-Profit-Revitalization-Act-2013.aspx
Who are JFNA's outside counsel? And do they have internal counsel?
Separately, I am not sure why you are so concerned about the WZO? All three of the pre-state Zionist institutions, the WZO, JAFI and Keren Kayemet (JNF) are well known to every Israeli as the largest repositiories of political cronyism and partronism in the country.
What assets and activities any other country would have been absorbed into the central government, beholden to the electorate and subject to the laws relating to governance and transparency, in Israel are quasi-governmental opaque and corrupt behemoths, answerable only to the hacks in the political parties.
That American and other diaspora Jews view this as a "partnership" has always been laughable, most often laughed at by both the party hacks and those of us in Israel that understand both environments.
Richard didn't suggest "nefarious," just a waste of time to call a meeting (just one of two, the other "for Voting Members Only," that anywhere else would have been on a Board's Consent Agenda. JFNA doe shave internal counsel and outside counsel.
Even in this "era" of severely reduced allocations, over $100 million still flows from d=federations through UIA to JAFI -- doesn't that yield $100 million plus reasons to be concerned that WZO controls JAFI decisions even as UIA assure Federation dollars are properly spent?
The CEO has been very busy this week - among other stops on his itinerary was the dedication ceremony of Kiev's new JCC. Perhaps the Ukrainians were glad to see him, but I doubt JDC was.
On a related issue, does anyone ever look at Silverman's expense account? Among other questions, does he fly first/business/or coach as he jets around the world for photo-ops?
While I agree with the last paragraph of Anon 2:27 I think he/she has seriously overstated the amount that goes to JAFI. It seems to me that I recall the number slipping substantially below $100k a couple of years ago and I doubt that there has been an increase.
The allocation to JAFI only exceeds $100 million when one adds in designated project dollars to the $90 million in unrestricted allocations.
Much more importantly, is that money spent well?
JAFI has always been a bureacratic nightmare with gazillions of political cronies. The governance is weak to non-existent, the accountability and transparency minimal.
Once upon a time, JAFI served a role as an independent power base for Ben Gurion (who didnt want to rightfully consolidate it into his newly formed government, but leave himself with a separate organization and resources.
Once upon a time, JAFI was involved in immigration and absorption.
Today, JAFI has lost its role in Aliyah in North America and the UK (to Nefesh B'Nefesh) and in the Ukraine and much of the FSU to IFCJ.
A bare minimum of the budget goes towards aliyah.
Instead, JAFI has re-shaped itself into the Jewish Peoplehood organization; sort of a secular Chabad that lives on the Federation dole.
It has an amorphous and ephemeral mission and cannot be measured. In some places they just copy JDC programs. In the States, they run to copy lean, hungry organizations on campus like Stand With Us and 20 plus others.
Isn't it time to shut JAFI down and salvage the limited activities that are needed in much leaner, focused and transparent organizations?
Not a waste of time. New York State requires a charter update.
But most not-for-profits in New York State will pursue best practices and go through a significant revision of charters and bylaws.
They will also educate their board members on their legal obligations under NY State law, something most charities completely neglected in years past.
What did you mean by "JFNA doe shave internal counsel and outside counsel."? How can you share inside and outside counsel? And share with whom?
Does JFNA have a formal and publicly available Code of Conduct, Governance Policy and Conflict of Interests Policy?
And the unrestricted is the problem. What on earth do they spend it on?
I once wandered into the Real Estate committee meeting at the board of governerors meeting.
They had no detailed ledger of their holdings, let alone any valuation details or maintenance budget.
It was as if your elderly aunt inherited her father's real estate empire in the 1920's with two book keepers and a mechanical calculator and never updated the technology or book keeping 75 years later.
So, someone asked how they should value the properties. And they said: "let;s just ask some people what they are worth. Let's just divide them up and call local real estate friends around Israel"
Imagine if anyone tried to do that in the US?
And the unrestricted is the problem. What on earth do they spend it on?
I once wandered into the Real Estate committee meeting at the board of governerors meeting.
They had no detailed ledger of their holdings, let alone any valuation details or maintenance budget.
It was as if your elderly aunt inherited her father's real estate empire in the 1920's with two book keepers and a mechanical calculator and never updated the technology or book keeping 75 years later.
So, someone asked how they should value the properties. And they said: "let;s just ask some people what they are worth. Let's just divide them up and call local real estate friends around Israel"
Imagine if anyone tried to do that in the US?
Bad typo. Wasn't meant to be "doe shave" but really "does have."
anon 5:34/5:35 is simply wrong - his information is evidently based on not understanding what was going on at the mmeeting he walked into - if he wants answers to his questions, all he needs to do is ask because everything is recorded and managed according to acceptable accounting standards
You clearly are misinformed if you think there is transparency in financials of all the dozens of little subsidiaries of JAFI.
It's a shame you can't read the Israeli papers with all their detail on accounting shenanigans over the decades.
It dates back to the days of loans that were never repaid to Ben Gurion so he could afford a private home near the beach in Tel Aviv and a beautiful spread in Sde Boker.
The place - like KKL and WZO - is a sinecure for secondary politicians that keep the party machines afloat.
And Americans think they are equal partners.
Oyyyy
From Globes, October 29, 2015- for those who think they are partners in an honestly run institution
Israeli political parties used jobs in Zionist institutions as political plums for their members.
The secret agreement signed by political parties and movements to distribute jobs in Zionist institutions reached at last week's World Zionist Congress shows that the jobs were given out according to the relative strengths of each party. The Yesh Atid Party, headed by MK Yair Lapid, the only party that did not sign the agreement, yesterday demanded exposure of the deal at the Knesset Special Committee for the Transparency and Accessibility of Government Information, but committee chairman Stav Shafir rejected the demand, accusing Yesh Atid of cooperation in the transferal of hundreds of millions of shekels to the World Zionist Organization settlement division without transparency. Signers of the agreement include representatives of Likud, Zionist Union, Yisrael Beitenu, the Mizrahi movement (formerly the National Religious Party), Shas, and Kulanu, headed by Minister of Finance Moshe Kahlon.
The copy of the agreement obtained by "Globes" shows that the Labor Party, together with Meretz, obtained the posts of Jewish National Fund (JNF) chairman (MK Daniel Atar was elected), head of the Zionist enterprises department in the Jewish Agency, and head of the education department, which is responsible for many activities of overseas emissaries and the budgets for the Reform and Conservative movements. Likud and Shas are keeping the posts of Jewish Agency chairman (occupied by Natan Sharansky), vice-chairman of the World Zionist Organization, and a list of positions in overseas public relations and the struggle against anti-Semitism.
The Mizrahi movement, together with Yisrael Beitenu and the National Union Party, received the positions of World Zionist Organization chairman, head of the settlement division (now the responsibility of Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Uri Ariel), JNF vice-chairman, the Diaspora Orthodox spiritual services apparatus, and the department for encouraging Aliya (immigration to Israel).
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The agreement shows that Kulanu, which was taking part in these negotiations for the first time, was responsible for the election of former Minister and MK Uzi Landau as JNF co-chairman during the negotiations between the political parties. The agreement also includes a precise list of the jobs reserved for the parties. For example, Shas International is getting the vice-chairmanship of JNF, Likud International - vice-chairmanship of JNF responsible for the financial committee, Labor Party - chairmanship of the Spielberg archives, and Labor Party, Mizrahi, and Likud - directors in the JNF asset company.
The agreement contains a special clause for additional funding for the institutions' activity. This budget comes from JNF's income on the sale of its land by the Israel Land Authority. It was stipulated that by 2021, JNF would give the institutions NIS 69 million a year, and would add a further NIS 18 million a year when their spheres of activity are expanded, for example in order to pay for the events celebrating the 120th anniversary of the First Zionist Congress.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on October 29, 2015
to anon 7:33 and 7:36:
JNF and WZO are not "subsidiaries" of JAFI. They are indeed political and problematic in the way that they operate but that should not be confused in any way with the Jewish Agency.
It is important to recognize that the modern Jewish Agency operates with a balanced budget and a high level of transparency, under the direction and oversight of lay leadership from around the Jewish World.
Aonn at 9:00 am. Yes, the Jewish Agency does operate with a balanced budget and a high level of financial transparency. However, there is minimal transparency in a significant number of their program initiatives. Both the office of the Chair and the office of the Director General operate as if they are accountable to no one; financial transparency aside.
A cursory budget doesn't in any way indicate transparency.
"Direction and oversight of lay leaders from around the world", what other koolaid have they served?
Do you think you really know explain to the board how they spend their money? How efficient they are?
What their overheads are?
How much is wasted on political cronies, their staff and their perks like cars and drivers?
Of course, JNF and WZO are not subsidiaries of JAFI. These three quasi-governmental organizations with no true oversight other than the political hacks they serve are the last major bastion of cronyism and patronism in Israel.
It amazes me that well meaning American Federations want to support them. But their centrality to JFNA is just symptomatic of all the other problems at JFNA.
To anon 9am: Does it not bug you that the top jobs in JAFI are all to political hacks? And that the "lay leadership from around the Jewish World" has no role in the assignment of the senior staff. They are all appointees of Likud and Shas.
You are being duped unfortunately.
Read the articles on governance at JAFI, WZO and KKL in the Hebrew press please.
To Annon 4:41 and 4:38
There is one driver at JAFI for the chairman. There are no political appointments. The Chairman gets the nod from the prime minister, most of the time, but not always.
Please name the "political hacks" and "cronies.
It is o e thing to pist annonymously, it is something else again to slander anonymously.
The Jewish Agency has none of what you are talking about and hasn't for dozens of years.
Is that Donald Trump writing as anonymous 4:38 and 4:41?
Are the facts not important anymore - just twisting them to fit a negative ideology?
What may be true when relating to JNF and WZO is not necessarily true for JAFI and it is wrong to lump everything together like that.
to 6:55 - I believe the only time in JAFI's history the Prime MInister's request was returned down was under Mendel Kaplan's chairmanship. No board chair since has had the statue, or the betzim, to question the PM.
Rany Trainin's appointment as Deputy Chair of The Jewish Agency's Executive was part of a political deal with the WZO (and I'm fairly certain the coalition agreements too). That's the #2 position at JAFI and is a 100% political appointment; there are probably numerous others at lower levels, including probably all of Trainin's direct reports. So don't say it hasn't happened for dozens of years.
In fact JAFI has turned turned down the Prime Minister twice. Since then the Bylaws have changed and gotten rid of Advise and Consent. The Chair of JAFI is chosen by a leadership nominating committee and then fired on.
Rani Trainin, was chosen to add a Sabra to a leadership team of Sharansky and Hoffmann - two immigrants. This number two position as you call it replaced the treasurer and reports to the chairman. Rani served JAFI well. Trainin's few direct reports were effective professionals and not political hacks.
JAFI has already functional turned down the WZO candidate of Dr. David Breakstone from the conservative movement.
When you state facts as "probably" you obviously admit that you not know of what you speak. Better to keep your words to yourself and keep people guessing, rather than prove your ignorance for all to see.
Opinions are great, but please do not just make up the facts.
to 11:12 - I disagree with your version of the facts. Trainin may well have served JAFI well but he was appointed to the position as a result of an agreement between JAFI and WZO.
To 6:55 AM
It is a shame that you cannot read or Google the Israeli papers which would have numerous articles detailing how all three pre-state institutions are politically controlled and apportioned among the different parties.
But please read the Globes article from October 29, 2015. Do you think that Yair Lapid fabricated the agreement detailing the party allocations and money transfers from the WZO? Or that Globes completely fabricated the story?
Or that Americans receiving a sanitized history that cannot read the news in the original are perhaps kept in the dark, almost willingly so?
To Anon 6:55 AM
Before you shoot the messenger, why don't you just call Yair Lapid and ask him directly about the Likud's control of JAFI (or the Zionist Union's control of Keren Kayemet)
Or call any academic at Hebrew U or TAU that has studied the history of these organizations
Contact Info
Telephone: 02-6408385
Telephone 2: 02-6408386
Fax: 02-5695335
Email: ylapid@knesset.gov.il
https://knesset.gov.il/mk/eng/mk_eng.asp?mk_individual_id_t=878
http://www.yeshatid.org.il/רפ×ר××ת#type_all
Does anyone disagree with Richard's thesis -- that continued involvement by the federation system in an organization controlled by a political, politicized and competitive World Zionist Organization is impermissible. We can argue about, for example, whether Sony Trainin is an excellent professional or a political actor or both, but that misses the point.
Part 2:
In recent days, the Movement for Quality Government requested Finance
Minister Moshe Kahlon, also the new ILA chairman, to block the sale.
“It was discovered that the area was transferred from the Jewish Agency
to its pension fund without any convincing reason, let alone for a fair price,
and for hidden reasons,” the NGO wrote.
It warned that if Kahlon did not act, “we will face a catastrophe in
which public land designated for absorbing immigrants goes to private real
estate developers in a process of unclear standards and propriety.”
On Wednesday, the Knesset was due to address a question by Zionist
Union's Shmuli on the issue, but new Immigrant Absorption Minister Zeev Elkin
said he could not respond because of personal involvement.
Rozvazov, who held hearings in the Knesset’s absorption committee on the
matter a year ago, said he had sent letters to the new absorption and finance
ministers asking them to stop the tender pending further investigation.
The land authority responded: “The ILA approved the Jewish Agency’s
request in 1996 to capitalize the property in question, in line with
conditions for capitalizing low-rise buildings as was the custom then.” In
turn, the capitalization fees were paid and individual leasing contracts were
signed for all the housing units.
According to the land authority, after an extended examination of the
Jewish Agency’s request to transfer the rights to the property, it approved
the change of designation to a residential area in August 2005 and the
transfer of the rights to the pension fund.
For its part, the pension fund said “the owner of the land is the Jewish
National Fund, under the ILA’s administration. The land is leased to the
pension fund.”
The fund said the transfer of leasing rights was done based on a legal
agreement after all capitalization fees had been paid to the ILA.
“The transfer of leasing rights was approved by ILA management, as is
done with such land,” it said. All the parties involved — the immigrants, the
Immigrant Absorption Ministry, the fund and the Ancom Group — reached an
agreement in the Jerusalem District Court “to extend the rental period until
September 2017.”
-0- May/29/2015 16:05 GMT
To the last commentator:
I know Itzik Shmuli and he is a stand up fellow. He has visited our federation several times.
I suggest we contactl him and ask him to explain JAFI''s activities here.
Richard, would you be willing to post his comments here?
https://knesset.gov.il/mk/eng/mk_eng.asp?mk_individual_id_t=901
Telephone: 02-6408179
Email: ishmuli@knesset.gov.il
Of course.
Practically every day there is a story in the Israeli press about the self-serving, inefficient, and sometimes corrupt ways of JAFI and its cousins. Unfortunately, few make it into English.
Here is a fairly typical recent episode.
JAFI transferred land underlying an absorption center housing 1,300 Ethiopians Olim to its pension fund, without any requisite approval or registration of the Israel Lands Authority. Then JAFI's pension fund attempted to auction off the land for over 250 million NIS and displace all the residents. This is classic self-dealing, with no transparency or oversight. Only a court inquest and Knesset committee investigation stopped it.
______________________
Ethiopian immigrants could be evicted from absorption center
Haaretz 2015-05-29 16:05:15.287 GMT
Nimrod Bousso
(Haaretz) -- Knesset members and NGOs have been battling to halt the sale
of an immigrant absorption center to real estate developers, a move that could
evict the building’s 1,300 residents — immigrants from Ethiopia.
The center, in Mevasseret Zion near Jerusalem, is due to close on Sunday.
It is being sold by the pension fund of the Jewish Agency, traditionally a key
player in helping to bring over and integrate immigrants to Israel.
The deal raises several questions, especially because all papers on the
run-up to the sale have disappeared from the files of the Israel Land
Authority, an ILA ombudswoman says.
“The agency’s behavior in this story is more of a real estate agency than
a Jewish Agency that’s supposed to absorb immigrants. We have enough real
estate sharks in Israel,” MK Itzik Shmuli (Zionist Union) told the Knesset on
Wednesday.
“We don’t need the Jewish Agency to join the party. We have to explore
how the state gives away publicly designated land that reaches private hands
seeking to make a bundle — and to hell with the public goal of absorbing
immigrants.”
The land authority allotted the land to the Jewish Agency in the 1970s to
use for the center. Over the past 20 years, the ILA sold 51 dunams (13 acres)
there to the Jewish Agency, which transferred it to its pension fund to repay
a debt.
It remains unclear which officials at the land authority made the
decisions, based on which laws.
According to the tender, the minimum price set for developers was 250
million shekels ($65 million), while the Jewish Agency paid 33 million shekels
for the land a decade ago. The Jewish Agency owns the land in equal
partnership with the pension fund employees.
The Movement for Quality Government in Israel thus filed a petition
requesting the land authority to submit the minutes of discussions on the
matter, based on the Freedom of Information Law. The ILA said it had no
documentation.
Einat Edri, the ILA ombudswoman for implementing the Freedom of
Information Law, submitted an affidavit in March stating that “the Jewish
Agency request to have the rights to the property transferred was not found in
the authority’s files. Neither were minutes or other documents.”
According to the tender, the property contains 224 housing units in 74
one-story buildings and 19 two-story buildings. The Ancom Group, which
operates the center, rents the units.
The April 2014 tender sparked an outcry. MK Yoel Razvozov (Yesh Atid)
filed a complaint with the police’s Lahav 433 investigative unit. A
spokeswoman says Lahav 433 has passed the complaint on to the state
prosecutor.
All of these comments are 'off-message.' The Federation system, if you believe Richard (and I do)as it stands now, does not have the leadership necessary to push for any needed changes.
There are many ills but unless the overall sickness is cured the individual ills will remain.
Thousands of words of criticism by many - few words of suggested - and acted upon - courses of action.
I can't believe I'm actually going to agree with Paul.
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