ZIONISM AND THE GNAT

A parable: In a large office the occupant grew more and more annoyed with a tiny gnat which, at the most inopportune times, would buzz around disrupting the relative peace that the occupant enjoyed. It grew so annoying that, periodically, the occupant would call out: "Would someone kill this gnat?" The gnat continued to buzz. One day a spectral woman arrived wearing a crown. In the hands of her consort were two huge fly swatters -- one was labeled "UNTRUTHS," the other "HALF-TRUTHS." "Take these," she told the occupant, "they will surely kill the gnat." Then, friends of the occupant arrived and they, too, were handed huge fly-swatters with the same labels. "Kill the gnat!!!" they screamed. WHAM!! SPLAT!! OY!! were heard as the fly-swatters landed. The gnat observed from the ceiling as the melee below resulted often in the swatters hitting each other, but never hitting the spectral woman in the crown or her consort....or the gnat. Exhausted, the occupant and his colleagues fell to the floor while the gnat continued to buzz. The moral: if you are going to come after a gnat, try the swatter labeled "TRUTH."

Recently, your Blogger has been accused of all sorts of things. I will try to sort them out for you. But know, at the outset, that the Federations which have issued strong statements accepting a "version" of events that JFNA leaders have been peddling as "the truth" surrounding the refusal to include the word "zionism"  have accepted a fable completely at odds with the facts.
The truth, based on an actual investigation: At a Global Planning Table Working Group meeting, federation leaders suggested the inclusion of the core value of "zionism" (not, as alleged, "zionist entity" or "zionist enterprise" and not in substitution for "the State of Israel."). It was the JFNA Board Chair herself who publicly objected to the inclusion of "zionism" as "too controversial to be in a Global Planning Table Vision Statement." (This is impossible to deny; the entire Work Group heard this rant.)


No one knows whom my sources were (I never reveal my sources) or how many members of the Work Group spoke (or wrote) to me verifying what I had written; yet, JFNA reports, and the federations assert that they know that it was but one. They are wrong. My original Post on the subject did not suggest that the excision of "zionism" was JFNA "policy" -- I wrote of "JFNA's leaders insistence that the cherished concept of 'zionism'...be excised from a Global Planning Table Work Group Report" -- yet, all of us can reflect upon the number of non-policy decisions over the past three years and longer (e.g., the claimed "consensus" that gave rise to the GPT itself) that have suddenly become JFNA "Policy" before our eyes. And, suddenly, in the middle of the third (or fourth) JFNA "response" to the cause celebre that it created and now perpetuates, for the first time Jerry Silverman asserts that the same Working Group "...reaffirmed our deepest support for Israel and Zionist principles." If only it were so; if only that had been the permitted discussion at the GPT Work Group; but it wasn't.  And I am accused of having "...twisted what really happened into a version with no basis in reality." I think we know, from the ever-changing "explanations" just who is doing the "twisting" here...and why.

And, just for a gratuitous shot, I am accused in CEO Jerry's effort at deflecting the truth as "...hostile to the federations and the Global Planning Table." To the latter, I plead guilty; as I have written from the start, it is an evermore expensive approach to reordering historic priorities at a time of declining resources that will create chaos. As to the accusation that I am "hostile to federations," Jerry, who frets over and sermonizes about in personam attacks, makes one that is laughable. I am only "hostile" to actions that would deconstruct and harm federations -- as the excision of "zionism" would have done.

I have offered my apologies and reiterate them here for even having reported these facts on these pages without giving consideration that some would read them and use them as an excuse to reduce or eliminate their gifts to and through their federations. As a lifelong fund raiser and as a one who cherishes all federations, I am so sorry. I urge everyone who reads these pages to increase their federation pledges as I have done.

I have shared with you and others my sincere belief that the vast majority of federations, and, in particular, my own, include Zionism and the values inherent in Zionism in our words and our work every day; we are inspired by the values of Zionism; we don't fear the concept -- we should fear those who would have it disappear from our lexicon as "too controversial." Clearly her/their effort, reflected most vividly in the JFNA "misinformation campaign," is to shine the light away from themselves and shoot down the messenger. (Someone I love and respect suggested that I "...stop being the messenger." Good advice.) Sadly, they won't, in the midst of their revisionist history, let the facts get in the way.

Next time, if you want to kill this gnat, you had better come after me with the truth -- coming after me with cover-ups and untruths and half-truths as JFNA has done and continues just won't do it.

Rwexler

ZIONISM -- CONTINUED

In his e-mail to JFNA leaders and Federation Executive, and in the call on JFNA insiders to spread the word that "the blog is wrong," Jerry Silverman was so terribly misinformed and misinforming. He constructed an "explanation" of what occurred within the Global Planning Table Work Group process that defies reason -- what we did, he claims, was to rebut those who wanted to "substitute 'Zionist Entity' for the "State of Israel'" in a JFNA planning document. Come on. "Zionist entity" has been the phrase most often used by those who would destroy Israel -- What federation leader would ever use the very term that the hatemongers and anti-Israel forces have used to characterize our beloved Israel as a substitute for it?

Here is what JFNA should have done and still could -- issue a Leadership Briefing from Manning, Butler and Silverman simply stating: "We will take all steps in our power to assure that the core values of Zionism will be incorporated in the final work product of the Global Planning Table."

Would that be so hard?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As with so many if not all of you, I am so proud to come from a community, a federation, which embraces Zionism and the centrality of Israel in our lives as among the most cherished core values upon which our community has been built. I known that the federation lay and professional leadership in Chicago will continue to demand that the values embodied in Zionism will be at the forefront of our work because they understand that we build upon those values and principles not upon their negation or exclusion.

Surely Chicago's leaders will work with the leaders of other federations across the Continent and with those at JFNA to insure that our understanding of the meaning and values of Zionism continues to inform our national organization's work.

Rwexler

HELLO...ANY ONE HOME?

As discussed below, I was recently reminded that five years ago, the Jewish Agency was under assault from a number of North American Jewish leaders, ironically "led" in a semi-coordinated way by leaders of the JDC, among others, with allegations of self-dealing, politicization,  violations of the IRS Revenue Rulings which allowed our donations through the federation to JAFI to be tax deductible, among other things. The then JFNA CFO, Board Chair and Treasurer (currently the JFNA Chair of the Executive) immediately recognized what was at stake not alone for the Jewish Agency but for our system and, to their credit, they sprang to JAFI's defense. As the then UIA Chair, I was enlisted in the effort. JFNA engaged among the most prestigious outside counsel to review the records, the Jewish Agency in another act of transparency further opened its books and counsel totally refuted the allegations directly.

What brought this to mind is the circulation of a 15 page single-spaced anonymous "indictment," for lack of a better word, of the Joint's practices in Russia in an internet attack titled The Fall of the House of Asher, JDC, Quo Vadis. (The "Asher" of the title references Asher Ostrin, the former Director of JDC-FSU.) The allegations are severe, accusatory of even criminal conduct, but that's not my point.

In today's JFNA, there is only silence from 25 Broadway (of course, there has been public silence from JDC, as well). No leaping to JDC's defense, not even, to my knowledge, the offer of assistance; no "independent investigation" by JFNA as was the case with JAFI five years ago. Yes, while JFNA continues to offer constant lip service to its "historic partners," there can't be a lay person or professional leader at JDC or JAFI who believes that JFNA has any interest in delivering on the promises of its "leaders'" supportive words. And in parallel, the JDC Board, one of the most supportive of its organization's goals to a person, is, at one and the same time, one of the most quiescent (you know, the kind of Board that JFNA's apparently aspires to be) -- "where never is heard a discouraging word, and the sky is not cloudy all day."

In fact, had the attacks on JAFI of five years ago occurred today, there can be no doubt that JFNA's leaders' support then would not be mirrored in support now. Today is the time of the Emperor's New Clothes and Humpty Dumpty and. of course, Alice in Wonderland and 1984.

Hello...any one home?

Rwexler

AND, NOW, IT'S COME TO THIS...

Today, after an article on the subject of JFNA and Zionism appearing in The Jewish Press, JFNA sent out its response:

"Dear GPT Committee Members,

This morning we learned about a misleading piece in the Jewish Press.  

http://www.jewishpress.com/news/jewish-news/us-jewish-federations-to-drop-zionism-from-their-global-plans/2012/07/27/

Kathy Manning and I shared a statement with the Jewish Press which is included in the broader statement below. We encourage you to share this statement. 

On July 27, 2012, Lori Lowenthal Marcus wrote accusing the Jewish Federations of North America of moving away from its support of Israel and Zionism.  Nothing could be further from the truth. The ongoing support of Israel is fundamental to Federations and to JFNA. Our system sends hundreds of millions of dollars each year to Israel to support the vulnerable, to assist in education programs, to help new immigrants, to assist in job and skills development, and to provide concrete expressions of solidarity during Israel's darkest hours. We connect American Jews to Israel and Israelis by supporting birthright and other youth and young adult programs, community and national missions to Israel, and innovative partnerships between our communities and Israeli communities.  We are proud to be holding our 2013 General Assembly in Israel, where we will have an opportunity to highlight the important work we do with our partners in Israel."

An almost identical mailing was sent to Federation executives. 

It would serve no purpose to restate here all of that about which I and others have written before. Let the record show that over the past six years the "on-going support" from our system through the core budgets of our partners in Israel and overseas has been reduced by well over $100,000,000 and advocacy for these critical allocations "...to support the vulnerable, to assist in education programs, to assist in job and skills development..." to care for those of our People most in need, has not even been an after-thought.

Shabbat shalom,

Rwexler

HOW DOES IT COME TO THIS?

In light of recent revelations with regard to JFNA's leaders insistence that the cherished concept "zionism" -- the word that has inspired generations -- be excised from a Global Planning Table Work Group Report  because "zionism is too controversial," (something they will surely "deny," or argue "I knew nothing about this" or equivocate -- "I'll look into this and get back to you")  I reflected on just how far JFNA, under its current lay and professional leadership, has moved from the core values and historic principles that framed its creation, its Vision and its Mission. "The word 'zionism' is too controversial." Oh my G-d.

It was just a few years ago that, in one of its periodic "reorganizations," that JFNA's then leaders, who included some still around today, changed the name of its Israel and Overseas Department to "Global Operations." Just another rebranding without meaning. The hue and cry was loud and continental for both substantive and symbolic reasons. But JFNA was unmoved until...until... a group of federation CEOs from all City-sizes registered their objections to thus thoughtless change. Almost immediately, the Department's name was rebranded again -- to Global Operations: Israel and Overseas.

Over the next few years, JFNA gave only lip service to its historic commitments to the two organizations that actually gave to JFNA any semblance of a "global operation" -- the Joint and the Jewish Agency. After all, advocacy with the federations for core allocations for these "historic partners" would have disrupted the narrative that JFNA's leaders began six years ago. And, while CEO Jerry denied that he ever told any federation that "we at JFNA will never urge you to increase your allocations," the facts are very different. And, prior to and in the midst of recessionary times, JFNA stood by as core allocations to the system's Israel and overseas partners cratered, never lifting a finger in support and distancing itself as well from any direct campaign assistance to federations most in need.  

And, now, we have come so far that our national organization shuns even the appearance of "zionism" in one of its reports? What's wrong with this leadership; what's wrong with us? With Board Chair Manning and GPT Chair Butler in the room, "zionism" is out and efforts to direct the GPT to "engage with the Jewish People" out as well? We can and should debate whether our system's best way to engage North American Jewry with Israel is through JAFI and the Joint; what we cannot permit is an implicit denial of the centrality of Israel in our lives and a denial the absolute responsibility we as Diaspora Jewish leaders have to engage more Jews here with Israel. But, those denials are now being encouraged by an insipid leadership driven by concepts of "change" that they do not understand and which, if implemented, will destroy the very system they were elected to enhance and support.

It was Jim Collins, the author and management guru, whose philosophy guided many of us through the merger process that birthed the now-fatally floundering JFNA, who wrote: "Vision is simply a combination of three basic elements: (1) an organization's fundamental reason for existence...(often called its mission or purpose); (2) its timeless, unchanging core values; and (3) huge and audacious -- but ultimately achievable -- aspirations for its own future..." And, critically, Collins asserted that misalignment will ultimately bring organizational collapse. JFNA's leaders these past 6+ years have unilaterally decided that JFNA can totally skip/ignore (1) and (2) above jumping directly to what they believe to be "huge and audacious" (although far from it in reality) programs like the Global Planning Table.

Ask a federation leader what the "fundamental reason for federation existence" is today and you will get a variety of answers dependent on the community's level of success, history and the background of the leader himself/herself. Ask the same leader what the "fundamental reason for JFNA existence" and you get in return a blank stare, perhaps a "serve the federations" mantra. But, ask a JFNA leader the same question and you will receive back the vagaries of irrational notions made up out of whole cloth.

Ask a federation leader today what the "timeless, unchanging core values" that are at the foundation of the federation concept and construct and, sadly, in most instances...most, but not all...you will not get a response. And ask the same of JFNA's leaders and the response will be totally unrelated to those core values. Friends, our commitment to "zionism" as a cause and as a concept has been and remains one of the inspirations for our work and our philanthropy -- but to these "leaders," it is "too controversial" even for a Report from our own organization. Ask the leaders of the Refusenik Movement if "zionism" was "too controversial" for them, ask those of us who organized the movement that toppled the "Zionism is racism" UN Resolution, if "zionism" is "too controversial" to them. Ask those of our dearest Israeli friends? Ask those who support the ugliest of BDS actions whether they are happy that mainstream Jewish organizations, in particular the umbrella or our federation movement, reject the inclusion of "zionism" in their reports because it has become "too controversial."

When and where we have an uneducated laity and a silent majority unwilling to argue for that which is right, unwilling to fight for our values, those values disappear. It's happening before our very eyes...right now. And, we put up with this, with these, because....???

Rwexler

AHA...IT'S 1984 ALL OVER AGAIN

We know that at the JFNA, circa 2012, black is white and white, black. After spending millions...that's right, millions...to come up with Jewish Federations of North America, a name that Marty Kraar, z'l, came up with all by himself in 1999, $50,000 seemed like chump change...emphasis on the "chump"...for a "tagline." And neither expenditure was ever approved by the JFNA governance bodies. Today, time and time and time again, we have seen JFNA engage in what can only be described as Orwellian doublespeak day after day.

Orwellian doublespeak? You mean, as definitions would have it, "...the situation, idea or societal condition that George Orwell identified as being destructive of a free society. It connotes an attitude and a policy of control by propaganda...misinformation, denial of the truth and manipulation of the past...?" Yes, that's what has been going on at JFNA for more than half of its existence. Orwell wrote about how the doublespeak created, among other things, the "non-person." And, we experience all of this in a day and day after day at 25 Broadway.


We are in the hands and power of the few at 25 Broadway. Where governance might get in the way, best to ignore it; where processing huge amounts of funding is done through Committee decisions, where lay leaders are told nothing more than what is believed that they "need to know." And where most of the flock just "...doesn't want to be bothered" further empowering potential and real abuse of process and worse.


Since the beginning, as we have pointed out on these pages time and again, the so-called Global Planning Table has been an Orwellian sham. Take, for example, the October 2010 JFNA/JAFI/JDC Agreement. Even though as we discussed he just weeks ago, the Agreement was breached by JFNA's actions before the ink was dry, JFNA's leaders proposed that the JFNA Board extend certain action dates. A conference call meeting of the JFNA Executive Committee was called for July 11, them canceled. It had been scheduled to consider...Orwell would have approved..."The Allocations Agreement Extension of 2012." This "rebranding" from the same leaders who have rejected the inclusion of the word "Zionism" in a GPT document as "too controversial." 

The Senior VP of Titles scored again!! And, so did Orwell.


Rwexler

THE ALLIANCE REVISITED

"Alliance" has been variously defined as "a union or association formed for the mutual benefit, especially between...organizations." But not when JFNA is involved. 

When last we took a look at JFNA's National Agency Alliance, its leaders were attempting to oust one of its historic members (they failed), federation allocations and membership were dropping, the outlook was poor to worse. So, what did JFNA do, you ask? Well, they went through a lengthy process (in which the national agencies did not participate -- "oh, them? HaHa") and emerged with (trumpets please) the National Federation (what's that?)/Agency Alliance Work Group Redesign Recommendation Executive Summary and Memo to the Field. And, guessing is not required to conclude that even though they have printed many more words, they have ended up exactly where they started and, financially, much worse.

And, while this Redesign was undertaken in good faith, no doubt, by late June, the JFNA-Washington Alliance staffer was advising the national agencies that in addition to four federations totally abandoning the Alliance, almost every other participating federation was cutting its collective allocations to the Alliance -- in most instances "significantly." The conclusion: "Last year's pool was $5,065,000...the pool this year will be around $4.16 million or a reduction of 17 and 3/4 percent." This professional concluded that "[O]bviously, I am sorry for this news." This calamitous information came just 36 days after the agencies had been advised that "...the pool stands at $5.065 million." JFNA is, today, just a collection agency for the national agencies...and not even a good one at that.

Now, these results -- a third (or is it fourth?) Redesign in a decade, while Rome (in the form of federation allocations) burns; no lay advocacy among member federations to maintain (or even increase) allocations while this Redesign is implemented (if it will be); the continuing suggestion that some national Agencies will be cast aside in a "planning process" that has not even begun; coupled with the "potential for adding new..." agencies to the Alliance; and the introduction, in the face of "drastically reduced allocations" of new levels of bureaucracy (more "surveys," more "Plans and Micro and Macro planning teams") with which the agencies will have to deal.  Sounds great to me. It's nothing more than the chaos of the Global Planning Table on a micro basis.

Illustrating the disregard of Alliance lay and professional leadership for the National Agencies they serve and allegedly partner with is the reality that the National Agencies themselves did not participate in framing the Redesign; they were asked to "comment" on the fait accompli presented to them in June in a single phone call. (JFNA treated the almost total silence it heard on the call with the national agencies as "...feedback [that] was overwhelming positive...")

So, I ask, other than maybe a shorthand presentation at a JFNA Board or Executive meeting, when have Alliance lay leaders visited federations and engaged federation leaders face-to-face on the value of the Alliance to them and the critical work of the national agencies on behalf of the federations? It's a rhetorical question, my friends, because I know the answer -- never. No the Alliance lay leadership, a small cadre at best, has busied itself with criticism of the roles and budgets of the national agencies with whom they agreed to be "allied." It has become a zero sum game.

If the national agencies were the stepchildren of the national federation system in the '90's under the National Funding Councils system, they have become the neglected and abandoned distant relatives under JFNA.

Shame on us.

Rwexler

VOIDS...CONTINUED

Earlier this week I wrote with sadness of what happens when our federations' national organization, out of indifference or ignorance or distraction by tiny shining objects, fails to comprehend that other organizations will be ready to step in and will in roles historically those of the federation system. In the last Post I wrote about JNF and Israel advocacy...today it is about the observation of the 25th Anniversary of the seminal federation-led event in our history -- the December 1987 Freedom Sunday Rally for Soviet Jewry. 


This void began two years ago when JFNA was called upon by a number of federations of all City-sizes to engage in a major way in celebration of the 20th Anniversary of Operation Exodus. So what did JFNA do? It appointed a Committee, chaired by the ever-available Joel Tauber. Then, JFNA did nothing -- no celebration of the advocacy or the largest special campaign ever. No celebration of the leaders of the Refusenik Movement. Nothing. (Well, Tauber did give a speech in which he proved that even his prodigious memory fades, but he talked only about himself.) When numerous NCSJ leaders had urged JFNA to a bigger observance, even as many federations were reviving the inspirational memories of those days of advocacy, heroism and commitment, JFNA couldn't or wouldn't stir itself.


In part, that was the result of the almost total erasure of institutional memory.
That was also the past, of course, and JFNA was dedicated to the present and future. They had created a Committee, of course, wasn't that enough? They may have mentioned it at a GA; why can't they just leave us alone? That Committee chaired by Tauber? You've got to be kidding!!


Now, another opportunity. Not even after the formation of a wholly independent Freedom25 Rekindling the Soviet Jewry Movement did the chachams at 25 Broadway wake up. Yet, who, it turned out, were the "partners" in Freedom25 -- JCPA, the NCSJ, the Jewish Agency, HIAS, the JNF and on and on. Federation leaders themselves  were slow on the pick-up -- so sad because Freedom Sunday 25 years ago was the federations' seminal moment, it was our time...Operation Exodus was our success...but not now, not anymore. 

Now, prodded no doubt by Federation CEOs who remember that this was our event, our time, JFNA is trying to play catch up. Of course, there may be one professional still there with any institutional memory, if that's what is needed. My prediction: JFNA will now appoint another Committee, chaired by...Joel Tauber...and maybe put it on the agenda of the inevitable Festivus 3. That will be in March 2013? So what?


I despair. We have a tagline though. Today, it could never again be We Are One...I'm thinking maybe it's time for We Are Done.


What do you suggest?


Rwexler

INTO THE VOID

The Jewish National Fund recently announced its pro-Israel Hasbara Campaign -- stepping into the void created by JFNA's apparent lack of interest in the subject. Yes, JFNA has lost its way, creating voids everywhere into which other organizations immediately (or slowly) step. The JNF campaign -- Positively Israel -- positivelyisrael.org is just one of the things JFNA should/could be doing if it weren't so intent on examining its own navel, promoting itself, its "brand," and narishkeit over the interests of the federations.


Take for example the mantra for continuing the GA, which is but a shadow of what it once was...one that has been constantly heard: "If the federations don't do it, some other organization will." I have become a believer...reluctantly... in the relegation of the GA to every other year, but making it a powerful, relevant meeting.  How can we as a system promote an annual event that had fewer full pay  Registrants -- 835 -- than at any point in its history? Remember the "new GA"? An outgrowth of an intensive study and plan flowing from...the Board Chair, vu den? Remember moving it to important and attractive tourist locations like Denver and Baltimore and away from Houston and Orlando? And, now we have drawn the fewest paid attendees two years running. But on it goes, year after year, as we trumpet its success in the social media because if we say it's a success, it is, right?


And, our new commitment to "new and better" Missions? JFNA attempts to create  and lead simultaneous high-end high cost Missions to Berlin (Ben Gurion Society) and Rome (with an audience with the Pope!!!! added in for the Prime Minister's level contributors). The former has been canceled for lack of interest; the latter hanging on totally dependent on the contingent Chicago can produce. Some leaders have told me that national missions now frequently proceed with the imprimatur of JFNA with no fund raising requirement.


We lack the strength, the power, the prestige of the organizations that preceded JFNA -- CJF and UJA. Even with the millions invested, we lack their brands' strength. Third party organizations so little respect JFNA (they may respect the federations, but less and less so) that they are on the cusp of a massive invasion with their strengthened professional financial resource development managers and huge fund raising budgets. And what does JFNA do: well, it fantasizes an "agreement" with JAFI and JDC that will ostensibly manage their entries into federation territory while shielding their collective eye from what is already happening. And while that fictional "management" is going on every organization from ORT to the ENP and beyond is poised for or actively engaged in invasion. The federations have expressly told JFNA to "stop this" from happening -- and JFNA, well it's busy worrying about "impure thoughts," Festivus and the irrelevant. Hasbara, heck, we've got the IAN. Irrelevant, us, no way, we get invited to the White House and to Democratic Committee hearings and look at all of our staffers who were at the President's Conference in Israel last month, and how we always visit with the Prime Minister.


We're important, just ask us.


Rwexler

"IMPURE THOUGHTS" INDEED

CEO Jerry stepped in for the Rabbinic Cabinet in the June 24 Mekor Chaim from JFNA. Preaching about the message of the red heifer, CEO Jerry obsessed and ranted about "impurity" -- by which one can only assume he meant "impure thoughts." CEO Jerry seems to know a great deal about "impure thoughts" (or "impurity" as he puts it): everything, that is, except the definition.

In pertinent part, CEO Jerry wrote:

"In contemporary society, we are challenged each day to maintain our purity, in both our individual relationships and our collective actions. The opportunities for impurity are vast, especially with a wide array of technology at our fingertips. With the stroke of a key, our impure thoughts become words on a screen. With the click of a mouse, those impure words can be shared far and wide, in the span of just a few seconds. 


As leaders in today’s Jewish community, we have tremendous influence. No longer are our sermons confined to the congregations to which they were first spoken. (does CEO Jerry have smicha?) Our speeches have legs far beyond the stages from which we preach. As we address the challenges that face the Jewish people, or advise our communities on ways to make a difference in the world, we must choose our words wisely.


There is no shortage of opinions in the Jewish community, and we are fortunate to have so many diverse views and so much thoughtful dialogue. But there is a difference between the purity of creating debate and the impurity of casting stones. Debate solves problems and moves us forward. Casting stones divides us as a Jewish people and sets us back"

Here's the deal: as CEO Jerry never reads the Blog, he must be writing about one of you -- has any reader ever criticized JFNA for its leaderless, purposeless meandering?  Or maybe you have expressed some constructive criticism that might make JFNA purposeful, focused on federation needs? Whatever, it is as as clear as day that it is for CEO Jerry to unilaterally determine the "impure" and declare it to be so. (As an aside, since when is the CEO/President of a Jewish organization cloaked in Rabbinic garb [unless one is a Rabbi] and writing about "our sermons?" Or is this rant an example of "something borrowed?")

This reality creates a conundrum. I am reminded of a revered Chicago area Rabbi who condemned an "R"-rated movie playing near our town -- "blasphemy" he cried out from the pulpit; "close this theatre down." Later, he admitted that he hadn't seen the movie, nor would he. He and CEO Jerry have a lot in common. "Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil" -- then we can just go on with our work because any criticism is per se impure if I, CEO Jerry, deem it to be so. Sure.


And, CEO Jerry, just wanted you to know that your "sermon" inspired those "impure thoughts in me. 

Rwexler