eJewishPhilanthropy

In 5787, we celebrate Jewish excellence

Contributing Author — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 09:13:00 +0000

I grew up in Northern California in the ‘90s — a time and place that could certainly contend for a top-five spot on any “Golden Age of American Jews” list. The safety and comfort of my childhood stood in stark contrast to that of my grandparents, both Holocaust survivors. Some of my earliest lessons about being Jewish came from their example. They saw their survival as a miracle. By proxy, we — their grandchildren — were miracles, too. With this miraculous existence came an imperative: to show up and, through living our Jewish values, repair what is broken. That idea sits at the heart of The Charles Bronfman Prize, a program I’m now honored to co-lead. Established in 2004 by philanthropist Charles Bronfman’s children to honor their father, the prize recognizes Jewish social entrepreneurs whose innovative work is improving the world writ large. After the horrors of Oct. 7, 2023, this mission exists against an entirely different backdrop — and, to be candid, that is precisely the reason I was so eager to take on this professional opportunity. The brutality of the attacks and the shock that followed remain with us. In the years since, we have watched antisemitism surge globally. Data from the American Jewish Committee and others paints a sobering picture of the fear and hostility many Jews now face. It is painful. It would be easy, in this moment, to focus only on that reality. But there’s another Jewish story unfolding right now — one that receives far less attention, but says far more about who we are. It is the story of Jews who respond to darkness by building. Who answer cruelty with compassion. Who see suffering and decide to act. Consider Jay Feinberg. Diagnosed with leukemia shortly after college, he responded not by retreating, but by building — founding the Gift of Life Marrow Registry. His work has now facilitated over 5,700 transplants across 47 countries and raised the odds of Jewish patients finding a bone marrow match from under 5% to over 80%. Then there is Becca Heller. After her first year at Yale Law School, she traveled to Jordan and met Iraqi refugees with nowhere to turn. She came home and built the International Refugee Assistance Project, which has since provided legal aid to over 30,000 people in immediate danger and secured systemic reforms to protect more than 170,000 displaced persons worldwide. Most recently, we honored Tomer Malchi, who recognized that agricultural science could serve as a powerful three-pronged approach to improve economic well-being, nutrition and climate resilience. As the co-founder of CultivAid, he has spent over a decade building market-driven irrigation and food security infrastructures across sub-Saharan Africa, proving that sustainable development is a universal language. The Bronfman Prize Laureates saw a problem and decided to build. They were entrepreneurial in the truest sense, refusing to accept the world as it is. Every year, through the prize application process, we review hundreds of individuals like them. They often don’t make headlines, but they are enhancing our collective future. In a moment when Jews are too often defined by those who wish us ill, this community of builders and believers tells a different story. It says something essential about who we are. We do not show up in the world to make people like us. Jewish tradition does not ask us to win popularity contests. It asks something harder, but more enduring. It asks us to act. To repair what is broken. To feed the hungry. To welcome the stranger. To use the resources at our disposal to improve the human condition. This tradition is the reason Jewish communities have produced such disproportionate contributions to science, medicine, education, culture and social progress. In this moment, we must not mute the values that have defined Jewish life for generations. We must turn the volume up. The Charles Bronfman Prize represents something profound: that celebrating leadership is itself a form of leadership. By shining a light on people doing the hard work of improving the world, we remind ourselves, and everyone else, what Jewish values look like in action. Not as a response to hostility, and not as proof of our worth to skeptics, but because this is who we are — this is what we have always done. The Charles Bronfman Prize has been telling this story for two decades. The next chapter is just beginning. It may be the most important one yet. Emily Kane Miller is the co-executive director of The Charles Bronfman Prize and the founder and CEO of Ethos Giving.

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Don’t cancel the ritual: The case for annual galas

Contributing Author — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 06:32:34 +0000

For 10 years without fail, while we still lived in the United States and our kids were young, my family made the same trip: Every summer, we would drive up to Story Land and the North Conway area of New Hampshire. Each time, we did more or less the same things we did the year before. The same rides. The same hikes. The same ice cream stop. The shape of the trip never changed. My kids could practically recite the itinerary before we packed the car. I used to think the sameness was the weak point of the trip, the thing that would eventually make it boring, but I was wrong. The sameness was the entire point. Because we did it every year, in more or less the same way, it became something my kids could count on. It wasnt just a vacation; it was a ritual. Rituals build some of the deepest memories a family has, because predictability lets people relax into the experience and actually be present. Nobody is wondering whats going to happen because they already know, and that knowing is what makes room for connection. Photos of the authors children, taken several years apart, during visits to the same location at the Story Land Park in New Hampshire. We live in Israel now, and Story Land has become a memory. But the ritual didnt disappear — it just moved. Now every year, at the end of the summer, we take our family to Eilat in southern Israel. It’s a different country, and the kids are in a different stage of childhood, but the underlying idea remains the same. We are forging a new set of core memories the exact same way we forged the old ones: by showing up together, in a familiar shape, year after year. Ive been thinking about that trip a lot lately in the context of something that has nothing to do with amusement parks: the annual dinner. For years, many organizations have downgraded the annual dinner from a communal ritual to a fundraising tactic. And especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, when so many organizations discovered they could raise real money through online campaigns without ever filling a ballroom, the temptation to cut the dinner altogether has only grown. On a spreadsheet, that decision often looks smart. Dinners are expensive to produce. The net revenue, once you subtract the venue, the catering, the journal production and the staff hours, can look thin next to a well-run digital campaign. But thats the wrong way to measure what an annual dinner is actually worth. An annual dinner, done right, is not primarily a fundraising event. Its a ritual, just like my familys trip to Story Land. Its the one night a year when your donors, your lay leaders, your professional staff, your beneficiaries and your partners are all in the same room at the same time, having the same experience together. They know what to expect: There will be a program. There will be honorees. There will be a moment where the organization tells its community what it accomplished this year, and a moment where it casts a vision for whats next. That predictability isnt a flaw. Its what makes the evening familiar enough for people to actually feel something, rather than just process information. Think about what a good annual dinner actually does that no email or online giving page can replicate. Its a state of the union. Its the one moment each year when your community gets to see, in real time and in person, the full sweep of what the organization stands for and who stands behind it. Its a chance to publicly honor the people whose leadership deserves to be seen and celebrated, which does something a thank-you note never can: it shows the entire room what leadership looks like, and implicitly invites the next generation of leaders to imagine themselves in that role. Its a chance for a first-time attendee to sit at a table, watch the honoree be honored, and think, I want to be part of this. None of that shows up as a line item on a profit and loss statement, but it is arguably more valuable to the long-term health of your organization than the net revenue the dinner generates in any single year. A donor who has been to your dinner five years running has a relationship with your mission that a donor who has only ever clicked a giving link simply does not have. They have memories. They remember who spoke, who was honored, who they sat next to, what the room felt like, the year the organization announced it had hit its capital campaign goal. Those memories are the emotional infrastructure that major gifts, planned gifts and multi-generational giving are actually built on. You cannot email your way into that kind of attachment. This is not an argument against digital fundraising, and its not an argument that every organization needs a black-tie gala with a live auction. Plenty of dinners are bloated, overproduced and could be run leaner without losing any of their power. Our trip to Story Land was never a trip to Orlando — it was never thousands of dollars, a week at the theme parks, the big production version of a family vacation. It didnt need to be, because the size of the production was never what made it matter. The same is true for your dinner. It doesnt need to be the biggest ballroom in town or the most expensive journal your organization has ever printed. The size of the check and the size of the room are not what make the ritual work. What makes it work is the same thing that makes my familys trips to Story Land work: showing up, together, in a familiar shape, year after year, so that the people who care about you can count on it and build a piece of their own story around it. If your organization is weighing whether to keep the annual dinner alive, Id ask you to measure it by more than what it nets. Ask what your community would lose if that one predictable night, the night they know is coming, the night where they get to see the mission made visible and the leadership made real, simply stopped happening. Some of the most important things an organization does for its community cant be captured in a fundraising report. They show up years later, in the form of a donor who never left, a leader who stepped up because they watched someone else get honored first, or a family that has quietly come to think of your dinner as part of their own calendar, the way mine once thought of a trip to New Hampshire or Eilat. Keep the ritual. The math will follow. Jonah Halper is the founder of Altruicity and the author of Magnetic Mission: A Fundraisers Guide to Finding Donors Who Share Your True North.

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Your Daily Phil: How to make Diaspora Jews’ voices heard in Jerusalem?

EJP — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 14:53:36 +0000

Good Monday morning! In today’s edition of Your Daily Phil, we consider the significance for philanthropy of this year’s irregular Rosh Hashanah, which began on Shabbat so the shofar was not blown on the first day in many communities. We report on the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews NIS 24 million ($7.9 million) allocation for Israels needy during the High Holy Days, and examine a new Progressive Policy Institute report tying Americas civics-education crisis to rising antisemitism and slipping support for Israel. We feature an opinion piece by Dan Lahav calling for Diaspora Jewry to have a formal avenue for making its voice heard in Israeli politics, and a piece by David Zalik addressing Jewish day school holdouts. Also in this issue: Jacqueline Novogratz, Stanley C. Middleman and Paul J. Reichenbach.
Today’s Your Daily Phil was curated by eJP Managing Editor Judah Ari Gross, Opinion Editor Rachel Kohn and Israel Editor Justin Hayet. Have a tip? Email us here. Follow us on Whatsapp Follow us on Telegram What Were Watching Today is Tzom Gedaliah, a minor fast day marking the assassination of the eponymous governor of the Kingdom of Judah, which led to the end of Jewish sovereignty after the destruction of the First Temple. What You Should Know A QUICK WORD FROM eJPS JUDAH ARI GROSS Every few years, we have an irregular Rosh Hashanah like we had this year,one that begins on Shabbat. For many communities, particularly Orthodox ones, this overlap slightly alters the holiday, both logistically and liturgically. But perhaps the most significant difference is that on the first day of the holiday, the shofar is not blown, and in the prayers, the day is not referred to as the “day of the blowing [of the shofar]” but as the “dayof remembranceof the blowing [of the shofar].” In advar Torahfor Rosh Hashanah,Rabbi David Stav,chair of the Tzohar rabbinical movement, reflects on the significance of a Rosh Hashanah missing half of one of its most significant features, offering a key lesson for Jewish philanthropy: The blast of a shofar is like a cry of pain, waking us up to the needs of others. When Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat, we have a more difficult task ofrememberingthose crieswithout hearing them. In philanthropy, many of the issues that funders and organizations are looking to address are like a shofar blast—overt, explicit and shocking. Security threats, disaffiliation, ignorance, alienation, extremism, polarization, poverty, etc. And yet alongside these obvious —even if difficult to solve —problems, there are many more rumbling beneath the surface, challenging us to hear them. For the organizations and individuals looking to improve society, this year’s irregular Shabbat-Rosh Hashanah overlap instructs us not to forget these silent cries as well. Read the rest of What You Should Know here. News SEASONS GREETINGS IFCJ allocates NIS 24 million to provide food, clothing to 150,000 Israelis for High Holy Days The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews is allocating more than NIS 24 million ($7.9 million) to provide food and clothing to some 150,000 people in Israel for the High Holy Days season,reportseJewishPhilanthropy’s Judah Ari Gross. Price of war:IFCJ, which receives the bulk of its funding from American Christian supporters, said that its annual holiday assistance programs have grown increasingly critical as the past three years of war have exacerbated poverty issues in Israel. “Three years of war have changed the landscape of those who need help in Israel and deepened the struggles of many families who have already been in dire financial situations,” Yael Eckstein, president of the IFCJ, said in a statement. Read the full report here. Share DEMOCRACY DEFICIT New report warns civics education crisis is fueling antisemitism, eroding support for Israel Nearly 4 in 5 American eighth graders score below proficient in civics, the federal government spends roughly 100 times less per student on the subject than on STEM and about one-third of Americans under 30 say democracy is no longer a viable system of government. A new report from the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) argues those trends are connected — and warns they pose a particular threat to Jews and to support for Israel,reports Matthew SheaineJewishPhilanthropy’s sister publicationJewish Insider. Teaching values:“If young people don’t appreciate the value and importance of liberal democratic values, then there’s much less reason for non-Jews to value Israel,” Richard Kahlenberg, director of PPI’s American Identity Project, said. In that case, conflicts in the region are reduced to “fights between different groups, and therefore America wouldn’t have any particular reason to support the one society that subscribes to Western liberal democratic views.” Read the full report and sign up for Jewish Insider’s Daily Kickoff here. Share Opinion CALL TO ACTION Diaspora Jews need an effective lobby in Israel In an opinion piece for eJewishPhilanthropy, Dan Lahav, a former deputy director-general of the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, argues that Diaspora Jews need to create the lobbying infrastructure to effectively influence Israeli politics. “The exclusion of non?resident Jews from voting in Israeli elections has a clear justification: In a country where political decisions can determine matters of life and death, voting rights should be reserved for those who live under those consequences. However, the absence of Diaspora perspectives from Israel’s political discourse has no justification.” Read the full piece here. Share DAY SCHOOL DISCUSSION Jewish day schools are a bubble, and that is the point In an opinion piece foreJewishPhilanthropy, David Zalik, co-founder of the Zalik Foundation,challengesthe argument that Jewish day schools somehow offer a lesser or limiting experience compared to what children get at secular institutions. “They picture a greenhouse, warm and protected and a little artificial, and worry their children won’t be ready for the real world. Secular school feels like the braver, more open choice. But the fear rests on the assumption that the way you prepare a child for a world full of difference is to immerse them in it as early as possible.” Read the full piece here. Share arguesthat impact investing has wrongly adopted Silicon Valleys “unicorn” benchmark and instead proposes a “butterfly” model that measures success by reach, depth, durability and system change rather than billion-dollar valuations. “If valuation is the wrong measure, what’s the right one? I’d start with a single question: Is the world meaningfully different because this organization exists?” Corner-Office Optimism:InTheChronicle of Philanthropy, senior editor Ben Gosebreaks downa new survey by the nonprofit network NTEN and the consulting firm Bridgespan on how nonprofits are using artificial intelligence. “‘There really were some significant differences, and I think that’s a point of reflection for us as a sector,’ said Amy Sample Ward, NTEN’s CEO. ‘The closer you are to your community — whether you’re a program staff person or doing direct service — the more likely you are to say, “I will never use generative AI tools.” And the further you are from the community impact — the executives — the more likely you are to say, “Oh yeah, I use them and they’re great.”’” Sidelined Cinema:InThe Hollywood Reporter, European bureau chief Scott Roxboroughexamineshow Israeli and Palestinian films reach foreign markets and spotlights Shooq, a new platform pairing Jewish creators with investors and philanthropists. “What is taking shape on both sides of the political divide is a distribution system that runs parallel to the mainstream rather than through it.” Major Gifts Freedom Mortgage founder and Phillies co-owner Stanley C. Middleman donated $50 million to the University of Pennsylvanias Penn Medicine to fund early-stage research into cancer as well as autoimmune and infectious diseases… Transitions Andrew Kentbeganhis tenure as board chair of theJewish Federation of Northern New Jersey… Jewish Legacy, a U.K.-based nonprofit that encourages donations to nonprofits through wills and estate giving,appointedMelanie Diamondas its new chair… Word on the Street PhilanthropistStuart Zimmer, who with his wife in 2018 had pledged $100 million toHarvard Universitybut froze the gift in response to the school’s handling of campus anti-Israel activity in the wake of the Oct. 7 terror attacks while their daughter studied at the school, quietlyresumedfunding; the gift will help expand kosher dining options on campus and will include the renaming of the school’s Science Center to honor Zimmer’s father… TheJ50, a forum of Diaspora Jewish organizations from around the world, issued adeclarationsigned by 59 organizations representing 40 countries that statesanti-Zionism, “as manifested today through efforts to deny the Jewish people their right to self-determination, or demand that Jews renounce Zionism as the price of acceptance in political, academic, professional, or cultural life,” isantisemitic, and reaffirms the principles of theInternational Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism… “NAZA,” a documentary by Israeli directorsYuval AbrahamandRachel Szorthat alleges that Israel used AI-powered targeting systems to kill Gaza civilians,wontheSpecial Jury Prizeat theVenice Film Festival, prompting Israel’s Culture MinisterMiki Zoharto call the film vile andvowingto revoke the directors citizenship… The New York PostexaminesWilliam D. Cohans new bookMoney to Burn, which digs intoApollo Global ManagementfounderLeonBlacks ties toJeffrey Epstein, including the $158 million Black paid Epstein and the harassment allegations that ended his run at the firm he founded… The Chronicle of Philanthropyreportson the first major grantmaking overhaul at theFord Foundationunder PresidentHeather Gerken: in January, staff will split into three units — one building the new strategy, one sustaining current grants and one winding down grantees being cut — with the full overhaul due by January 2028… Former U.S. antisemitism envoyDeborah LipstadtestablishedtheEmory Policy Institute on Countering Antisemitism… World ORThasaddedtheColegio Moral y LucesHerzl-Bialik school in Caracas, Venezuela, to its global network — its first new member school in four years… The San Francisco Standardreportson MayorDaniel Luries sharp turn toward labor and renters as the business-friendly mayor strikes an early union deal and declares a rental emergency… A 214-pageGermanindictment alleges thatHamasplottedcoordinated attacks in Berlin and Vienna around the second anniversary of the Oct. 7 terror attacks, seeking to target Israeli and Jewish sites. Seven men were charged, and a weapons cache was seized… AnthropicCEODario Amodeipublishedan essay on Saturday, calling on the AI industry to slow down and was met with agreement byOpenAICEOSam Altman… Inside PhilanthropyprofilesKnight FoundationPresidentMaribel Pérez Wadsworth, who in her first two years has accelerated $300 million in journalism grants, relaunched theKnight Cities Challengeand publicly criticized theTrump administrationsFirst Amendment record… Israeli planetary scientistAdi Ninio Greenbergdiedat 50… LuthierJonathan Cooper, who designed a quartet of string instruments to honor slainWall Street Journalreporter Daniel Pearl,diedat 76…Paul J. Reichenbach, who spent 44 years with theUnion for Reform Judaismshaping its camping and Israel programs and as co-director ofURJ KutzCamp,diedyesterday following a battle with ALS… Rachel Rabin Yaakov, the sister of slain Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin,diedat 101…Yehuda Widawski, the oldest Holocaust survivor living in Israel and a Lodz Ghetto and Auschwitz survivor who later spent decades restoring destroyed Jewish graves in Poland,diedat 107…hed a Jewish man in Surfside, Fla., cursed the victim and his wife and threatened to kill them… Pic of the Day Miriam Alster/Flash90 Worshipers perform the traditional Tashlich service yesterday on the beach in Tel Aviv, ceremonially tossing their sins from the past year into the waters of the Mediterranean Sea ahead of Yom Kippur. Birthdays Courtesy/Jewish LearningWorks Dana Sheanin, CEO of San Francisco-based Jewish LearningWorks Walter Koenig, actor, writer and director, first known for his role as Chekov in the original “Star Trek” television series, turns90 Lawrence Harvey “Larry Brown, the only basketball head coach to have won both an NCAA national championship and an NBA championship, turns86 Larry A. Mizel, executive chairman of MDC Holdings (parent company to Richmond American Homes) until last December, and the primary supporter of the Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem, turns84 Frederick A. Schenk, San Diego-based attorney, a specialist in mass torts, turns73 Daniella Levine Cava, mayor of Miami-Dade County, turns71 Pope Leo XIV, born in Chicago as Robert Francis Prevost, turns71 Dr. Terry Dubrow, plastic surgeon and television personality, turns68 Thomas Scott Kaplan, chairman and chief investment officer of The Electrum Group, he is the worlds largest private collector of Rembrandts works, turns64 Amy Kauffman, founder of Mindchat Research Paul Budnitz, founder of Vermont-based Kidrobot, a retailer of art toys, apparel and accessories, and Ello, an ad-free social network, turns59 Sir Grant Shapps, British secretary of state for defence until 2024 and knighted earlier this year, he was a national president of BBYO, turns58 Richard Strauss, president of Strauss Media Strategies, during the Clinton administration he became the first-ever White House radio director, turns57 Mark A. Semer, managing director at Gasthalter Co., he is a past president of the Young Israel of New Rochelle Elon Gold, comedian, television actor, writer and producer, turns56 Elliot S. Berke, managing partner of Berke Farah LLP, his clients include SCOTUS Justice Clarence Thomas Jennifer Jacobs, senior White House reporter forCBSNews Courtney Cohen Flantzer, senior booking producer atCNNs “Inside Politics with Dana Bash” Hani Furstenberg, Israeli American actor, turns47 Marisa Scheinfeld, artist, photographer and educator, turns46 Russell Berman, staff writer atThe Atlanticsince 2014 Leah Greenberg, co-founder and co-executive director of the progressive Indivisible movement Roxana Pourshalimi, Los Angeles-based attorney working as a contracts supervisor at MarketCast Matt Flegenheimer,New York Timesreporter since 2011, now focused on in-depth profiles Jeremy Moskowitz, EVP at Voyager Global Mobility Elan Kramer, associate vice president of community and Jewish life at Jewish Federations of North America Arkadiy Abramovich, founder and owner of ARA Capital, a British firm with holdings in e-commerce and energy, he is the son of Roman Abramovich, turns33 Julia Savel, MSW graduate this past May at Yeshiva University Lihie Raz, artistic gymnast, she represented Israel at the 2020 (Tokyo) and 2024 (Paris) Summer Olympics, turns23

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Diaspora Jews need an effective lobby in Israel

Contributing Author — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 12:29:33 +0000

The surge in global antisemitism over the past three years and the current elections in Israel reveal a painful truth: Israeli politics profoundly shapes how Jews are perceived and treated worldwide, yet the Jewish Diaspora remains largely voiceless in influencing Israeli policy. A recent Jewish People Policy Institute poll found that 78% of Diaspora Jews follow Israeli elections closely, and majorities want change. Yet with only 8% of Diaspora Jews eligible to vote in Israeli elections — and an even smaller fraction able to travel to Israel to exercise that right — the Diaspora’s influence is negligible. The exclusion of non-resident Jews from voting in Israeli elections has a clear justification: In a country where political decisions can determine matters of life and death, voting rights should be reserved for those who live under those consequences. However, the absence of Diaspora perspectives from Israel’s political discourse has no justification. At present, Diaspora engagement with the Israeli government is largely ceremonial. A joint government–Jewish Agency committee convenes sporadically, and a short English-language briefing, often incomprehensible to many ministers, serves as a token gesture. Other channels include Israeli politicians who attend conferences — mostly to speak, not to listen — and educational programs aimed at increasing Israelis’ exposure to Diaspora Jews, the most well-known of which is the University of Haifa’s Ruderman Program for American Jewish Studies, which does admirable work, yet its impact on policy remains limited. Politicians are driven by constituency, money and power groups, not merely by knowledge. Two additional relevant avenues are the recent Voice of the People initiative and the legacy World Zionist Congress. They hold, at least in name, the potential to do exactly what is needed — and the fact that they do not only amplifies the urgency of the problem. Voice of the People, an initiative of the president of Israel, was conceived as a deliberative listening platform, but its mandate explicitly confines it to dialogue among Jewish communities, not shaping Israeli politics. The Zionist Congress, in contrast, should have served precisely this purpose, but it lost its way long ago and now functions largely as a mechanism for distributing resources and appointments to the politically connected. All this leads to one conclusion: None of these mechanisms provides a structured, strategic way for Diaspora Jews to influence Israeli policy. It is time to establish an organization in the style of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee that will be dedicated to representing the diverse interests of Diaspora Jews within Israel’s political institutions. This won’t be simple, of course. The Jewish People are famously diverse, speaking in many voices and spanning a wide ideological spectrum, so careful thought must go into designing the mechanism for determining the who, what and how of such an entity. In fact, we may conclude that a single organization is not only impossible but perhaps undesirable; maybe we need multiple organizations to ensure that the pluralism of our people is reflected. Alternatively — and perhaps preferably — we could reorient existing organizations to serve this purpose rather than create new ones. In any case, priority should now be given to spreading the idea and building support for it. I am sure that once we agree on the need, we will overcome the challenge of designing the mechanism. History offers a precedent: The First Zionist Congress of 1897 began with little more than a controversial idea — Jewish peoplehood and statehood — yet ultimately gave rise to the State of Israel itself. A similar leap of imagination is now required. If foreign governments such as Russia and Qatar can find pathways into Israeli politics, surely the voices of millions of Jews worldwide deserve a seat at the table. Dan Lahav is a Zionist thinker and former senior Israeli government official now based in the New York City metropolitan area. As deputy director-general of the Prime Minister’s Office, he previously oversaw Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Jewish Diaspora portfolio.

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IFCJ allocates NIS 24 million to provide food, clothing to 150,000 Israelis for High Holy Days

Judah Ari Gross — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 11:34:42 +0000

The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews is allocating more than NIS 24 million ($7.9 million) to provide food and clothing to some 150,000 people in Israel for the High Holy Days season, the organization said last week. IFCJ, which receives the bulk of its funding from American Christian supporters, said that its annual holiday assistance programs have grown increasingly critical as the past three years of war have exacerbated poverty issues in Israel. A survey commissioned by IFCJ in July, which was conducted by the firm Geocartography, found that 42% of respondents said that their financial situation had worsened since the start of the war, compared to 10% that said it had improved. Ahead of the High Holy Days, which are traditionally marked by festive meals, nearly two-thirds of respondents said that they had to cut their spending in order to pay for basic food costs. “Three years of war have changed the landscape of those who need help in Israel and deepened the struggles of many families who have already been in dire financial situations,” Yael Eckstein, president of the IFCJ, said in a statement. “This holiday support serves to deliver a message of hope and mutual responsibility for better days ahead, ensuring that no family feels left behind.” According to IFCJ, the NIS 24 million will be distributed in a number of ways. Most of the funding —roughly NIS 16 million ($5.2 million) —will provide food vouchers worth NIS 800 ($262) to 20,060 families who receive local welfare support. Another NIS 3.6 million ($1.2 million) will go to NIS 800 ($262) food vouchers for 4,550 families who receive support from charitable organizations. One thousand new immigrant families will receive food vouchers worth NIS 1,000 ($328). And 2,316 food vouchers worth NIS 250 ($81.9) will be given to families supported by Eshel Yerushalayim Colel Chabad. In addition, 9,550 clothing vouchers worth NIS 300 ($98) will be distributed to families for each child in a welfare boarding school or day care center. And some 3,600 food baskets worth roughly NIS 190 ($62) will be given to families and elderly Israelis supported by Yad b’Yad or Latet.

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The unheard shofar blast’s lesson for philanthropy

Judah Ari Gross — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 11:23:40 +0000

Every few years, we have a Rosh Hashanah like we had this year, one that begins on Shabbat. For many communities, particularly Orthodox ones, this overlap alters the holiday, both logistically — you can’t cook on the first day — and also liturgically — the Avinu Malkeinu prayer is not recited, and other Shabbat-related clauses are added. But perhaps the most significant difference is that on the first day of the holiday, the shofar is not blown, and in the prayers, the day is not referred to as the “day of the blowing [of the shofar]” but as the “day of remembrance of the blowing [of the shofar].” The halachic rationale for not blowing the shofar is a curious one: You may find yourself carrying it a forbidden distance on Shabbat in order to ask an expert how to blow it. (Not a particularly common situation to accidentally find yourself in.) This is typically not the case for most Reform communities, which do not follow the same strictures regarding Shabbat observance —and also may observe only one day of Rosh Hashanah —and thus do blow the shofar when Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat. In a dvar Torah for Rosh Hashanah, Rabbi David Stav, chair of the Tzohar rabbinical movement, reflects on the significance of a Rosh Hashanah missing half of one of its most significant features, offering a key lesson for Jewish philanthropy. Writing in Tzohar’s Kiddush Times, Stav notes that the halachic reason is somewhat far-fetched and considers existing explanations for why communities forego blowing the shofar before offering his own: The blast of a shofar is like a cry of pain, waking us up to the needs of others. When Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat, we have a more difficult task of remembering those crieswithout hearing them. “The truth is that most pain goes unheard, because the one in pain lacks the strength, the will, or the ability to voice it,” Stav wrote. In philanthropy, many of the issues that funders and organizations are looking to address are like a shofar blast —overt, explicit and shocking. The needs are clear, as are the requests for help. There are many such needs as the Jewish world enters a new year. As in years past, security is a primary concern for Diaspora Jewish communities, including the United States, where the Jewish Federations of North America estimates that $1 billion was spent on security last year. Socially and politically, many American Jews are feeling increasingly apart from or at odds with broader American society, particularly as elements within both political parties are adopting positions that are at odds with those of the American Jewish community. Disaffiliation and ignorance also remain critical issues as many American Jews either lose their connection to the wider Jewish community or never had such a relationship to begin with. The connection between American Jews and their brethren in Israel is also growing increasingly strained, accelerated in the wake of the Oct. 7 terror attacks and resulting wars in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran, largely driven by political disagreements between more liberal American Jews and more conservative Israelis. In Israel, in just a few weeks, Israelis will head to the polls for what are broadly seen as pivotal national elections. They do so amid mounting polarization and extremism, growing international isolation and escalating societal woes: income inequality, widespread mental health difficulties, violent crime in the Arab Israeli community and a failing education system. And yet alongside these obvious —even if difficult to solve —problems, there are many more rumbling beneath the surface, challenging us to hear them For the organizations and individuals looking to improve society, this year’s irregular Shabbat-Rosh Hashanah overlap instructs us not to forget these silent cries as well. At eJewishPhilanthropy, we are also aware that some organizations and individuals prioritize their external communications, actively reaching out to us and other news outlets with the hope that such publicity will inspire others to join and support their efforts — while others do not. It is also our responsibility to identify those behind-the-scenes figures and examine their work, scrutinizing it and highlighting it, and not only focusing on their more obvious compatriots.

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Jewish day schools are a bubble, and that is the point

Contributing Author — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 08:34:41 +0000

In my opinion, there is no better decision Jewish parents can make for their childrens education than a Jewish day school. Any denomination, any pedagogy, so long as it takes Jewish peoplehood and Jewish wisdom seriously. The most common objection I hear? I don’t want my kids growing up in a bubble. They should be in the real world. This article is my retort. I was born in Israel and immigrated to the U.S. with my family when I was three. I grew up in Alabama. (Alabama! Imagine the culture shock.) I went to public school my entire life. At the time, the Jewish community of Auburn had, to my knowledge, three Jews in the entire school system. Not the grade. Not the school. The system. My brother and I were two of them. At home, I learned who the Jewish people were — about Zionism, Jewish wisdom, Jewish values. I was bar mitzvahed (in Columbus, Georgia, nearly an hour away). I studied a little. And by the time I was 18, I was serious about being a Jew yet Jewishly illiterate. I knew more about what I wasn’t than who I wanted to be. I spent decades learning what my teenage children, who went to Jewish day school, already have. That is what this article is about.

The backdrop now is even harder than it was a generation ago. Children today are growing up more connected and more alone at the same time: more anxious, more online and with fewer places where they feel steady and sure of themselves. Today the question isn’t only whether your children learn algebra and biology; it’s where they will be known, where they will belong and where they will grow into adults who know who they are. What surprises people is that a compelling answer has little to do with religion; the case for Jewish day school can be made without it. (We’ll discuss what Jewish wisdom — a gift many parents never think to ask for — adds in my next article.) The first concern for many parents is that a Jewish school means trading down academically. The reality tends to surprise them. One day school parent in Atlanta admitted he’d assumed they were sacrificing academic rigor in choosing a Jewish school for his son, and found himself pleasantly surprised as he watched graduates year after year get into the colleges they were aiming for, with test scores that stood up against the best public and private schools. This isn’t unique to one exceptional school. Consider two examples from different Jewish communities. At David Posnack Jewish Day School in Davie, Florida, the Class of 2024 earned acceptances to colleges including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Cornell, the University of Chicago, and NYU. In suburban Atlanta, the Weber School’s graduating classes of 2023 through 2026 earned acceptances to Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell, Duke, the University of California, Berkeley, Washington University in St. Louis, Emory, Georgia Tech, Tufts and many other outstanding colleges and universities. A Jewish day school hardly closes those doors. And even if the Ivy League isn’t your child’s goal, and for most children it isn’t, that’s exactly the point. The door stays open. These graduates can go wherever they want to go, whether that’s a state flagship, a small liberal-arts college, an arts or technical path or, for those who want it, the Ivy League. A big part of it is the dual curriculum: day school students carry both secular and Judaic studies, picking up a second or third language along the way, and learn early how to work through a difficult text and argue with it. Those are durable academic habits, and many graduates arrive at college well prepared for the jump. So let’s turn to the only outstanding question that matters: What is actually best for your child, not only their college prospects? Children flourish when they’re known by caring adults, surrounded by stable friendships, rooted in a community and given a clear sense of who they are and where they belong — the very conditions Jonathan Haidt, in The Anxious Generation, argues modern childhood has been quietly stripping away. It’s increasingly where developmental psychology has landed. Jewish day schools didn’t set out to become well-designed environments for raising children in the 21st century. They simply held onto what children need most while much of the culture let it go. These schools work because they provide three things that have become scarce in modern childhood: children who are known, children who belong and children who grow up with a clear sense of who they are. Here’s how. Your child will be known One of the most important factors in whether a child thrives is whether the adults in the building actually see them. Small classes make that possible: teachers can tailor their methods to each student rather than expecting the student to fit the curriculum. No child disappears in the back row. The shy one gets drawn out and the bored one gets pushed. The child having a hard week gets noticed before it becomes a bad month. Teachers know their students, and students know their teachers. Being genuinely known by your teachers and surrounded by a stable peer group may be one of the most valuable things a school can offer a child right now. Your child won’t just be educated. They’ll be held by those invested in their success. Independent schools also decide who’s in the room. Every parent understands that children become like the people they spend their years beside. The social scientist Nicholas Christakis, of Yale, has spent a career showing how habits, norms, and aspirations spread through the people we’re connected to. Your child’s friends will shape them. That isn’t in question. What you’re deciding is which friends, and what they’re all becoming together. A strong secular private school can match much of what we’ve covered so far. Small classes, serious academics, a child who’s genuinely known — none of that is unique to a Jewish school, and if it’s the whole of what you’re after, the secular school across town may be a fine choice, and you should weigh it seriously. But being known is table stakes for any good independent school. There are things a Jewish day school does that no secular school can match at any tuition: a child who belongs without having to be the different one in the room, a whole family folded into a community for life, and the quiet confidence that comes from knowing exactly who you are. Your child gets to belong A generation or two ago, community came almost for free. It was in the neighborhood where everyone knew your children, the congregation down the street, the civic clubs and the bowling leagues, the cousins and grandparents within driving distance. A child was held by a dense web of people without anyone having to arrange it. That web has thinned. Families move away for work, and grandparents end up a plane ride instead of a street away. The congregations and clubs that once gathered people have emptied out, and a childhood’s worth of connection has migrated online; about half of teenagers now spend four or more hours a day on screens, the CDC reports. The result is hundreds of contacts and startlingly few places where a child is deeply known. Today’s parents don’t inherit a community; they have to build one on purpose. A school that hands your child a real one isn’t offering a Jewish extra. It’s an answer to one of the defining problems of modern childhood. And there’s a particular version of belonging a day school provides that’s easy to miss until it’s gone: the relief of a child who simply gets to be normal. In most schools, a Jewish child is the Jewish child — the one who explains why they’re out for the holidays, who fields the questions, who quietly represents an entire people in every conversation about Israel or antisemitism. That’s a constant tax on a child, and since Oct. 7, 2023 many parents have felt just how heavy it’s become. A day school lifts that burden. The holidays are everyone’s holidays, the calendar is theirs, the rhythm of the place is their own. Your child isn’t the different one here — they’re home. They get to spend their formative years not performing or defending an identity, but just living, with all the attention that frees up for friendship, curiosity, and joy. For a lot of children, that’s the difference between enduring school and loving it. There’s a deeper form of belonging here, too, that most children today grow up without: the felt sense of being part of something older and larger than themselves — a people, a story, a chain that runs back hundreds of generations. It’s one of the quieter losses of modern childhood, hard to name until you meet a child who has it. A day school hands a child that inheritance early, as a birthright, rather than leaving it as something they might go looking for later, if they ever do. You’re not choosing a school — you’re choosing an ecosystem Belonging doesn’t stop at your child. Most schools give your child an education; very few give your whole family a community. When you enroll, your whole family joins something. It starts with your child’s friendships and quickly becomes your own — the other parents who become your closest friends. It’s the rabbis and mentors who know your child for years and show up at the moments that matter. It’s the meals that arrive after a birth, a death, an illness, and without anyone having to ask. Later, it becomes the internship that comes through a classmate’s parent, the professional network that opens doors a decade out, even the weddings where half the room met in kindergarten. In a culture where so many families feel atomized and alone, that ecosystem is one of the most valuable things you can hand a child, and one of the hardest to find anywhere else. You’re not buying 12 years of schooling. You’re joining a community of relationships that follows your child for life. Confidence comes from knowing who you are Every parent wants a confident child. Real confidence has nothing to do with being told you’re special. It comes from knowing who you are, where you belong, and what you stand for — and those happen to be exactly the things a day school spends twelve years building. A child with those things needs less from strangers. Less of the validation that pulls children toward the phone and the follower count, toward the approval of a room they’ll never actually see. Most schools teach children what to think about and how to score well. Few teach them how to be a person. Day schools build ethics into the day itself, not as a poster on the wall but as something students spend years discussing and practicing. They come out having absorbed a simple, unfashionable idea: that a life is measured not only by what you achieve, but by what you owe other people. You don’t have to be religious to want that. Any parent — secular, atheist, culturally Jewish, whatever — wants a child who is kind, who shows up for people, and who has a spine about right and wrong. A child who knows what they believe and has somewhere they unmistakably belong moves through the world differently. That’s the kind of confidence that doesn’t crack under pressure. Which brings us to the most common objection I’ve heard parents raise. Yes, it’s a bubble “I don’t want my child in a bubble,” say many parents. They picture a greenhouse, warm and protected and a little artificial, and worry their children won’t be ready for the real world. Secular school feels like the braver, more open choice. But the fear rests on the assumption that the way you prepare a child for a world full of difference is to immerse them in it as early as possible. It sounds obviously right. It treats exposure and preparation as the same thing, and they aren’t. A child dropped into difference before they’re secure in who they are doesn’t necessarily become worldly — they often become anxious, or malleable, forever managing how they’re seen by others. The child who first knows exactly who they are is the one who can later walk into a room full of difference and engage it without fear and without dissolving into it. Security isn’t the opposite of openness. It’s the precondition for it. So let’s concede it: Of course it’s a bubble. But childhood is supposed to be a protected environment. The purpose of a greenhouse is not to keep a plant inside forever — it’s to make it strong enough to survive outside. Training wheels come off; the whole point of the protection is the day it’s no longer needed. The only question that matters is whether yours prepares a child to thrive once it’s gone. Besides, the alternative isn’t a bubble-free childhood. Every childhood is a bubble of some kind. A suburban public school is a bubble. An elite private school is a bubble. A rural school is a bubble. A secular school isn’t “the real world”; it’s just a different bubble, one where your child absorbs a particular set of assumptions about what matters and how to live, mostly by default and rarely examined. Every parent is choosing a bubble for their child whether they realize it or not. The only real decision is whether you pick one on purpose — for its people, its values, and the kind of adult it tends to turn out — or let one get picked for you. On that question, the evidence is not subtle. When researchers followed Jewish students onto college campuses — about the hardest real-world test a young person faces right now — day-school graduates didn’t fold. In a Prizmah analysis of data from a Tufts University survey of Jewish college students, day-school alumni were more than twice as likely (81% vs. 35%) to say their Jewish identity is very important to them, twice as likely to engage in campus Jewish life regularly (53% vs. 23%), and far more likely to feel “very close” to a community (56% vs. 19%). A separate study following graduates of Jewish day schools in the United Kingdom into university found that students’ resilience in the face of hostility drew on a foundation of identity, community, and civic awareness built at school. The Prizmah analysis also found that day school students scored higher in civic knowledge and volunteering and were more likely to remain involved in their communities after graduating. These students don’t retreat from the wider world — they engage it more. So here’s the real choice. This was never really about safety versus exposure, or insularity versus openness. The real question is whether your child grows up known, intellectually stretched, morally grounded, free to simply belong and woven into a community for life — and then meets the world standing up straight. The bubble you’re afraid of is the very thing that equips them to leave it. David Zalik is the co-founder of the Zalik Foundation, which has invested more than $200 million in Jewish education, thriving Jewish communities, Israel and families in need.

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Your Daily Phil: Two rabbis reflect on how 9/11 shaped them

EJP — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 14:23:16 +0000

Good Thursday morning! In today’s edition ofYour Daily Phil, we report on the launch of a national fund to help families claim a new $1,700 federal tax credit for day school tuition. We also spotlight Footsteps’ microgrants for formerly Orthodox Jews to mark the High Holy Days. We report onRobert Kraft’s $10 million naming gift toBrandeis University’s Hillel center, and profileRabbi Ronald Kaplanwhose doctors connected his laryngeal cancer diagnosis to his work as a Sept. 11 spiritual first responder. We feature an opinion piece byRabbi Alex Lazarus-Kleinmarking the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks tomorrow, and a piece byRabbi Josh Josephabout seeking spiritual mentorship. Also in this issue:Jonathan Haidt and Tamar Remz,Rabbanit Ravit Kalechand U.S. Ambassador to IsraelMike Huckabee. Ed note:In observance of Rosh Hashanah, the nextYour Daily Philwill arrive on Monday, Sept. 14.Shabbat shalomandshana tovah! Today’sYour Daily Philwas curated by eJP Opinion Editor Rachel Kohn and Israel Editor Justin Hayet. Have a tip?Email us here. Follow us on Whatsapp Follow us on Telegram What Were Watching Tomorrow marks the 25th anniversary of theSept. 11 terror attacks, with memorial ceremonies planned across the country. Rosh Hashanahbegins tomorrow evening, as Jews around the world mark the end of 5786 and the start of 5787. What You Should Know A consortium of Jewish groups is launching a national fundto allow American taxpayers to take full advantage of a $1,700 tax rebate that will reduce private school tuition costs,reportseJewishPhilanthropy’s Jay Deitcher. To facilitate the income tax credits,Jewish Federations of North America, Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools and the Orthodox Union and its day school-focused Teach Coalition, announced the creation of The Opportunity Fund for Jewish Education, a national scholarship-granting organization that will allow Americans to donate to a single SGOthat will dispense funds locally to Jewish day schools across the U.S. “We realized we are much more likely to be successfulif we work together across the entire community,” Paul Bernstein, Prizmah’s CEO, told eJP. “This really does have the potential to have a huge impact, but it depends on us mobilizing the Jewish community to really participate in the tax credit and support our schools.” Read the full report here. News BABY STEPS Footsteps marks 10 years of High Holy Days microgrants supporting formerly Orthodox Jews For many practicing Jews, the accumulation of holidays from Rosh Hashanah to Simchat Torah can be a heavy load, emotionally and physically. But for those thinking of leaving the Orthodox community, the High Holy Days can be the last straw before taking the leap of faith toward a new life. And after leaving, the holidays may symbolize both freedomandloneliness. For the past 10 years, Footsteps, a nonprofit serving individuals who have left the Haredi community, has provided members with microgrants, allowing them to honor the holidays in a way that is meaningful to them,reportseJewishPhilanthropy’s Jay Deitcher. Religious autonomy:“The beauty of the microgrant program is that it allows individuals autonomy to determine how they want to celebrate and who they want to celebrate with,” Lani Santo, Footsteps’ CEO, told eJP. “A lot of our folks are living at the edge of the poverty line. Affordability is a big issue in this country, in this city and for this community. You have people [who] are coming out of a community that doesn’t have a lot of resources, but then when they leave that, they have lost the social and economic safety net that exists in those communities.” Read the full report here. Share MAJOR GIFTS Robert Kraft donates $10M to name new Brandeis Hillel center New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft has donated $10 million to Brandeis University to name a new 28,000-square-foot facility for Jewish life, expected to open in spring 2028, the school said on Wednesday,eJewishPhilanthropy’s Nira Dayanim reports. The donation is the “cornerstone” gift of a long-term $25 million fundraising campaign — a partnership between Brandeis and Hillel announced last year — to repurpose Kutz Hall, a vacant university building into a center for Jewish life on campus, according to the university. All in the family:Kraft cited his family’s longtime ties to the university, which include the 1964 graduation of Kraft’s late wife, Myra, and her later tenure as a trustee and honorary degree recipient, a path her father, Jacob Hiatt, had also followed decades earlier. Their son, Joshua Kraft, has also served on the university’s board. Over the years, the family’s philanthropy has funded several endowed professorships and scholarships at Brandeis, along with broader support for faculty and academic programs. Read the full story here. Share BEYOND WORDS A rabbi answered the call at Ground Zero. Two decades later, it cost him his voice A rabbi answered the call at Ground Zero. Two decades later, it cost him his voice For more than four decades, Rabbi Ronald Kaplan’s primary tool for his work was his voice. But this year, as the nation marks the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks — a commemoration that falls as the major Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah begins on Friday night — that work of speaking and remembering holds particular resonance for Kaplan, whose service as a spiritual first responder at Ground Zero during the aftermath of the attacks ultimately cost him his “greatest sacrifice” — his voice,reports Matthew SheaforeJewishPhilanthropy’s sister publicationJewish Insider. Paying the price:Kaplan describes the scene as “ancient liturgy for modern horror”: the acrid air, pulverized concrete, twisted steel and battered office furniture strewn amid the rubble, punctuated by sudden cries when recovery teams found human remains or fragments of clothing. He was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer in 2020. During an early consultation, Kaplan’s physician ran through the usual risk factors — smoking, heavy drinking and HPV. “When my answers were all in the negative, he looked at me and asked: ‘Did you ever work at Ground Zero?’” Kaplan recalled. “He immediately connected my rare cancer to my exposure on the pile.” Read the full report here and sign up for Jewish Insider’s Daily Kickoff here. Share Opinion ZACHOR I am a proud 9/11 rabbi In an opinion piece for eJewishPhilanthropy, Jewish Future Promise’s Mike Leven and Hadara In an opinion piece foreJewishPhilanthropy, Rabbi Alex Lazarus-Klein of Congregation Shir Shalom in Buffalo, N.Y.,reflectson how the events of Sept. 11, 2001, and their aftermath impacted not only his experience at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College but his rabbinate going forward. “The lessons learned from that horrific day have helped determine the type of work I have taken on, my approach to Judaism and my understanding of my role as a rabbi in the greater world.” Read the full piece here. Share INTERNAL DEVELOPMENT A personal board of directors for the soul: Why everyone needs a spiritual mentor In an opinion piece foreJewishPhilanthropy, Rabbi Josh Joseph, CEO of the Orthodox Union,writesthat alongside therapists, coaches and professional mentors, we need spiritual mentors to help us reflect on who we are and who we aspire to become. “My own personal board of directors includes both rabbis and non-rabbis, my late father and my mother, dear friends and people that I find somewhat intimidating. Each offers a unique perspective, and I turn to different people for different types of questions.” Read the full piece here. Share Worthy Reads Line in the Sand:In his Substack “Identity/Crisis,” Shalom Hartmans Yehuda Kurtzerpraisesa Michigan campaign — rabbis and Jewish leaders daring Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed to earn their support rather than assume it — as a model of Jewish political agency, arguing the same red lines should bind the right, whose antisemitism he calls as dangerous as the lefts. “But let’s make sure that in rejecting one illiberalism, we don’t capitulate to another. Let’s make sure that our nonnegotiables cut both ways.” Funding America’s Future:InThe Chronicle of Philanthropy, author and professor Jonathan Haidt and The Palm Collective’s Tamar Remzwritethat university self-examinations, a wave of new campus dialogue centers and neutrality policies at nearly 150 institutions signal a turnaround in American higher education, arguing sustained philanthropic investment will determine whether the shift toward open inquiry endures. “The institutions and leaders who step forward now will shape not only the future of higher education, but the future of the American experiment.” Guardians of Essaouira:In thePittsburgh Jewish Chronicle, founder and CEO of Shin Tours Asaf PeleddescribesEssaouira — a Moroccan Atlantic port town that was once nearly half Jewish — as the most moving stop on a Jewish heritage trip through Morocco, where more than 1,000 pilgrims gather each September for Rabbi Haim Pintoshiloula,though almost no Jews remain. “Partly it is the scale of what was here. Mostly it is the care with which a country preserves a heritage almost none of whose people remain.” Transitions TheConstructive Dialogue InstituteappointedTamar Remz, founder and president ofThe Palm Collectiveand former longtime director at theHarold Grinspoon Foundation, as chair of its board of directors.See Worthy Read above… Anti-Defamation LeagueappointedSasha Benjamin, Meyer Cusnir, Matthew Devaney, Dalton Ercolano, Ella Kotok, Gali Polichuk, Samantha Przybisiki, Lily Rashes, Logan Reich, Jack Schell and Maddie Stoller to its inauguralNextGen Advisory Council; the body will advise the organization’s board and senior leadership on antisemitism and Jewish life… Julie Yakerbegana new role at theJewish Federation of Detroitas its director of leadership development… Bnai Brith CanadahiredMichelle Hoidasas its new national director of philanthropy as well asJordan Kerbelas its head of national communications and corporate affairs…ted as the first-ever Jewish president of the Catholic Biblical Association of America… Word on the Street Ahead of Israel’s October election, a new poll by theIsrael Democracy Institutefoundthat foreign affairs and security are at the top Jewish voters considerations with Arab voters primarily focused on crime in Arab society. Meanwhile, 68% of Jewish Israelis say Oct. 7 is a central consideration that will shape their vote… A newJewish Voters Resource CenterpollfoundAmerican Jewish voters are staying with Democrats heading into November with 67% backing Democratic congressional candidates and 26% Republicans despite the partys rift with Israel… J StreetsUniversity of Michiganchapterseveredties withMichigan Hillelafter being told to cut ties with its national parent, a split left-leaning Jewish students say signals shrinking room for their views on campus… New data fromJgive, Israels largest donation platform, shows seasonal giving on the platform rose 53% over four years to NIS 68.5 million ($22.6 million), with the share of gifts made in foreign currency falling from 54% to 16% DreamWorks Animation co-founderJeffrey Katzenberg,Bill Peebles, the former head of OpenAIs Sora app, and former Dropbox CFOSujay Jaswaareplanningto launch a new AI video startup that would train its own models for filmmakers, and are in talks with potential investors includingAndreessen Horowitzto raise funding,The Informationreports… The world-famousCarnegie Deliis reopeninginManhattan, and will be located in the space of the former Stage Deli, which closed in 2012… Israeli-American defense startupCovenantemergedfrom stealth with more than $250 million at a valuation above $1 billion to mass-produceAnthem, a low-cost long-range cruise missile. The company’s founder isMichael Kaufman, a Jewish American who previously worked forPeter Thiel’s foundation and madealiyahto Israel in 2024… CBS NewsfollowsthePittsburgh Jewish communitysefforts to add police patrols and armed guards for the High Holy Days after a rise in threats, though officials report no specific threats to synagogues at this time… Israel’sMinistry of Aliyah and Absorptionannouncedmore than 20,000 Jewish immigrants from about 100 countries madealiyahover the past year… Rabbanit Ravit Kalech, an attorney who left law to become an ordained halachic authority and a leading figure in Orthodox women’s religious study, died this week… Pic of the Day Alex Kolomoisky Hundreds gather at Jerusalems 9/11 Living Memorial in the Arazim Valley yesterday to mark 25 years since the terror attacks that killed 2,977 Americans. The memorial is the only one of its kind outside the U.S. bearing every victims name. Each year, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund, JNF-USA and the U.S. Embassy come together to host a memorial event. This year, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, KKL-JNF Chairman Eyal Ostrinsky and JNF-USA CEO Russell F. Robinson all spoke at the event, alongside Suri and Harvey Morgenstern, whose daughter Nancy died in the attacks, and actor Patricia Heaton. “Today’s memorial, at which the United States and Israel mourn together and stand together, is a testimony to our enduring solidarity and shared resolve to confront terrorism and protect innocent life – a bond that time cannot erode and terror can never sever,” Huckabee said in a statement. Birthdays Lizzie Cohen Ro Richard Behar, award-winning journalist and author, he wrote a 2024 book on Bernie Madoff Stanley Gold, chairman of Shamrock Holdings, Roy Disneys private investment company, turns84 Dianne Varon, retired real estate agent in Southern California Gerald Fishman, former EVP and general counsel at Chicagos futures broker Rosenthal Collins Group Howard Penner, past president of Congregation Ahavas Israel in Passaic, N.J. Henri Goettel, retired coordinator at Truman Heartland Community Foundation, she was a Hebrew teacher at Congregation Beth Torah in Overland Park, Kan. Gary M. Polland, Houston attorney and Republican Party activist, turns76 Joel Judd, Denver attorney and politician, he served in the Colorado House of Representatives for eight years, turns74 Nancy Finkel, executive assistant to the office managing partner of the EY office in Tampa Matthew Fried, retired VP at Goldman Sachs, now a part-time elementary school teacher Steven Greenspan, real estate attorney in South Florida Amity Ruth Shlaes, writer, columnist and author of threeNew York Timesbestsellers, turns66 Charles Rosenberg, former acting administrator of the DEA, now a senior counsel at D.C.s Crowell Moring, turns66 Andrew Shapiro, founder and managing director at Beacon Global Strategies, he serves on the New Leadership Council of the Jewish Democratic Council of America Lawrence Garbuz, NYC trusts and estates attorney Jonathan Soros, co-founder and partner of One Madison Group, he is a son of George Soros, turns56 Eric Kaplan, television writer and producer whose work includes “The Big Bang Theory,” turns55 Ariel Sadwin, executive director of the Maryland / Mid-Atlantic region of Agudath Israel Sarah Schneider, writer, actor and comedian, she was a writer for “Saturday Night Live,” turns43 Charles Szold, principal at Blue Zone Partners and managing partner at Precision Infrastructure Management Joshua A. Nass, PR strategist, crisis manager and media analyst Trey Yingst, chief foreign correspondent for Fox News, his 2024 book,Black Saturday, covers the events of Oct. 7 and the war that followed, turns33 Jennifer Meyer

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Footsteps marks 10 years of High Holy Days microgrants supporting formerly Haredi Jews

Jay Deitcher — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 10:23:58 +0000

For many practicing Jews, the accumulation of holidays from Rosh Hashanah to Simchat Torah can be a heavy load, emotionally and physically. But for those thinking of leaving the Haredi community, the High Holy Days can be the last straw before taking the leap of faith toward a new life. And after leaving, the holidays may symbolize both freedom and loneliness. For the past 10 years, Footsteps, a nonprofit serving individuals who have left the Haredi community, has provided members with microgrants, allowing them to honor the holidays in a way that is meaningful to them. The grants — offering up to $150 for grantees to host a gathering — are meant to help members explore what they want their Judaism to look like in their new lives and to cultivate community. “The beauty of the microgrant program is that it allows individuals autonomy to determine how they want to celebrate and who they want to celebrate with,” Lani Santo, Footsteps’ CEO, told eJewishPhilanthropy. “A lot of our folks are living at the edge of the poverty line. Affordability is a big issue in this country, in this city and for this community. You have people [who] are coming out of a community that doesnt have a lot of resources, but then when they leave that, they have lost the social and economic safety net that exists in those communities.” Many Footsteps members come to the organization “from a very black-and-white understanding of what Judaism is,” Santo said. Some are still living “in the closet” within Haredi communities. The grants help them get “to a place to explore what that gray looks like.” Microgrants can be used to create a new tradition or blend new and old ones. It may look like a group of friends noshing on apples and honey to a Leonard Cohen soundtrack, a dinner date with a sibling who also left the community or a group hike to contemplate the changing of the seasons. Although the grants are meant to support those who have left the Haradi community, gatherings can include guests who were never a part of it. “The point is to help to build a sense of belonging,” Santo said. “If folks are only building what we call an OTD, off-the-derech [meaning having left the Haredi “path”] community, then theyre recreating an insular bubble.” Founded in December 2003, Footsteps offers mental health services, legal services and educational and career programs. It offers a wealth of support focused around the High Holy Days, including drop-in groups, tickets to services at Romemu, Lab/Shul and other Manhattan congregations that members gravitate towards and a massive cholent cook-off. The grants allow the organization to stretch its reach outside the New York metropolitan area across the U.S. Footsteps has received support from Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, The Jewish Foundation for Education of Women, The Natan Fund, UJA-Federation of New York, Crown Family Philanthropies, The Dorot Foundation, UpStart, Jewish Social Justice Roundtable and even comedian and actor Amy Schumer. Countering the “myth” that Footsteps pushes individuals to leave the Haredi community, Santo said that the organization serves to help members think through their decisions and realize the implications. “We want to build a more integrated and whole sense of self, and to take whats working from the past, integrate that into their future self,” she said. “But if its not working for them, then from a mental health perspective, thats an important thing to notice. Everything is in balance. Were working on helping people balance whats best for them as individuals, and then think through [what are] the implications on my relationships, on my constellation with my family, and what do I want from that.” For some members, celebrating the holiday might mean a meal with their biological family as well as a meal with other Footsteps members. Last year’s microgrant program funded 49 gatherings which served 650 people. This years numbers arent in, as Footsteps plans to allocate more microgrants over the next few weeks, but it anticipates handing out around 50, as it does every year. For Deena Englander, who left the Haredi community seven years ago alongside her husband, after three years living “in the closet,” the grants are empowering in that they allow people to offer others a comfortable space for the holidays. Englander is one of this year’s grant recipients. It’s her third year receiving the grant, allowing her to host a meal of 20 to 30 people that includes all the staples: round challah, apples and honey, and chicken soup. “People love matzah balls and chicken soup, so I try to do that when we have an OTD crowd because it makes them feel homey,” she told eJP. She also offers her own symbolic treats. “This year Im planning on having chocolate coins for money. We should all have a lot of money, and I want to get gummies that are in smiley faces. We should be happy.” Englander is still in touch with her birth family, though some relatives treat her as if they didn’t know her. “Some of them treat me worse than a stranger. Some of them are nice,” she said. “[She and her husband] definitely lost our clan, the extended family.” Every High Holy Days season, she begins preparing, planning ways to come together with chosen family members. “I know were going to be excluded [by her birth family], forgotten about,” she said. “Not deliberately, my parents arent malicious at all with that, but its… just hard.” No longer a season of judgement for her, Englander views the High Holy Days “from a cultural evolution standpoint,” she said. “A lot of the holidays came from agricultural holidays and the High Holidays now is a symbol of the new year and rebirth, the cycle of planting is done and were moving into the beginning of the new year.” She wants to enter the year with good feelings, holding onto the cultural aspects of Judaism that are important to her. “People lose so much of that when they leave [the Haredi community] because its often intertwined together,” she said. “But thats the basis of who we are, really.” Often, Englander hosts the same guests both nights of Rosh Hashanah. “This is our new family, and at holidays you want some kind of family,” she said. “To see all the kids running around, playing together, thats what I grew up with, with all the cousins and grandparents and everybody there, and were able to replicate that feeling. It is really special and meaningful for the kids to grow up with that too, because its not just the adults [who are celebrating], its the next generation. What does religion mean to them? At least its something that they know about.”

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Robert Kraft donates $10M to name new Brandeis Hillel center

Nira Dayanim — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 10:16:18 +0000

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft has donated $10 million to Brandeis University to name a new 28,000-square-foot facility for Jewish life, expected to open in spring 2028, the school announced on Wednesday. The donation is the cornerstone gift of a long-term $25 million fundraising campaign — a partnership between Brandeis and Hillel announced last year —to repurpose Kutz Hall, a vacant university building into a center for Jewish life on campus, according to the university. Although the center, to be named the Robert K. Kraft Family Center for Jewish Life and Leadership, is designed to operate as a permanent home for Hillel, all students will be welcome, according to Brandeis. Nine other philanthropists or philanthropic foundations — the Beker Foundation, Cordish family, Stan Elias and Donna Shewach, Jick family, Koplow Foundation, Kupferberg/Lorin family, Perlman family, Shapira family and Shane family — contributed a combined $9.5 million, bringing the campaign to more than $21 million, according to the university. That total clears the halfway mark Brandeis had set as a threshold for construction to begin, according to the universitys alumni magazine. Built in 1959 as Brandeis original student center before being converted to administrative use in the 1970s, Kutz Hall most recently housed the registrars office and other services that have since been relocated. Planned features for the building include a beit midrash, or house of study, along with flexible event spaces intended to host conferences and convenings on “the future of Jewish life,” though the campaign will also fund “staffing and program funds,” according to the school. Rabbi Seth Winberg, Hillels executive director, told the Brandeis student newspaper, The Justice, last September that Hillel had outgrown its offices in the Usdan Student Center and had also been renting rooms across campus for programming, and that discussions with the university about a permanent home had been ongoing for years before Kutz Hall became available. In a statement, Kraft pointed to the universitys history of Jewish values and said he was pleased to help create a Hillel on campus for future students. “The Kraft family has always been proud to support Brandeis and I am pleased to strengthen the work of the university and create a Hillel on campus to help educate and inspire students to carry forward the university’s mission,” Kraft said. Brandeis President Arthur Levine called the gift part of what he described as a historic project, and praised the broader group of alumni and donors who funded the project. He also cited the Kraft family’s longtime ties to the university, which includes the 1964 graduation of Krafts late wife, Myra, and her later tenure as a trustee and honorary degree recipient, a path her father, Jacob Hiatt, had also followed decades earlier. Their son, Joshua Kraft, has also served on the universitys board. Over the years, the familys philanthropy has funded several endowed professorships and scholarships at Brandeis, along with broader support for faculty and academic programs. “Robert Kraft and the Kraft family have a remarkable legacy at Brandeis, through their generous support of our faculty and students, and we are proud to now be home to the Robert K. Kraft Family Center for Jewish Life and Leadership,” said Levine.

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I am a proud 9/11 rabbi

Contributing Author — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 08:19:00 +0000

On the morning of my first day of classes in my third year of rabbinical school, two Boeing 767s struck the Twin Towers. I had just come back from my year in Israel, where I lived through the terror of the Second Intifada. Now an even larger global event would come to define not just my experience at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, but my rabbinate as a whole. I am a 9/11 rabbi through and through. The lessons learned from that horrific day have helped determine the type of work I have taken on, my approach to Judaism and my understanding of my role as a rabbi in the greater world. The first time I led High Holy Day services was five days after 9/11; this week, Erev Rosh Hashana falls on the 25th anniversary. Here are three meaningful ways 9/11 helped shape my rabbinate: First, it taught me flexibility and the value of being responsive to the moment. I had worked for weeks and weeks on the sermon that I would give that Rosh Hashana. I honed it. I tweaked it. I finally felt comfortable with it. Yet on Sept. 12, 2001, that perfectly crafted speech went into the waste bin, never to be seen again. The world was in disarray in the days and weeks that followed 9/11. The student pulpit I was serving in Atlanta needed to hear a message of hope and resilience, stability and assurance. I spoke about the stones of the ancient Temple that still line the grounds of the Jewish Quarter and of the thousands of years of understanding we have about how to recover from tragedy. It was not the best sermon I would ever offer, but it was one of the most important. Through that experience, I learned to wait a little longer to start writing, and when I do, to be responsive to the moment we are living through. Second, 9/11 taught me about how interconnected we were with the larger world. While the Second Intifada was a blaring shofar cry across the Jewish world, Sept. 11, 2001 was an even louder cry across the whole of the world. There are more than 1,200 9/11 memorials around the globe, located everywhere from Hangzhou, China, to Arazim Park in Jerusalem. To be a post-9/11 rabbi, I would need to acknowledge that the Jewish community is a small dot on the landscape of the wider world. Tikkun olam, repairing the world, suddenly extended beyond just tending to our own community needs to critical issues affecting the planet. Third, 9/11 taught me that relations with non-Jewish partners are essential. Because religious fanaticism was at the core of the attack, 9/11 exposed the fault lines not just between the Abrahamic religions but between all religious groups. As a rabbinical student, I saw the way my Muslim friends and neighbors were being targeted. Islam and Judaism were both minority religions in America, and it would be my job to reach out and support my fellow religious travelers in their time of need. Right away, I started Jewish-Muslim-Christian programming, attended interfaith Thanksgiving services and began to create a network that has only expanded over the years. Currently, I serve as the rabbinic advisor to the Community Relations Council of the Buffalo Jewish Federation, interfacing with hundreds of contacts around western New York. I am not sure I would be in such a role without the influence of 9/11. For all of us who are old enough to remember it, 9/11 forever changed us. While a quarter century has now passed, the lessons learned from that fateful day continue to shape our personal lives and those of our communities. May the souls of the 2,977 people who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 always be for a blessing. Rabbi Alex Lazarus-Klein is the rabbi of Congregation Shir Shalom in Buffalo, N.Y.

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A personal board of directors for the soul: Why everyone needs spiritual mentors

Contributing Author — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:00:00 +0000

More than 98% of Fortune 500 companies incorporate mentoring into their businesses, and over 160 million Americans have sought therapy to help navigate lifes challenges. But how many people seek out spiritual mentorship? Though I have no data to point to, based on countless conversations, even with some of my most religiously committed friends, my impression is: not enough. I have benefited greatly from therapists, coaches and professional mentors. Yet some of the most transformative guidance in my life has come from what some would call a rebbe, but I would call a spiritual mentor. One day, while serving as the senior vice president of Yeshiva University, I was in a big rush to get to a meeting and decided to drive on the shoulder of the road to bypass traffic. It was a poor choice; I got pulled over and received a traffic ticket. Later that day, somewhat embarrassed, I mentioned this to my boss, then-YU President Richard Joel. He smiled and then commented, “Our character is not defined by the big things we do; it is defined by all the small choices we make.” In that moment, he stepped outside of his role as my boss and acted as a spiritual mentor. It was moments like these that pushed me to think beyond my job and to consider who I am and where I need to be. A spiritual mentor is much more than a therapist who helps you understand yourself or a business coach who shares best industry practices. A spiritual mentor is someone you look up to, someone who is wise, and someone who could encourage you to become a better version of yourself. When grappling with family challenges, a therapist might help me establish boundaries, but a spiritual mentor can help me think about my obligations. When considering career decisions, they encourage me to think not only about personal fulfillment but also about my God-given talents and responsibilities. Like most Orthodox Jews, I have rabbis whom I consult regarding matters of Jewish law. But spiritual mentors do something different. They help me rise above the trees and confront the larger questions of meaning, purpose and direction by challenging me and by leading by example. To be clear, a spiritual mentor is not limited to being Orthodox, or even Jewish. We all live by a set of values, and the value of spiritual mentorship lies in ensuring that those values are considered when making big decisions. Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, an 18th-century mystic and philosopher, captures the role of a spiritual mentor using the imagery of a maze with a tower at its center. Most people wander aimlessly, repeatedly encountering the same dead ends. Some eventually give up. What they fail to realize is that there is someone who has already reached the tower. From that vantage point, Luzzatto writes, he can guide others toward the correct path. The challenge of finding a mentor Many people tell me they have identified someone they would like to establish as a spiritual mentor but do not know how to build a relationship with them. My advice is simple: ask. I have consistently found that even the busiest people are willing to make time to share their wisdom. Years ago, I sought advice from a particularly busy rabbi regarding a difficult challenge. He invited me to walk him to his next appointment. By the time I finished describing my dilemma, we had reached the destination. Before we parted, he shared a short Hassidic tale. I have returned to that story repeatedly over the past decade. Each time, I discover new layers of wisdom. A personal board of directors I once gave a talk in which I acknowledged and thanked “my rebbe, my dear mother.” After the talk, someone came over to me asking when my mother was ordained. I explained to this person that my mother was not a formal rebbe, but she was one of the key people I turn to for spiritual guidance. The Maharal notes that Pirkei Avot appears to repeat its directive to find a teacher; since the Mishnah is famously concise, the repetition demands explanation. He suggests that it indicates that we are meant to seek more than one mentor. Modern leadership experts have reached a similar conclusion. Writing in the Harvard Business Review, Susan Stelter argues that successful people do not rely on a single mentor; rather, they cultivate what she calls a personal board of directors — a group of trusted advisors who offer different perspectives and expertise. In this case, what is true professionally is equally true spiritually. We often assume that spiritual mentors must be religious leaders. While rabbis certainly play an important role, they are not the only people capable of providing spiritual guidance. The Lubavitcher Rebbe encouraged his followers to find a mashpia — literally, an influencer — someone who is spiritually grounded and whose judgment they trust. My own personal board of directors includes both rabbis and non-rabbis, my late father and my mother, dear friends and people that I find somewhat intimidating. Each offers a unique perspective, and I turn to different people for different types of questions. Going forward Spiritual mentorship is built into many of our programs at the Orthodox Union. NCSY advisors mentor teenagers; JLIC couples mentor college students. Recently, we extended this mentorship model to the next life stage by launching COMPASS, a project of our Emerging Career Professionals division. Young adults are paired with mentors in small groups for regular learning, discussion and one-on-one guidance. But we shouldn’t stop at young adulthood. I wish programs like this existed for people of every age. Imagine if, alongside therapists and career coaches, we all had someone who helped us remain true to our values and aspirations. Imagine if organizations invested not only in wellness but also in spiritual growth. This can be done by employing a spiritual mentor to be available for the staff. If that’s too ambitious, supervisors can encourage employees to not only check in with a therapist or to find a business coach, but also to seek out a spiritual mentor of their own. We live in an age of unprecedented information and persistent confusion. More and more people report feeling successful yet unfulfilled. Perhaps what many of us need is not another source of information, but someone who can help us see beyond ourselves. Mental health helps us heal. Spiritual mentorship helps us discover who we are meant to become. Rabbi Josh Joseph is the CEO of the Orthodox Union.

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OU, JFNA and Prizmah launch national fund to facilitate tax breaks for day school tuition

Jay Deitcher — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 21:09:26 +0000

A consortium of Jewish groups is launching a national fund to allow American taxpayers to take full advantage of a $1,700 tax rebate that will reduce private school tuition costs, the organizations announced on Wednesday. As part of President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law last July, Americans will be eligible for the income tax break if they donate an equal amount to scholarships for K-12 students beginning next year. However, the donations must be made through a scholarship-granting organization, a nonprofit that can, in turn, provide a scholarship worth the same amount. To make this easier, Jewish Federations of North America, Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools and the Orthodox Union and its day school-focused Teach Coalition, announced the creation of The Opportunity Fund for Jewish Education, a national SGO that will allow Americans to donate to a single SGO that will dispense funds locally to Jewish day schools across the U.S. “We realized we are much more likely to be successful if we work together across the entire community,” Paul Bernstein, Prizmah’s CEO, told eJewishPhilanthropy. “This really does have the potential to have a huge impact, but it depends on us mobilizing the Jewish community to really participate in the tax credit and support our schools.” The Joint Committee on Taxation estimates the tax-break program will lead to $500 million donated to SGOs. Bernstein hopes that the initiative will even motivate families who don’t send their children to day schools to help out, as they too will receive a full tax credit for their donations. For a school to be eligible for the funding, its state has to opt into the initiative. So far, 31 states have opted into the tax credit, including Virginia, which was the first to join in. Originally, there were concerns that SGOs would not be able to operate across state lines, requiring each state to have its own SGO, but Bernstein said there is no indication that the IRS would require that. Many Jewish communities have already created their own SGOs to support schools. Bernstein still expects that some schools will tap into multiple SGOs to maximize the funding to support students. This initiative will ensure local communities aren’t forced to create an SGO if they don’t want to, as the process can be expensive and arduous. The Opportunity Fund for Jewish Education’s board is made up of leaders in the Jewish world, including Mark Charendoff, the president of Maimonides Fund, and Eric Goldstein, the outgoing CEO of UJA-Federation of New York. “We are proud to be working together on behalf of the Jewish community around our shared goal of making Jewish day school affordable and accessible to more families,” Eric Fingerhut, the president and CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America and the interim CEO of The Opportunity Fund for Jewish Education, told eJP. “We look forward to launching a strong, fully operational scholarship-granting organization on Jan. 1, 2027.” In recent years, JFNA has deepened its focus on Jewish day schools. Speaking to eJP in June, after the Israeli government pledged $33.4 million for American Jewish day schools, JFNA Board Chair Gary Torgow said formal Jewish education was critical. “Jewish identity and Jewish education are key to the future of the Jewish people and combating antisemitism,” Torgow said. The SGO is now raising money for its operating costs, with the understanding that 100% of every scholarship donation will go towards local schools. Taxpayers who donate to scholarships through the SGO can allocate their funds to a specific school or community if they wish. “This is an amazing opportunity for the Jewish community to come together and make sure we maximize the benefit of this new federal program for Jewish families,” Sydney Altfield, national director of Teach Coalition, told eJP. “With more than 900 Jewish day schools and yeshivas across the country, we need the infrastructure to make it easy for schools to participate, for donors to contribute and for those dollars to reach families. By working together nationally, we can turn this into meaningful tuition relief at a scale that could have a real impact on Jewish education.” The next step for the new SGO is working with schools to preregister to participate in the program and getting the word out to taxpayers. The initiative has been endorsed by Torah Umesorah and Agudath Israel of America, which represent Orthodox communities, as well as the Conservative movement’s Rabbinical Assembly, and it is expected that other denominations and organizations will endorse it in the months to come. The partner groups are working with governors to ensure states opt into the tax-break initiative. The IRS is expected to announce full rules at the end of this month, and The Opportunity Fund for Jewish Education will work to ensure its infrastructure is in order to launch in the new year, organizers said.

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Your Daily Phil: How British sanctions could affect Israeli nonprofits

EJP — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 15:14:43 +0000

Good Wednesday morning! In today’s edition ofYour Daily Phil, we examine the possible effects that British sanctions will have on Israeli nonprofits that operate in the West Bank. We report on the inauguralTaib Prize for National Resiliencebeing awarded toIsraeli nonprofitDaf Hadash, and on the launch ofBirthright Israel’s Global Business Summit in November. We feature an opinion piece byMax D. BaumgartenandArielle Levitesabout knowing where a data point comes from before relying on it, and a piece byAmy Meltzerabout the impact of giving campers and staff opportunities to explore Israels complexities with the young people living them. Also in this issue:Ruby Chen,Stefanie KushnerandWhitney Weathers. Today’sYour Daily Philwas curated by eJP Opinion Editor Rachel Kohn and Israel Editor Justin Hayet. Have a tip?Email us here. Follow us on Whatsapp Follow us on Telegram What Were Watching The La’Aretz Foundation, an organization that provides humanitarian relief, emergency aid and educational support across Israel, will host its Annual Benefit Dinner tonight in Manhattan. What You Should Know A QUICK WORD FROM eJPS JUDAH ARI GROSS After weeks of signaling its intentions,the British government announced fresh economic restrictions on Israeli settlements in the West Bank, banning goods from settlements and imposing sanctions on “specific companies and individuals who provide services such as construction, infrastructure, financing, or real estate for settlement expansion,” accusing Israel of “ethnic cleansing” and turning a “blind eye” to extremist violence against Palestinians. France and Canada have announced similar measures. For British, Canadian and French nonprofitsthat support organizations in the West Bank,the practical effects of the new trade bans and economic sanctions will likely be minimal as existing laws already limit their ability to fund initiatives beyond the “Green Line” —the de facto border between Israel proper and the West Bank. As it is, British and Canadian authorities are investigating Jewish nonprofits that support activities in the West Bank. And yet, while the sanctions and bansmay have a limited concrete effecton Israeli nonprofits that operate in the West Bank, several figures involved in Diaspora philanthropy toldeJewishPhilanthropythat they could have a chilling effect on foreign donations to all Israeli causes. Speaking on condition of anonymityto discuss a sensitive diplomatic issue,the sources said that these changes will make it easier for anti-Israeli organizations and individuals to lodge complaints with tax authorities in those countries and generally make support for Israeli initiatives more fraught and controversial. As a result, many would-be funders may decide that funding such projects is not worth the added hassle and social stigma associated with them, even if they are entirely in line with the law. Read the rest of What You Should Know here. News RESILIENCE RECOGNIZED Daf Hadash, an Israeli organization focused on financial responsibility, wins inaugural Taib Prize for National Resilience For its work with military reservists whose finances buckled under prolonged service since the start of the war in Gaza, the debt-relief nonprofit Daf Hadash is the recipient of the Taib Foundations first Taib Prize for National Resistance,reportseJewishPhilanthropy’s Justin Hayetfrom the inaugural awards last night at the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation in Jaffa. Beyond the check:Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Haim Taib, the international businessman and philanthropist who established the foundation, framed it as an active partner to the groups it supports. “To give money, its not enough,” he told eJP. “It is to be partners with whom you are giving money and together to build [their] idea.” The Taib Foundation intends to make the award an annual tradition to boost the profile of nonprofits and practitioners dedicated to strengthening national resilience in Israel. Read the full report here. Share EXCLUSIVE Birthright launches Global Business Summit, connecting Diaspora donors, Israeli financial figures Birthright Israel is launching a new Global Business Summit in November in Tel Aviv, connecting its top donors from the Diaspora and Israel, the organizationexclusively toldeJewishPhilanthropy’s Judah Ari Gross. Who’s who:The invite-only summit will feature several of Birthright Israel’s largest donors from Israel and abroad — most notably Dr. Miriam Adelson — as well as British investor Sir Ronald Cohen; Eyal Waldman, founder of Mellanox; Amit Krig, NVIDIA-Israel site leader and senior vice president of networking software; former Mossad director Yossi Cohen; investor and ICON founder Yasmin Lukatz; former Microsoft Israel CEO Shelly Landsmann; and others. Read the full report here. Share Opinion HABITS OF INQUIRY The best defense against the dangers of fake data In an opinion piece foreJewishPhilanthropy, Max D. Baumgarten, director of North American operations at The Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation in Los Angeles, and Arielle Levites, managing director of the Collaborative for Applied Studies in Jewish Education at George Washington University,urgethe Jewish community to take data literacy seriously. “[W]e are also vulnerable to misinformation and low-quality information, both of which can inadvertently shape how we understand the challenges facing the Jewish world and decide where to direct our interventions. The fix isnt catching hoaxes, whack-a-mole-style, after they start to spread throughout our information ecosystem. Its building a habit of asking where a number comes from before using it to inform decisions and assumptions.” Read the fullpiece? Share SIDE BY SIDE A different kind of Israel encounter at camp In an opinion piece foreJewishPhilanthropy, Amy Meltzer, director of training and talent development at Foundation for Jewish Camp,reflectson a pilot initiative she directed this summer that brought two Israeli 18-year-olds — one a Jewish IDF soldier, the other a self-described Palestinian Israeli – to speak at multiple Jewish camps. “[C]amps want to provide opportunities to discuss and explore Israels complexities but aren’t always sure how. Givat Haviva and the Natan Fund helped FJC provide camps with exactly that: time with Israelis nearly their own age, bringing perspectives many campers and staff had never heard before.” Read the fullpiece? Share Worthy Reads Remembrance and Accountability:InJewish Insider, Marc RodspotlightsRuby Chen, whose son Itays remains were taken captive during the Oct. 7 terror attacks and returned from Gaza in November 2025, as he presses Washington to create an Oct. 7 memorial and faults Israeli political leaders for ducking accountability. “I did not hear an individual that showed any type of remorse or accountability, but actually [former Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer] looked at it as a win by stating, ‘Oh, we had all the hostages out,’ Chen said of Dermer’s remarks. ‘You don’t get points when 45 hostages were killed in captivity.”” Unitys Long Unraveling:InThe Wall Street Journal, the paper’s former Washington bureau chief, Gerald F. Seib,arguesthat the sweeping national unity after 9/11 gave way to the wars, cynicism and anti-establishment anger that define todays partisan politics. “Still, American politics moves in cycles, and there is ample reason to believe that the current phase of divisiveness will give way to a new spirit of unity, perhaps under some leader yet to be determined. Few would have guessed that Abraham Lincoln, or Franklin Roosevelt, or Ronald Reagan were capable of unifying Americans as they did, so it would be a mistake to say it isn’t possible” Judaisms Printing Press:InThe Times of Israel, Jewish educator Chaim Botwinickcontendsthat AI is his generations printing press for Jewish day schools — able to tutor each child individually and free teachers for the mentorship only humans offer, if schools confront cheating and fabricated sources. “Not unlike other professions, the fear that many teachers have is whether AI will replace them. But in reality, a teacher using AI will replace a teacher not using AI.” Transitions ElStefanie Kushnerwashiredto be the next CEO ofJewish Federation of Madison(Wis.) Jake ShapirojoinedRepair the Worldas its next managing director of New York… Bamah, an organization that builds connections to Israel outside the Jewish community through Israeli culture,hiredWhitney Weathersas its chief program and strategy officer… Democratic Majority for IsraelappointedMichael Horowitz,David Kramer,Jeffrey Stewart,Jerry YanowitzandKinneyZalesneto its board of directors… Word on the Street Raul MoraleswasindictedTuesday on 10 counts, including attempted murder as a hate crime, over the July 23 stabbings of two men near Upper West Side’sJewishCenterin attacks prosecutors are calling antisemitic… More than a dozen Michigan rabbis, cantors and lay leaders launched a petition pressing Democratic Senate nomineeAbdul El-Sayedto affirm five “nonnegotiable” commitments to the Jewish community, warning his rhetoric threatens Jewish support for the party,Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports… AsJewish studentsreturn toK-12 classroomsand face another year marked by increased antisemitism, five major Jewish organizations — theJewish Federations of North America, theAnti-Defamation League, theAmerican Jewish Committee, theConference of Presidents of Major American Jewish OrganizationsandStandWithUs—releaseda Jewish Students Bill of Rights… The New York Timesissoliciting reader feedbackon “how Israel’s war in Gaza is affecting New Yorkers,” specifically askingJewish respondentsto let them know how their views and feelings have evolved since theHamas terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023… InTheWall Street Journal,Harvard UniversityprofessorRoland Fryerand hedge fund managerBill AckmanannouncedtheCarob Trust Prize for Academic Courage, which will award up to $1 million each to as many as five social scientists a year who were attacked or silenced for publishing sound research on controversial topics… Temple Universityscrappeda record $55 million pledge from alumnus and former trusteeChristopher Barnett— reversing the renaming of its public health college — after federal investigators began probing his autism-care company for alleged wire fraud and money laundering… InThe Forward, fourBronfman Fellowshipalumni who first visited the United States as Israeli teenagersreflecton their shifting views of America and its Jewish communities as the U.S. marks its 250th anniversary… ActorJohn Malkovichhaspulled outof a satirical show set for next year in Tel Aviv after a PR firm hired by the Israeli promoter published a fabricated quote in his name gushing about a return to Israel that he says he never spoke nor approved… Kamran Hekmati, a Jewish Iranian-American man from Long Island, was reportedlyfreedfrom Tehrans Evin Prison after about a year of imprisonment but is still barred from leaving Iran… Pic of the Day Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90 Israeli President Isaac Herzog meets with David Danieli at the Presidents Residence in Jersualem on Tuesday nearly 80 years after Herzog’s grandfather, Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Isaac Halevi Herzog, helped rescue Danieli and hundreds of other orphaned Jewish children from postwar Poland. Birthdays Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90 Reuven Rivlin, president of Israel from 2014 to 2021, turns87 Barbara Schechter, Beverly Hills resident Kenneth Lieberthal, senior fellow emeritus in the foreign policy program at The Brookings Institution, turns83 Donald M. Berwick, former administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, turns80 Daniel Pipes, president of the Middle East Forum and publisher of itsMiddle East Quarterlyjournal, turns77 Richard Joel, president emeritus of Yeshiva University, turns76 Nissim Zeev, a founder of the Shas party, he served in the Knesset for 16 years, turns75 Martin Kramer, founding president of Shalem College in Jerusalem, he is the Walter P. Stern fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, turns72 Steven Elworth, Brooklyn educator Altie Karper, retired editorial director of Schocken Books (the Judaica imprint of the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, which is part of Penguin Random House) Shari Arison, Israeli businesswoman and philanthropist, at times reported to be the wealthiest woman in the Middle East, turns69 Aaron G. Frenkel, Israeli businessman, based in Monaco, he is the president of Limmud FSU, turns69 Suzanna Stone Jeffrey Weintraub, D.C.-based communications strategist and tactician Eric B. Dezenhall, crisis management consultant, author and co-founder of D.C.-based PR firm Dezenhall Resources, turns64 Lloyd Appel, founder and managing member of Alternative Asset CFO Services Chris Coons, U.S. senator (D-DE), turns63 Skip Kendall, professional golfer formerly on both the PGA Tour and then on the Champions Tour, turns62 Adam Sandler, actor, comedian, screenwriter, film producer and musician, turns60 Jonathan Cohn, author and former senior national correspondent atHuffPostfor 10 years, now senior national correspondent atThe Bulwark, turns57 Sacha Frédéric Litman, former partner and associate director at Boston Consulting Group, now an independent consultant David Freedlander, features writer and political columnist forNew Yorkmagazine Zeev Farbman, Israeli entrepreneur and the CEO and co-founder of Lightricks, turns47 Michael B. Greenwald, director of global executive relations at Amazon Web Services Carla Hashley, program specialist at USCs school of architecture Brett Perlmutter, former head of Google Cuba, now an investor and strategist Trey Meehan, managing director at Alums for Campus Fairness Ben Lang, co-founder of International Hummus Day in 2012, now an angel investor, he served in the IDFs signals intelligence group, Unit 8200 Luke Hughes, fourth overall pick by the New Jersey Devils in the 2021 NHL draft, he is the son of hockey star Ellen Weinberg-Hughes, turns23

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Israeli NGO that offered ‘Fresh Start’ to those in debt wins inaugural Taib Prize for resilience

Justin Hayet — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 13:09:21 +0000

JAFFA, Israel —The Taib Foundation awarded the first Taib Prize for National Resilience to Daf Hadash, a nonprofit that helps families and businesses climb out of debt, praising the organizations work with military reservists whose finances buckled under prolonged service since the start of the war in Gaza. The foundation, established by international businessman and philanthropist Haim Taib, launched the prize as an annual honor for people and organizations that strengthen Israels social fabric and presented the inaugural awards Tuesday evening at the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation in Jaffa. Tom Faruhi, the CEO of the Taib Foundation, which recently rebranded from the Menomadin Foundation, marked the evening as “next level in our evolution. We want to take our impact to another level.” “We want to strengthen the nonprofits we support and, in the process, strengthen Israeli society. We want to build bridges between different parts of Israeli society so we can all win together,” Faruhi told eJewishPhilanthropy. Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Taib framed the foundation as an active partner to the groups it supports. “To give money, its not enough,” he told eJP. “It is to be partners with whom you are giving money and together to build [their] idea.” Taib is an Israeli international businessman and philanthropist who founded the Mitrelli Group and Taib Group, leading more than 100 infrastructure projects across sub-Saharan Africa. His philanthropy in Israel largely focuses on Israels peripheral and at-risk communities as a major supporter of efforts like the “Welfare after war” national plan and the Ofakim 2035 recovery blueprint. Last year, Taib was honored as a torch-lighter at Israels Independence Day ceremony in recognition of his philanthropic work. The Taib Foundation intends to make the award an annual tradition to boost the profile of nonprofits and practitioners dedicated to strengthening national resilience in Israel. The judging panel for the Taib Prize was chaired by foundation founder and philanthropist Haim Taib, alongside Yifat Biton, the president of the Achva Academic College of Education and Science; professor Yekoutiel Sabah, a social welfare expert; Dr. Sharon Alroy-Preis, a public health physician; and Sheikh Mohanad Faris, senior educator and community leader. The event was also attended by high-ranking officials across municipalities and ministries. Daf Hadash, literally “A New Page,” but which operates in English as Fresh Start, works to pull families and businesses out of debt and has pushed to reshape Israels insolvency system. Since the war began, it has expanded services for reservists and their families who lost income during long stretches of duty. The panel pointed to that mix of individual support and policy change in naming it the winner. Daf Hadash founder and CEO Tomer Rabinowitz said the group fills a gap for households that fall through the cracks. “When a middle-class family gets into a financial crisis, they have no institutional solution or help,” he told eJP at the event. “They would probably be offered to take another loan, as if this is what will solve the problems.” The organization pairs each family with a financial advisor, alongside legal help, business advice or a loan as needed — and stays with them for three to four months to build stability and healthy financial habits. According to Daf Hadash, about 1 million Israeli households throughout the country, roughly a third, carry some level of debt. “Getting involved in debt doesnt mean you have to reach a financial crisis if you have proper intervention at the beginning,” he said. The foundation also issued three other awards. It recognized businesswoman Raya Strauss for decades of civic leadership spanning education focusing on the periphery and female advancement. Shaanan Street, lead singer of the band Hadag Nahash, was recognized for being a public voice the panel said builds bridges across Israeli society. Maj. Gen. (res.) Doron Almog, chairman of the Jewish Agency, was honored for strengthening ties between Israel and Diaspora Jewry. The foundation did not disclose how much Daf Hadash or the individuals recognized received, noting that the point of the evening — of effective philanthropy — is not always about the money.

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Birthright launches Global Business Summit, connecting Diaspora donors, Israeli financial figures

Judah Ari Gross — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 13:03:12 +0000

Birthright Israel is launching a new Global Business Summit in November in Tel Aviv, connecting its top donors from the Diaspora and Israel, the organization exclusively told eJewishPhilanthropy. The gathering, which is scheduled for Nov. 1-3, emerged from regular requests from donors to learn more about Israel’s business landscape and in an effort to more efficiently expose funders to the organization’s work, Birthright Israel CEO Gidi Mark told eJP on Wednesday. Ordinarily, he said, the organization arranges individual tours and visits for donors throughout the year. This way, they can organize one large one for all of them. “Throughout the year, we do separate tours for our funders, and after we spoke with many of them, they expressed great interest in meeting with their Israeli counterparts, who are also donors to Birthright,” Mark said. “So we said, let’s do one day of showing them tours and around areas that are connected to Birthright, and one day of introducing them to what the Israeli economy has to offer. Because the Israeli economy can also benefit from stronger connections to business leaders from around the world.” The invite-only summit will feature several of Birthright Israel’s largest donors from Israel and abroad —most notably Dr. Miriam Adelson —as well as British investor Sir Ronald Cohen; Eyal Waldman, founder of Mellanox; Amit Krig, NVIDIA-Israel site leader and senior vice president of networking software; former Mossad director Yossi Cohen; investor and ICON founder Yasmin Lukatz; former Microsoft Israel CEO Shelly Landsmann; author Micah Goodman; entrepreneur Yoel Cheshin; real-estate developer Danna Azrieli Hakim; and Angela Homsi, co-founder and president of Ignite Power. The three-day event will open with a gala recognizing the organization’s supporters, featuring remarks from Israeli President Isaac Herzog. This will be followed by a day of speeches and discussions from top Israeli business leaders and public figures. On the final day, the roughly 350 participants will visit volunteering sites, meeting Birthright Israel participants and the communities where they have been volunteering since the Oct. 7 terror attacks. The organizers said that the summit will also highlight the financial impact that Birthright Israel has had since it launched 26 years ago, contributing an estimated $2.6 billion to the Israeli economy, through hotel stays, bus rentals, tour guides, restaurant meals and site visits, among other things. “Combining business and purpose has been my life mission, and this first Birthright Israel Business Summit is the culmination of 26 years of impact on nearly one million lives and tens of thousands of supporters from around the world,” Ethy Levy, Birthright Israel’s vice president of global resource development and partnerships, said in a statement. “It is our way to give back to our supporters by providing an exclusive and intimate platform for networking, doing business and doing good together.” Most of the participants and the presenters are existing Birthright Israel donors, Mark said, and the event is primarily aimed at supporting and educating them, but he acknowledged that bringing together some of Israel’s and the world’s top business leaders will also likely attract new funders. “The main goal is showing a different face of Israel to our existing funders,” he said. “But, of course, I assume that this will bring us some new donors.”

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U.K. sanctions unlikely to directly affect West Bank nonprofits, but could make Israel support toxic

Judah Ari Gross — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 13:00:14 +0000

After weeks of signaling its intentions, the British government announced fresh economic restrictions on Israeli settlements in the West Bank, banning goods from settlements and imposing sanctions on “specific companies and individuals who provide services such as construction, infrastructure, financing, or real estate for settlement expansion,” accusing Israel of “ethnic cleansing” and turning a “blind eye” to extremist violence against Palestinians. France and Canada have announced similar measures. But despite the sweeping rhetoric and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband’s threat of using “the full force of U.K. sanctions” against companies and individuals who help expand settlements, the immediate effects of the restrictions appear to be limited. Ahead of the announcement, Bloomberg reported that the British diplomats had privately told their American counterparts that the sanctions are “largely symbolic.” In his announcement, Miliband noted that it will take “six to nine months” for the legislation required to be passed, leaving ample time for negotiations and compromises, particularly if a new Israeli government is elected. He also added that there will be “appropriate religious exemptions” for its sanctions. For British, Canadian and French nonprofits that support organizations in the West Bank — both those directly connected to the settlement enterprise and more generic ones that merely benefit Israelis who live in settlements, like educational programs and social services —the practical effects of the new trade bans and economic sanctions will likely be minimal; existing laws already limit their ability to fund initiatives beyond the “Green Line” —the de facto border between Israel proper and the West Bank. As it is, British and Canadian authorities are investigating Jewish nonprofits that support activities in the West Bank. Canada has also been steadily revoking the nonprofit status from organizations that operate in the West Bank, most notably Jewish National Fund-Canada. Last month, the U.K.’s Charity Commission launched an investigation into British nonprofits that have transferred funds for projects in West Bank settlements, which the British government considers to be illegal. In addition to the trade ban and sanctions against West Bank settlements, Miliband also announced that the government planned to bar British organizations and institutions from advertising real estate in West Bank settlements. This, he said, was in response to a real estate event in June at a London synagogue, which included properties in East Jerusalem and West Bank settlements. As an investigation was already launched against the organizers of the event, who apologized for including properties beyond the Green Line, it is not clear why an additional ban is necessary. And yet, while the sanctions and bans may have a limited concrete effect on Israeli nonprofits that operate in the West Bank, several figures involved in Diaspora philanthropy told eJewishPhilanthropy that they could have a chilling effect on foreign donations to all Israeli causes. Speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive diplomatic issue, the sources said that these changes will make it easier for anti-Israeli organizations and individuals to lodge complaints with tax authorities in those countries and generally make support for Israeli initiatives more fraught and controversial. As a result, many would-be funders may decide that funding such projects is not worth the added hassle and social stigma associated with them, even if they are entirely in line with the law. The backlash against the move by Israeli and most Jewish leaders has been swift. British Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis called it a “dark day for British Jews.” Two of the U.K.’s central Jewish communal organizations — the Board of Deputies and Jewish Leadership Council — decried the decision, accusing the Labor government of acting out of partisan politics and pressure from radical groups, even as they each condemned the issue of violence by extremist Israelis against Palestinian civilians. The two organizations, as well as the chief rabbi, also said that the measures would be ineffectual and likely counterproductive. “Todays announcement is not about advancing peace or the two-state solution. The government is simply yielding to pressure from the most extreme elements of British society. They will continue to push the government to take increasingly radical action against Israel, to the detriment of peace in the Middle East and community relations in the UK,” the Jewish Leadership Council said. The Board of Deputies noted the odd timing of the announcement, a month and a half before an Israeli national election,which could push the current government to adopt even more expansionist policies in the West Bank to appease its voters. “Announcing such measures during an already heated Israeli election — which has the potential to lead to considerable change to the situation in the West Bank and Gaza — risks perverse consequences which go against the UKs stated objectives. We urge both governments to avoid pursuing what appear to be party interests over national interests,” the group said. Mirvis warned that the measures would also buoy extremist rhetoric and antisemitism. “The measures announced amount to little more than political flag bearing for mendacious anti-Israel rhetoric and those who harbour a dangerous obsession with the Jewish State. These measures will succeed only in bolstering the very extremism they seek to target,” he said. “Gesture politics of this kind feeds into an increasingly hostile discourse about Israel, and the cumulative effect of such punitive policies is to further embolden those, at home and abroad, who use hatred as a weapon against Jews,” Mirvis continued. Speaking to the British Jewish News after the announcement, Miliband rejected the claim that the measures would encourage antisemitism in the United Kingdom, which has already seen a marked rise in antisemitic incidents in recent years, including a deadly attack on a Yom Kippur service last year in Manchester. “Any person who targets British Jews because of the actions of the Israeli government is an antisemite in my view. That’s very, very important, and I couldn’t have said it more plainly,” Miliband said. “I don’t think anyone should be conflating these two sets of questions. There are British Jews going about their lives, there are the actions of the Israeli government, and then there is our relationship with Israel. I want a strong and flourishing relationship with Israel.” Large American Jewish organizations also decried the sanctions, with the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations noting that they potentially put the U.K. on a collision course with the United States. “Companies complying with these boycott measures should think carefully about the consequences,” the Conference of Presidents said in a statement. “Thirty-eight U.S. states have acted, through laws or executive action, to oppose boycotts of Israel. Companies that participate in these measures may therefore put state contracts, investments, or other business at risk. Businesses should not allow foreign governments to enlist them in economic discrimination against Israelis.” The American Jewish Committee, which also decried violence against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank, said the trade bans and sanctions would not advance peace. “Violence by Israeli extremists in the West Bank must be condemned and those responsible must be held accountable. AJC has spoken forcefully on this issue,” the group said in a statement. “But the path to a better future for Israelis and Palestinians runs through diplomacy, dialogue, and direct negotiations, not economic isolation. European governments should focus their efforts on strengthening the conditions for meaningful engagement and a secure and prosperous future for both Israelis and Palestinians.”

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The best defense against the dangers of fake data

Contributing Author — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 09:21:00 +0000

Last month, the Los Angeles Times broke the news that a fly-by-night company, Median Strategies, had purposefully circulated fabricated polling data across at least three political races, including the heated Los Angeles mayoral run-off. Before any of that had come to light, some news outlets had uncritically reported on the “results,” helping to shape campaign narratives and shifting, even if modestly, the activity on election prediction markets. Rahil Prakash, the recent college grad behind Median Strategies, said he did it as a “social experiment” to see if false data “could enter and spread through the political information ecosystem without independent verification.” Even he was surprised by how quickly the misinformation found an audience. “I was a bit shocked, perhaps at how fast this sort of information can spread,” he told The Guardian. “My overall takeaway was that if you just make it look a bit pretty, it’s rather easy for it to spread.” Not everyone fell for the hoax. Some news outlets mentioned in their reporting that they did not include the polls in their own election analyses because the polls did not meet their standards of transparency. For example, Scott Clement at The Washington Post’s The Pollwatcher explained some of the criteria he uses, which include whether the findings were published with a clear methodological report — a baseline threshold these polling results clearly failed to meet. Median Strategies is one of the more egregious examples of untrustworthy data shaping public discourse, but its far from the only kind. With AI already transforming our information consumption habits and a contentious midterm election on the horizon, the opportunity for bad actors to fabricate data on purpose is only increasing. Faulty data distorts public debate and electoral politics. Closer to home, it can undermine Jewish communal capacity to understand the communities we serve and the rapidly changing world in which we live. As a Jewish community, we are also vulnerable to misinformation and low-quality information, both of which can inadvertently shape how we understand the challenges facing the Jewish world and decide where to direct our interventions. The fix isnt catching hoaxes, whack-a-mole-style, after they start to spread throughout our information ecosystem. Its building a habit of asking where a number comes from before using it to inform decisions and assumptions. Some of that habit already exists in Jewish communal life. It just isnt universal yet. The Collaborative for Applied Studies in Jewish Education, a research lab in Jewish education based at the George Washington University, produces a research digest that regularly shares new research relevant to Jewish communal life. The digest carefully reviews the methodologies of the featured studies and also serves a pedagogical function by helping communal leaders become more savvy — even duly skeptical — consumers of research. In the early days of the digest, a Jewish communal leader once wrote to CASJE, worried that it was “undermining trust” in organizational research by teaching professionals to question data they hadn’t previously scrutinized. That’s a fair concern: Teaching people to ask questions of purportedly factual data can tip into reflexive distrust of anything they did not produce themselves. Even so, as a community, we are often too naïve about the trust we place in oft-circulated research that has not undergone a review process (often referred to as “grey literature”) and are not as thoughtful as we need to be about the quality and limits of data. Whether one is producing or consuming a study, there is no single standard for how research earns trust. Universities have their own answer: institutional review boards and peer review. Yes, these approaches are slow and expensive, and they can be overly focused on questions that are not relevant to the world beyond the academy, but the bulky infrastructure buys something real: a clear set of commitments for ethics and integrity that define expectations for consent, privacy and rigor. This doesn’t obviate bad actors or the ever-annoying, hyper-critical Reviewer 2, but it does offer a clear standard that most academics embrace. Of course, academic research standards for ethics and integrity depend on a robust and stable infrastructure of research support that would be difficult to replicate in other professional settings. And so, it may not be fair to expect other forms of research to conform to these standards. As it happens, public opinion research has its own industry standards, set by the American Association for Public Opinion Research. Importantly, these are not academic standards — they are professional ones. The AAPOR Code of Professional Ethics and Practices was designed “to support sound and ethical practice in the conduct of public opinion and survey research and promote the informed and appropriate use of research results.” Importantly, AAPOR’s standards demonstrate that rigorous shared expectations are not limited to a university setting. Key to AAPOR’s code is the insistence that findings are published alongside basic methodological information. Polling and market research are two popular modes of study that the Jewish community uses to understand attitudes and needs and track trends. When done well, the insights these studies produce are critical for sound decision-making and planning, and we need more of them. Most Jewish communal studies are produced by serious people working to provide high-quality information to shape the Jewish future. Jewish organizations that produce and disseminate research want their work to conform to the highest professional standards and are eager to access the necessary infrastructure and resources to make that possible. Even so, as a community, we are still vulnerable to fake data and unvetted information when asking basic questions is not the norm. That is what data literacy means in practice. Who did this research? How was it designed? How were people located and invited to join? What questions were they asked? Were the responses adjusted in any way and, if so, how and toward what end? Asking questions like these isn’t discourteous or overly wonky. It reflects a basic habit of data literacy and one that belongs in Jewish communal life. Asking these questions can protect us from false or low-quality information on issues that matter. How do American Jews feel about the state of Jewish education? How do American Jews feel about their elected officials? How do American Jews feel about Israel? How do American Jews feel about AI respondents or survey farms aping Jewish perspectives on these sensitive questions? We don’t want to create a bar for information usage that is too high. Useful data comes from many kinds of sources, both inside and outside the university, and we need to know how to make the most of it while also understanding its limitations. This doesn’t require a PhD in statistics but rather a habit of inquiry — asking where a number comes from before relying upon it. Max D. Baumgarten is the director of North American operations at The Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation in Los Angeles, where he oversees grantmaking strategies focused on strengthening Jewish life in the United States. Arielle Levites is the managing director of the Collaborative for Applied Studies in Jewish Education, a research lab in Jewish education based at the George Washington University.

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A different kind of Israel encounter at camp

Contributing Author — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 00:06:00 +0000

This summer, a group of 32 17-year-old counselors-in-training (CITs) packed the theater at URJ Camp Harlam in Kunkletown, Pa., to hear from two 18-year-olds: Yali, a Jewish Israeli currently serving in the IDF, and Sami, an Arab citizen of Israel. Both Yali and Sami are graduates of “Through the Other’s Eyes,” a yearlong Givat Haviva program that uses photography to bridge Israels cultural divides and build personal connections between Jewish and Arab citizens of Israel. A thunderstorm raged overhead as Yali and Sami spoke about their families, their identities and their photos. They laughed about their shared love of Will Ferrell and disdain for traditional Ashkenazi food. They recounted the joy of Hershey Parks rollercoasters and their annoyance at the long lines. And they shared sharply contrasting views on the word “Palestinian” and the Israeli Defense Forces. As the 45-minute event neared its scheduled close, the storm strengthened. Lightning held everyone in the theater for 30 more minutes, and then another 30. The CITs remained, riveted — not just listening to Sami and Yali but opening up to them and sharing their own experiences with division, intolerance and cancel culture, especially around the subject of Israel. For some, simply seeing Sami and Yali side by side — smiling, slapping one another on the back and helping each other translate Hebrew to English, all while describing some of their profound and fundamental disagreements — was almost as striking as anything they heard. “This was one of the first times I saw an Arab and a Jewish Israeli sit next to each other, talking about their past and how they bond even when they disagree,” one camper said afterward. For these young people, this felt very different from many of their experiences at home, where the wrong word could end a conversation before it even began. This summer, a grant from The Natan Fund enabled Foundation for Jewish Camp to launch a pilot initiative bringing Yali and Sami to three U.S. programs: URJ Camp Harlam, BBYO’s Israel 360 program and Camp Havaya. On these visits, we wanted campers and staff to learn more about the diversity of Israeli society and hear perspectives they might not otherwise encounter. We partnered with Givat Haviva, who have been advancing relations between Jewish and Arab citizens of Israel since 1949. In many ways, the pilot accomplished what we hoped it would, but some of the most powerful learning was unexpected. Campers learned facts about the demographics of Israel and the degree to which Arab and Jewish communities live largely separate lives and experience Israeli society differently, even though Arab citizens make up 21% of the population. But campers and staff also said that people can stay in relationships across differences, even when it comes to Israel. Hearing an IDF soldier say, “We need to see their narrative to understand their pain,” and someone who identifies as Palestinian Israeli say, “We need to let our disagreements be part of us but not interrupt our future,” stands in stark contrast to the kinds of messages young people typically receive about Israel. When asked what she would tell someone at home about the visit, one Havaya camper thought of her cousin, her “best friend in the whole world,” with whom she regularly has difficult conversations about Israel. “She doesnt understand how anyone can support Israel and I don’t necessarily know how to find the words,” she told us. “But I think that after this conversation… I am so much better equipped to try to explain that to her.” If we want young American Jews to learn about the diversity of Israeli society and hold hope for a peaceful future, we need to introduce them to people and organizations trying to build that future and give them examples of people who continue to engage despite their disagreements. These are some of the core principles of a new educational framework, Reimagining Israel Education, that FJC played a role in developing and that many educators and leaders are beginning to utilize. But why take this approach at summer camp? Last year, FJC convened two “think tanks” to better understand how camps foster connections to Israel — both how they already do it and how they can do it in the future. We learned that camps excel at developing personal, emotional attachments to Israel, especially through meaningful encounters with Israeli staff and campers. We also heard that camps want to provide opportunities to discuss and explore Israels complexities but aren’t always sure how. Givat Haviva and the Natan Fund helped FJC provide camps with exactly that: time with Israelis nearly their own age, bringing perspectives many campers and staff had never heard before. And because it was camp, the encounter did not end when the session was over, nor even when the lightning subsided. In between formal sessions, Sami and Yali found themselves in long informal conversations with campers and staff. They also played soccer and gaga with campers and joined in Shabbat celebrations, dancing and singing alongside the entire camp. By the end of each visit, Sami and Yali were no longer simply presenters at the front of a room. They were people the campers knew and cared about. That may be one of camp’s greatest strengths: it gives young people the time and space to discover that disagreement does not have to be the end of a relationship. Sometimes, it can be the beginning of a deeper one. Amy Meltzer is a director of training and talent development at Foundation for Jewish Camp and directed the pilot initiative “Bringing Shared Society to Camp.”

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Your Daily Phil: What grassroots groups can learn from MACA’s turmoil

EJP — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 14:41:51 +0000

Good Tuesday morning! In today’s edition of Your Daily Phil, we analyze the ongoing turmoil in the Mothers Against College Antisemitism Facebook group and what it means for other grassroots groups. We report on the 20th anniversary of ADI Negev with Doron Almog, and get the scoop on Americans for Ben-Gurion Universitys appointment of Melissa Greenberg as its next CEO. In the latest installment of eJP’s exclusive opinion column, “The 501(C) Suite,” Idana Goldberg draws insights from Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster film “The Odyssey” and Rabbi Alan Lew’s spiritual guide This is Real and You are Completely Unprepared; and a piece by Daniel Swindell celebrates the difference one person can make (with some help) in the fight to protect pro-Israel speech on campus. Also in this issue: Jennifer Raskas, Nechumi Yaff, and Matan Adelson and Yahav Haliva. Today’s Your Daily Phil was curated by eJP Managing Editor Judah Ari Gross, Opinion Editor Rachel Kohn and Israel Editor Justin Hayet. Have a tip? Email us here. Follow us on Whatsapp Follow us on Telegram What Were Watching British Prime MinisterAndy Burnhamisexpected to announce sanctionsagainstIsraeli settlements in the West Banktoday, including a trade ban on goods produced in the area, in what would be a significant escalation of hostilitiesfrom the U.K. government toward Israel. Israeli Foreign MinisterGideon Sa’arsaidthat “Israel will act” against any sanctions, but did not offer any details about what the Israeli response would be. British Jewish groupsurged the government to avoid such a move, warning it is likely to stoke antisemitism at home. In Germany, embattled ChancellorFriedrich Merzpledged to fight on as his country’s leader despite his center-rightChristian Democratic Unionparty suffering an embarrassing defeat to the far-rightAlternative for Germanyin a regional election this weekend. TheAmerican Jewish Committeesaidon X that the win “marks a grim milestone,” and noted thatAJC Berlinhas been “sounding the alarm on the AfD’s rampant, intrinsic, and foundational antisemitism that is deeply embedded in its authoritarian-nationalist politics.” The81st session of the U.N. General Assemblyopens today in New York, though the high-level meetings of world leaders do not begin for several more weeks. TheTaib Foundationwill hold its first-everTaib Prize for National Resilienceceremony this evening at thePeres Center for Peace and Innovationin Jaffa.If you’re there, say hi to eJP’s Justin Hayet! TheU.S. Embassy in Jerusalemis hosting a“Freedom 250”celebration in partnership with theMuseum of Tolerance Jerusalemthis week in honor of theU.S.’ semiquincentennial. Tonight,Dara Hornwill speak in conversation with authorColeman Hughesabout her new book,The Final Solution to the Jewish Question: A Love Story for the Living,at92NY in New York Cityin collaboration withUJA-Federation of New York. What You Should Know A QUICK WORD FROM eJPS JAY DEITCHER On Friday evening, the popular, often boisterous grassroots advocacy Facebook group Mothers Against College Antisemitisminstituted new rules: “Pausing” discussions about its “internal dispute” and prioritizing “posts that directly support our mission of addressing college and university antisemitism and supporting Jewish students, Jewish faculty, and their families.” Titled “Moving forward and Shabbat shalom,” the post was written in response to months of turmoil within the nearly 60,000-person group over an ongoing lawsuit between the founder of the Facebook group, Elizabeth Rand, and the independent board of the nonprofit that emerged from MACA, which has since taken control of the Facebook group. eJewishPhilanthropyhas been following the “internal dispute” for nine months,when issues first arose. In the wake of the Oct. 7 terror group, the Facebook group has emerged as a major force in campus conversations, informing parents about other students’ experiences, rallying advocates and raising awareness about antisemitic incidents on campuses across the country. Experts told eJP that the schism within MACA is also emblematicof issues that many post-Oct. 7 initiatives are facing as they transform from grassroots efforts that emerged as a rebuke of the legacy organizations that they considered to be ineffectual into more formalized, funded organizations. Some groups have so far succeeded in doing so, while others —lacking the leadership training and organizational infrastructure that can lay the groundwork for such transformations —are struggling to overcome the infighting and challenges that these transitions provoke. Read the rest of What You Should Know here. News MARKING MILESTONES From empty desert to ‘small town,’ ADI Negev marks 20 years of making Israel a more caring place After their son, Eran, was born with severe disabilities, Maj. Gen. (res.) Doron Almog and his wife, Didi, quickly realized there was no framework or community for children like him. So they created one. In 2005, Doron and Didi Almog founded ADI Negev-Nahalat Eran, building it into a 40-acre inclusive community, continuing even after Eran died in 2007 of Castleman disease, a rare lymph disorder, at 23. Last Wednesday, the rehabilitation village, which now houses 170 permanent residents with disabilities and serves more than 3,000 people a year, marked its 20th anniversary,reportseJewishPhilanthropy’s Justin Hayet. Mindset shift:ADI Negev marked the occasion with a celebration attended by hundreds, which included keynote addresses by President Isaac Herzog and Almog himself, who still serves as chairman of ADI Negev in addition to his role as chairman of the executive at the Jewish Agency. “Israeli society is more sensitive today after ADI Negev came to the public consciousness with a message about the weakest in our society. We teach students all over Israel in elementary, we teach acceptance and inclusion,” he said. Read the full interview here. Share EXCLUSIVE Americans for Ben-Gurion University taps Melissa B. Greenberg as next CEO Americans for Ben-Gurion University has tapped Melissa B. Greenberg as its next CEO, the organizationexclusively toldeJewishPhilanthropy’s Justin Hayet. Bona fides:A veteran fundraiser, Greenberg grew philanthropic giving at Hebrew Union College, the Reform movement’s rabbinical seminary, by some 300% over four years as its chief philanthropy officer, according to Americans for Ben-Gurion University. She previously served as the executive vice president and chief development officer at the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. Read the full story here. Share Opinion THE 501(C) SUITE The ‘great wealth transfer’ has a disconnect, and Jewish philanthropy needs to find it In In the latest installment ofeJewishPhilanthropy’s exclusive opinion column, “The 501(C) Suite,” Russell Berrie Foundation CEO Idana Goldbergexploresthe ideas ofteshuvaandnostos— an ancient Greek word meaning “homecoming” or “return home” — and how they can inform an individual or institution’s approach to philanthropy. “Strategic plans, theories of change, landscape analyses and capacity building initiatives are among the tools we use as funders to navigate toward our goals. But, like Odysseus, we encounter distractions and stumbling blocks. … Nostos-shaped philanthropy asks us to keep our destination in view. Are the decisions we make getting us closer to the impact we seek? When circumstances force us to change course, are we still moving toward our target?” Read the full piece here. Share LEGAL VICTORY Seeing through the ruse IIn an opinion piece foreJewishPhilanthropy, University of Missouri alum Daniel Swindellrecountshis experience successfully pursuing legal action to address a double standard he encountered against pro-Israel speech on campus. “I never expected that peacefully handing out information about Israel at my alma mater would get me banned from campus, or that challenging that ban would lead to university-wide policy change nearly two years later. But as this journey finally comes to a close, it has been a powerful reminder that speaking up can make a difference.” Read the full piece here. Share Worthy Reads Mend the Model:In theStanford Social Innovation Review, FINCA CEO Andrée Simonpushes backon aWall Street Journalcritique of microfinance, arguing that responsible financial services deliver lasting gains for people living on the margins and that the field should refine the model rather than abandon it. “Rather than choosing between blind optimism and wholesale dismissal, microfinance providers and funders must recognize the value of responsible financial services, while continuing to refine and improve the model so that it genuinely serves the people who need it.” Mamdani’s Man on the Inside:InJewish Insider, Will BreddermanprofilesUri Fraenkel, an Israel-supporting Lubavitcher and career civil servant, who chaperoned New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani through Borough Park before the High Holidays. “‘If the mayor didn’t hire an Orthodox Jew, we would scream he doesn’t have an Orthodox Jew in the administration,’ [Rabbi Yaacov Behrman] said. “‘What if a person in a yeshiva needs to work with somebody in the city? Do you want them not to have anybody they’re comfortable with in the administration?’” Transitions TheWalder Foundationannouncedthe hiring ofMelissa Goldbergas its newest program associate focusing on Jewish life. The foundation also announcedJenniferRaskaswill be joining the foundation as its director of new initiatives and educator in residence in the foundation’s Israel office. TheReligious Zionists of America-MizrachielectedPace Cooperas its new president andStephen M. Flatowas its chairman… Nechumi Yaffjoinedthe newly formed Charedi Public partys Knesset slate, making her the first woman ever fielded by an Israeli ultra-Orthodox party… Word on the Street Israels 2025 scores on theProgramme for International Student Assessment, anOECDtest of 15-year-olds reading, math and science skills,fellto their lowest since the country joined in 2000, sliding to 43rd worldwide… California lawmakerspassedSB 1387, which would make the state the first to offer a Jewish ethnicity box on official forms, igniting debate among Jews over identity, data and the risks of being singled out… A newTel Aviv Universitystudyfoundthat roughly 1,370 doctors spent at least a year abroad between 2023 and 2025, up 94% from the prior decade, as researchers caution that the exodus of veteran physicians threatens lasting harm to Israels health system… The Washington PostspotlightsinvestorBill Ackman, who is backing an experimental therapy after his daughter lost her sight to a brain hemorrhage, and has pledged over $400 million for a longevity and brain-health institute… Globesreportsventure capital firmAndreessen Horowitzhas expanded its Israel push sinceGoogles $32 billionWizdeal as the firm doubles its local scouting network to catch startups earlier… The U.K.sBoard of DeputiesPresidentPhil Rosenbergannouncedhis intention to seek a second term… OustedKennedy CenterChairmanDavid Rubensteinpurchased the “Blue” sculpture removed from the centers grounds last week for more than $2 million and plans to display it at the National Gallery of Art, where Rubenstein chairs the board… The Israeli healthcare providerClalitisexercisingits right of first refusal to buyYair Landaus10% stake inHerzliya Medical Centerfor $40 million, blocking a purchase by the Wiz founders and cementing the health funds control… New York Gov.Kathy Hochulannouncedthat the state will distribute $70 million to 290 nonprofits vulnerable to hate crimes, the largest round of funding in the programs history… DeltaandUnitedare resuming daily direct flights from the New York area toBenGurion Airportthis week as Israeli airlineIsrairis expected to launch its inaugural flights to New York next month… Hapoel JerusalemownerMatan Adelson, the youngest son ofMiriam and Sheldon Adelson,marriedYahav Halivaover the weekend…d threatened to kill them… Pic of the Day Courtesy Dalia Amit Zivan, the clinical director of a trial using the psychedelic drug MDMA to treat post-traumatic stress disorder at Metiv: The Israel Psychotrauma Center, speaks yesterday at a mezuzah-hanging ceremony for a new cabin where the treatments will be conducted at Herzog Medical Center in Jerusalem. The cabin was donated by the children of the Tenenbaum family in memory of their parents, Joseph and Gena, who were both Holocaust survivors. Speaking about his father’s experiences in the Holocaust at the event, Sid Tenenbaum said that he had been tattooed not with a number but with the letters “KL” —the German acronym forKonzentrationslager, or concentration camp. “He and his friends didn’t want to think about it as referring toKonzentrationslager, so they said it stands forkodesh le’Hashem[holy to God],” Tenenbaum said. Disclosure:eJewishPhilanthropyManaging Editor Judah Ari Gross’ wife, Anna Harwood-Gross, is the chief researcher of the MDMA trial. Birthdays Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images Howard Mark Lorber, former chairman of Douglas Elliman and its former parent company, Vector Group, he is also executive chairman of Nathans Famous, turns78 Leslie H. Les Wexner, chair emeritus of Bath Body Works, turns89 Bernie Sanders, U.S. senator from Vermont, he was a 2016 and 2020 presidential candidate, turns85 Samuel D. Waksal, pharma executive, turns79 Jeffrey Lurie, owner of the NFLs Philadelphia Eagles, winners of the Super Bowl in 2017 and 2024, turns75 Eli Aflalo, former co-chair of the Jewish National Fund, he was previously a member of Knesset, turns74 Mindy Grossman, CEO of Weight Watchers until early 2022, turns69 Jay W. Abarbanel, owner of Sams Fine Wines Spirits in Walpole, Mass., for 41 years until 2022 DanielWolpert, British physician and professor of neuroscience at Columbia University, turns63 Scott Levy, professional wrestler, known by his ring name, Raven, turns62 JamesGinsburg, founder and president of Cedille Records, a classical music label, he is the son of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, turns61 Zarakh Iliev, real estate developer in Russia owning 14 million square feet of retail as well as many luxury hotels and shopping centers, turns60 JamesPacker, Australian businessman, turns59 Rabbi Andrea Merow, senior rabbi of the Jewish Center of Princeton Adam Goldsmith, Aspen, Colo., resident Brooke Burke, actor, model and television personality, she is the host of Penn Teller: Fool Us, turns55 Robyn Faintich, founder and executive education consultant at Atlanta-based JewishGPS Jonathan Leshnoff, classical music composer and professor of music at Towson University, whose works include “Zohar,” “Nekudim” and “Heichalos,” turns53 Jonathan Rosen, CEO of Orchestra Alecia Beth Moore, one of the worlds best-selling music artists, known professionally as Pink, turns47 Asaf Ganot, head coach for the University of Hawaii mens basketball team Spencer Gerrol, founder and CEO at SPARK Neuro Andrei Berman, executive vice president at Biederman LLC. Jay Weinberg, drummer for the funk metal band Infectious Grooves, he is the son of Bruce Springsteen drummer Max Weinberg, turns36 Serena Deutch, an MBA candidate at Tulane Gabby Deutch, former senior national correspondent forJewish Insider, now a staff writer atThe Atlantic Gilad Peled, director of education at Itrek Philip Ehrensaft

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