The Jewish Federations of North America, an umbrella organization for hundreds of local Jewish Federations throughout the U.S. and Canada, is the world’s biggest vehicle for donations to Israel. Formed in 1999 through a merger between the Council of Jewish Federations and the United Jewish Appeal, it now raises and donates millions of dollars a year, a portion of which goes to the Jewish Agency.
For years, the prevailing assumption among its donors was that, by the very fact of channeling their money to Jewish Zionist purposes, they were achieving their goal. They didn’t ask questions, and donated blindly.
But the growing strength of Israel’s Orthodox establishment, Benjamin Netanyahu’s abandonment of bipartisanship in favor of siding with the U.S. Republican Party and other factors led to growing alienation and tension within the federations.
One manifestation of this is that more and more American Jewish donors are asking questions about which programs or organizations their money is going to.
The rightist-Haredi-religious nationalist government expected to be formed in Israel necessitates that the JFNA, like other organizations that raise money for Israel, proactively draw a line. It must say no to donating blindly for vague purposes or through the Jewish Agency, and yes to donating to organizations engaged in strengthening democracy and pluralism in Israel. This also applies to the fundraising done in other countries around the world, especially in Europe, by fundraising organization "Keren Hayesod" – United Israel Appeal.
This must be the order of the day for the entire Jewish world. The Israel of 2022 is an Israel that prioritizes Jewish supremacy and Orthodoxy while driving away liberal, secular, Conservative and Reform Jews. Their money is seen as legitimate, but their Jewishness is not.
For decades, wealthy American Jews have donated billions of dollars to strengthening and building Israel. Through various Jewish organizations, they have invested in Israel’s development towns, built community centers and schools, funded educational enrichment, helped poor neighborhoods and underprivileged groups and much more.
The Orthodox takeover of the Israeli establishment following Netanyahu’s return to power in 2009, and even more so now, has been reflected in its contempt for North American Jewry. In this regard, the most resounding slap in the face was the government’s failure to implement a plan for improving the status of non-Orthodox prayer at the Western Wall.
Now, we're facing demands to amend the Law of Return and not recognize non-Orthodox conversions performed overseas. This cold shoulder will only intensify in the generations to come, driving young Diaspora Jews further away from Israel and leaving them unable to defend the country’s positions and policies.
From now on, therefore, Jewish Federations and communities in North America must direct their donations to a variety of programs and projects whose common denominator is fighting the descent of religious fundamentalist darkness on Israel and the intolerance and fascism that have put down roots here. Jewish groups that lobby the U.S. government with regard to Israel must also change, but that’s a subject for another article.
American Jewry and Jewish Israel are now essentially two different peoples whose shared values and identity are fraying. Over the long term, this poses a strategic threat to Israel. When the day comes that it needs American Jews, many will shun it.
Diaspora Jewry has an important role to play in the battle to save Israel from itself. One way to wage it's by making it clear to Israel’s political leaders that North American Jews are no longer in their pockets, in every sense of the phrase.