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Ronn Torossian
The author is CEO of 5WPR, 1 of the 25 largest PR Agencies in the US.
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As CEO of one of the largest independently owned American public relations firms, it was interesting to find this week that The Jewish Communal Fund (JCF) is seeking a “Public Relations and Marketing Associate”, who can “write blog posts”, and “identify articles and blog posts that are relevant to JCF and gain permissions to re-post on the JCF blog.”
There is much information available online that I have shared recently - and I give them full permission to use any of the articles which I have written about them that show their support for organizations that boycott Israel.
In the last few months, numerous organizations and individuals have written about The Jewish Communal Fund, (JCF) the largest Jewish donor advised fund in the United States, which manages $1.3 billion in charitable assets. An organization for the mega-rich, they facilitate and promote charitable giving – it has been demonstrated that the JCF has given millions to The New Israel Fund, which actively supports a boycott of Israel.
The JCF has also granted thousands of dollars to A Jewish Voice For Peace - which the ADL said “..uses its Jewish identity to shield the anti-Israel movement from allegations of anti-Semitism and provide a greater degree of credibility to the anti-Israel movement.”
The policy governing the Jewish Communal Fund notes: "'The Jewish Communal Fund is committed to supporting causes that promote the welfare and security of the Jewish community here and abroad. Consequently, as part of the grant review process, the Board of Trustees of the Jewish Communal Fund retains the right to deny any grant request where the purposes and activities of the recommended charitable organization are deemed to be adverse to the interests of the Jewish Community.”
Funding those who boycott Israel, therefore, is clearly unacceptable for The Jewish Communal Fund – and instead of hiring PR people, they should stop funding boycotters. The uber wealthy in America create foundations through which they give to charities - from yeshivas to community centers, healthcare organizations to childrens projects – but nothing can justify their donating to organizations that support a boycott of the State of Israel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently said that those who fund boycotts against Israel must be exposed. As Netanyahu explained, “We must not cave into the pressure, expose the lies and attack the attackers.” Netanyahu is right.
Buried in the tax-returns of numerous foundations is funding for organizations that support boycotts of Israel – and they must be exposed.
The Jewish Communal Fund, as well as foundations including
The Lopatin Family Foundation,
The Annenberg Foundation,
the Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund,
The Russell Berrie Foundation,
J.S. & S. Michaan Foundation,
the Jim Joseph Foundation,
Leichtag Foundation,
David Hochberg Foundation
must stop giving millions to help organizations like the NIF and Jewish Voice for Peace damage Israel.
Harvard professor Ruth Wisse rightfully has noted that, “the rapid demoralization of Jews in the face of anti-Zionism… shows the depth of the influence of the past, for many have yet to achieve the simple self-respect that has been eluding the Jews collectively since the dawn of modernity.”
Reject the extremist foundations who fund boycotts of Israel.
Unless the foundations themselves change their donating patterns.
