Condensing the alphabet soup

The Boston Foundation released a report today stating that non-profits employ some 14 percent of the workforce in Massachusetts. In light of challenging economic times, the Boston Globe reports, some foundation officials are quietly suggesting that non-profits with similar missions merge, pool resources and cut overhead.

The Fundermentalist is wondering which Jewish organizations you would like to see join forces, ignoring for the moment the painful staff cuts such mergers would entail.

(Mind you, we are not expecting to hear Richard Wexler break out the Way Back Machine to suggest that the UIA, CJF and UJA get together.)

Here’s what the JTA Staff came up with:

• The orgs: The American Jewish Committee and the American Jewish Congress.

The reason: We all think the Jewish alphabet soup would be better off with one AJC. (Too easy?)


• The orgs: Jewish Funds for Justice, Jews for Racial and Economic Justice, Panim: The Institute for Jewish Leadership and Values, Avoda: The Jewish Service Corps, Mazon and The Jewish Council on Urban Affairs.

The reason: We’d call it United Torah Judaism


• The orgs: The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and the American Jewish World Service.

The reason: Old school with great Jewish mission, reach and some real financial umph meets new school with great social vision and incredible momentum.


• The orgs: The Jewish Agency and the Israeli government.

The reason: Come on, Charles Bronfman says they are already one anyway. (We Joke. We Joke.)


• The orgs: The Jewish Funders Network and The Jewish National Fund.

The reason: JFN + JNF = Maybe money does grow on trees?


• The orgs: BBYO, ADL, Hillel, and Jewish Women International

The reason: We think “The Spawn of B’nai B’rith” is a bad a$$ name for a Jewish org.


• The orgs: JTA and The Forward Association’s gazillion-dollar endowment.

The reason: Come on, the Fundermentalist can at least dream of getting a new computer, right?

Let’s hear your best.