A Skeptic is Convinced: Finding Inspiration at the G.A.

One can almost be forgiven for walking the halls of the Toronto Convention Center and concluding that somehow another year had passed and another opportunity lost. But something very profound and inspiring occurred this year at the United Jewish Communities’ General Assembly. Inspiration is hard to find in life. It’s certainly not something you expect to find at the G.A.

Gone are the days when Israeli leaders traveled to the United States to implore us to support Israel in its unprecedented struggles and global opportunities. No longer are we united by wars and rescue campaigns. Gone are the days when we could sit together in a plenary with 5,000 other Jews and feel inspired and united by a sense of common purpose.

In its place, we live in a fragmented world where the United Jewish Community system struggles to maintain the core value of communal responsibility and the primacy of an unrestricted, annual campaign.

In such an environment, lacking a crisis to unite us, how could the G.A. be inspiring?

Somewhere in the midst of all the sessions and meetings, there were moments of pure bravado. There were moments when I was forced to pause and consider what I had seen and heard.

For the first time in my four trips to the G.A., I witnessed an open and honest debate about the future of our Jewish community. It was as if an open invitation had been sent to all who cared; to come, sit at the table and share their ideas, hopes and fears.

For a proud system that has accomplished so much in caring for the needy and rescuing millions it must have been a proud, but painful moment with far-reaching implications.

It began with a session entitled “Federation, Foundations & Philanthropists: Working Together.” The discussion quickly turned to the goals and expectations of a new generation of philanthropists. Rather then focusing on examples of partnerships, the discussion turned to the enormous challenges of reconciling the philanthropists’ approach with that of the UJC. It was a bold . . . honest . . . and at times, raw assessment.

It wasn’t until Morris Offit, the president of UJA-Federation of New York, stood in front of the panel, visibly shaken by the discussion, and delivered a passionate defense of the federation that I truly understood the profound nature of what we heard. It’s rare that a man of his stature, in front of such a large crowd, would open up and share the level of disappointment he must have felt. It was an intensely human and honest moment involving a leader I deeply respected. It was a prelude to what would follow.

Later in the day, at a session called “Rebels with a Cause,” a panel of Generation X social entrepreneurs unabashedly challenged the UJC to adjust its culture. In a barrage of ideas and suggestions, a new generation demanded their place at the table. Aaron Bisman, the producer of Matisyahu, challenged the community to invest 10 percent of our campaigns in social, Jewish entrepreneurs.

At a session on North American immigration to Israel, Carole Solomon, the chairwoman of the Jewish Agency for Israel’s Board of Governors was challenged by young Ethiopians ” why resources were being spent on middle class Jews from the United States seeking to make aliyah while the Ethiopian community in Israel continues to suffer so greatly?” Solomon’s response was sympathetic and supportive, as she reviewed the UJC’s commitment to rescuing and resettling a generation of Ethiopian Jews. Yet, for the 22-year-old graduate searching for her first job, the desperation inherent in the question remained.

The G.A. ended with a plenary focusing on the young, social entrepreneurs who continued to challenge the culture, including : Rochelle Shoresh, the founder of Sharsheret, which supports young Jewish women with breast cancer; Marcella Kanfer Rolnick, a former leader of the Joshua Project who is trying to restart the organization; and, of course, Bisman.

In meeting after meeting with these social entrepreneurs, I was deeply moved by their commitment and their realization that they must be a part of the greater system and not just its critics.

Many believe that our greatest challenge is a lack of financial resources, but it’s not. Others believe that our greatest challenge is that if we experiment and fail, we will risk all that we have built and sustained. But that fact is that the biggest risk of all would be to ignore what a new generation of small and large donors is telling us.

As we look to the future, our community will need to develop a far more entrepreneurial and collaborative environment to meet the growing needs and attract a new generation. We must welcome philanthropists to the table as partners because of their ideas and not just their support. We must not only try bold, new initiatives, but we must also be willing to invest in ideas and strategies that have no guarantees of success.

The UJC system has an enormous challenge ahead to assess its role in such a world. So if this year’s G.A. has the potential to be a turning point we must ask ourselves “what comes next?”

I am more optimistic about the future then ever before because I witnessed the power of a new generation of Jewish, social entrepreneurs. I am proud of a UJC system that gave a voice to those who wished to be heard, even if the message was at times painful.

So when asked the question “Can one truly be inspired by the General Assembly?” I can today unequivocally answer, yes.

Joseph Hyman is the President of the Center for Entrepreneurial Jewish Philanthropy, a not-for-profit organization that engages, supports and advises potential major Jewish philanthropists in exploring meaningful Jewish giving opportunities. Send your feedback to CEJP@optonline.net. This piece was initially printed in the Jewish Week.