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Good Tuesday morning.

In today’s edition of Your Daily Phil, we speak with World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder about his diplomatic engagement with Qatar. We examine a new human resources service from the Union for Reform Judaism, and report on a leadership change at the Orthodox Union’s Teach Coalition. We feature an opinion piece by Avi Olitzky about preserving institutional memory, and one by Daniel Laufer about incorporating Israeli businesses into Jewish swag supply chains. Also in this issue: Lani Santo, Lenny Solomon and Omer Shem Tov.

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After visiting Qatar with President Donald Trump last week, newly reelected World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder insisted yesterday on the need to engage with the controversial Gulf state to use whatever leverage it has to secure the release of the remaining Israeli hostages and work toward a resolution to the war in Gaza and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict more generally, despite its past support for terrorism and anti-Israel advocacy.

Speaking to eJewishPhilanthropy’s Judah Ari Gross on the sidelines of the WJC meeting in Jerusalem, Lauder praised Trump for bringing Middle Eastern countries closer to the United States, which he said would also benefit Israel.

Qatar has faced growing scrutiny and criticism for its support for Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood, both in direct support to the organizations and general support through its Al Jazeera news network and its donations to American universities. This criticism has also come from within the World Jewish Congress, notably from the newly named head of its Israel region, philanthropist Sylvan Adams, who lambasted Qatar and its support for Hamas at the plenary’s opening gala on Sunday night.

Lauder told eJP that there was no point in dwelling on Qatar’s past actions. Instead, he said, the focus should be on the future. 

“What Qatar did – what anyone did — is in the past. We can’t eliminate what was done in the past. The question is, can Trump and the emir, [Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani] — and I know the emir very well — can Trump and the emir turn things around and make it work? That’s the question,” said Lauder, who was reelected for another four-year term as president of the WJC on Monday. 

Asked if that engagement with Qatar has been effective so far, Lauder refrained from speculating. “I don’t know, but it didn’t hurt,” he said. “What I think that Trump did was open up the entire Middle East to America, and what’s good for America is also good for Israel. That’s the operative message there.”

In his speech during the plenary session of the WJC, Lauder cited three areas in which Israel and the Jewish people are struggling the most — diplomacy, media and academia — all of which are areas in which Qatar has played a key, negative role over the years. Lauder did not refer to Qatar in his speech specifically, instead citing “our enemies,” whom he said “have invested billions of dollars in a campaign against Israel and the Jews.”

He called for Israel and the Jewish People to focus on these areas going forward, having failed to prepare for them in advance of the Oct. 7 attacks.

“Just as Israel failed to anticipate Hamas’ surprise assault, we failed to anticipate the all-out offensive on the mindset of the free world,” Lauder said. 

The WJC president and philanthropist called for the creation of a “special school for diplomacy named after [former Israeli Ambassador] Abba Eban” to train Jewish and Israeli diplomats based on their capabilities not their political affiliations (in addition to the Abba Eban Institute for Diplomacy and Foreign Relations at Israel’s Reichman University). He also stressed the need for improved hasbara, or public relations. 

And Lauder called for a major effort to remove anti-Israel and antisemitic content and personnel from schools around the world. “[Our enemies] began with the takeover of Middle East studies departments in colleges and then expanded, from kindergartens all the way through universities. They also infiltrated think tanks, soft media, as well as many news outlets throughout the world,” Lauder said. “What is needed now is a new project for the Jewish people to educate millions of children, Jewish and non-Jewish. We will have to go school by school to remove the anti-Israel and antisemitic teachers and administrators.”

Read the full report here.

LAURA BEN DAVID/JEWISH LIFE PHOTO BANK

There’s a good chance many Reform synagogues aren’t in compliance with state and federal workplace laws, Barry Mael, senior director of synagogue affiliations, operations and program support, told Jay Deitcher for eJewishPhilanthropy. “Not purposefully, but just because they don't know certain laws.” Last year, the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) soft-launched Jewish Human Resources — or JHR — in a dozen Reform congregations, and now they’re offering it to the rest of the movement’s nearly 850 American congregations, as well as Jewish organizations outside of the URJ umbrella. The first to sign up is the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.

Challenges ahead: One hurdle any HR department faces, especially one located off-site, is earning staff’s trust. “HR departments do whatever their bosses say,” Peter Cappelli, professor of management at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, told eJP. “They are not per se looking after the employees, especially if the employees' interests conflict with what the bosses want.” HR can’t be cut and pasted from one synagogue to another. “Really recognizing the needs and expectations of employees is hard, and actually could take quite a lot of time,” Stefan Stern, the author of How to Be a Better Leader and a visiting professor at Bayes Business School, City, University of London, told eJP. “There isn't always time to listen to everybody individually.”

Read the full report here.

COURTESY

Sydney Altfield, a champion of STEM education, has been tapped as national director of Teach Coalition, an Orthodox Union-run organization that advocates for government funding and resources for yeshivas and Jewish day schools, Haley Cohen of eJewishPhilanthropy’s sister publication Jewish Insider has learned. She succeeds Maury Litwack, who founded the coalition in 2013 and served as its national director since.

Background: Altfield, who has held various roles with Teach Coalition for the past seven years, most recently served as executive director of its New York state chapter. In that position, she spearheaded STEM funding for private schools in the state and helped establish state security funding programs — two areas she intends to expand on a national level in the new role, which encompasses seven states: New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Florida, Pennsylvania, California and Nevada. “We’re at a very pivotal moment in Jewish day schools where the continuity of the Jewish people relies on Jewish education and having access to such. That also has to come at a quality education,” Altfield told JI in her first interview since being selected for the position. “It’s so important to understand that it’s not just about STEM but it’s about the entire Jewish education being high quality, something that’s accessible for everyone.” 

Read the full report here and sign up for Jewish Insider’s Daily Kickoff here.

GETTY IMAGES

“In the nonprofit world, especially where mission-driven work and stakeholder relationships are central, narratives carry enormous weight. The version of events that gets remembered is often less about what happened and more about who tells the story, how they tell it and when. It's less what happened and more how the story of what happened gets codified — and why. That’s historiography at work,” writes Avi Olitzky, president and principal consultant of Olitzky Consulting Group, in an opinion piece for eJewishPhilanthropy. 

Reality check: “Without anchoring in historicity — actual records, data, context — organizations risk making decisions based on myths or misremembered lore. An initiative might get dismissed because ‘we already tried that,’ when in reality it was a half-hearted pilot with no follow-through. A funder might be credited for a program's success when the bulk of impact came from a different stream of support entirely. Leadership transitions can become moments of narrative re-creation, not continuity. That’s why I’ve come to believe that nonprofits must become better historians of themselves. This doesn’t require becoming academic, but it does require intentionality.”

 Read the full piece here.

TZIPORA LIFSCHITZ

“For Jewish professionals — whether at schools, camps, synagogues or federations — swag is not just ‘stuff.’ It builds belonging. It celebrates milestones. It helps people feel rooted in their communities,” writes Daniel Laufer, founder and co-owner of Israeli business Let’s Bench, in an opinion piece for eJewishPhilanthropy. 

Little things, big message: “In the past year, Let’s Bench expanded its work beyond siddurim and benchers into event merchandise and custom swag. We served North American federations ordering gifts for Israel solidarity missions and events. Jewish day schools seeking culturally resonant apparel. Camps looking for creative ways to celebrate their values. We’ve had T-shirts made for Israeli high school kids organizing protests for the hostages, and hoodies for mission participants coming to pick produce on farms impacted by the labor shortage resulting from the war... This isn’t just about commerce. It’s about connection. Every order supports our team and/or suppliers in Israel — some called up for reserve duty, others navigating disrupted lives. Every delivery is a reminder that the Jewish people are still showing up for each other… Resilience in Israel today isn’t always loud. Sometimes it looks like continuing to print, pack and ship. Sometimes it’s being the quiet bridge between your mission in America and our mission here in Israel. We know that swag isn’t the center of Jewish life, but the decisions around it reflect our values: Who we buy from. What messages we print. Which stories we choose to tell through the things we give.”

Read the full piece here.

An Aggressive Move: In Philanthropy Roundtable, Jack Salmon warns against a tax law proposal ensconced in legislation currently under consideration by the House Ways and Means Committee. “Though seemingly a technical tweak, this provision (Section 112022) threatens to strip nearly $16 billion in charitable funding from communities over the next decade while doing virtually nothing to address America’s fiscal woes… For policymakers serious about promoting philanthropy, such a tax hike would be a step in the wrong direction. Advocates for the tax say wealthy foundations can afford to pay more. But this ignores two key facts. First, private foundations are already bound by law to spend at least 5% of their assets annually on charitable activities. And in practice, most give more: median payout rates consistently exceed 5%, and averages often surpass 7%. These institutions are already voluntarily doing far more than the legal minimum. Second, the added tax burden doesn’t fall on idle wealth, it falls on investment income, which is precisely what fuels long-term, sustainable giving. Compounding returns from endowments allows foundations to plan for the future, support multiyear initiatives and fund capital-intensive work like medical research and charitable works programs. Taxing this income at progressively higher rates undermines those goals.” [PhilanthropyRoundtable]

Make It Monthly: In The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Lisa Schohl advises fundraisers and nonprofits on why and how to secure monthly giving from donors. “As economic worries grow amid federal funding cuts and threats of a potential recession, monthly giving can provide stability for your nonprofit by creating a predictable and dependable revenue stream. Among the many ways these programs pay off for charities, monthly donors tend to be easier — and cost less — to hang on to than other supporters. One study found that the retention rate for sustainers typically is around 90%, compared with an average rate of about 45% for all donors… The Chronicle gathered insights and advice from several experts to help you figure out how to maximize monthly giving in the current climate. Based on those conversations, here are five key characteristics of healthy sustainer programs and tips to start attracting more of these loyal donors — and raising more — right away.” [ChronicleofPhilanthropy]

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A planned speech by Yair Golan, head of the Israeli progressive Democrats party, to the European Jewish Congress today — immediately following the World Jewish Congress plenary session — was canceled after Golan said this morning on the radio that Israel was “killing babies as a hobby,” as criticism of the ongoing war in Gaza. His remarks have drawn widespread condemnation in Israel, from both the government and parts of the opposition, as well as from Israeli President Isaac Herzog…

The United Kingdom, France and Canada threatened to impose sanctions on Israel if it does not change its policies on humanitarian aid and the war in Gaza, as well as settlements in the West Bank…

Rachel Goldberg-Polin and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) will be speaking at Yeshiva University graduation on Thursday… 

Speaking at the annual Jerusalem Post conference in New York City on Monday, Special Envoy for Hostage Response Adam Boehler said about a hostage release deal, “I do think we're closer than we ever were”....

Also during the conference, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced the formation of a new New York City-Israel Economic Council to boost business ties. Israel’s efforts on the council will be headed by Economy Minister Nir Barkat…

The New York Times spotlighted the role of Israel and antisemitism policy in the New York City mayor’s race, after candidate Zohran Mamdani rushed to correct reports that he refused to condemn the Holocaust…

City&State New York interviews Lani Santo, the CEO of Footsteps, which supports those who leave Haredi communities…

Newly inaugurated Pope Leo XIV met with Jewish community leaders yesterday…

The Jewish Weekly of Northern California examines how Jewish organizations maintain their archives to allow for historical research…

The Israeli volunteering nonprofit Yahel is opening a fourth hub for its operations in Jerusalem, joining its existing ones in Haifa, southern Israel and central Israel. Read more about Yahel’s expansion here…

The Times of Israel spotlights a new documentary, “The King of Shlock,” about Lenny Solomon and his band Shlock Rock…

The Blavatnik Family Foundation donated $15 million to NYU Langone Health to support the research of Evgeny A. Nudler, which the medical system said would go to cancer therapy, antibiotic resistance and antiaging studies…

The Skoll Foundation awarded a $5 million grant to the University of Arizona to support research into public health threats brought on by pandemics… 

Hillel at the University of Delaware has secured $8 million in commitments for its $12 million capital campaign for a new facility; this includes three “lead gifts” of over $1 million each from Stuart and Suzanne Grant, the Kristol family and the Book family…

Rebecca Rose, formerly major gifts officer at the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, is joining Foundation for Defense of Democracies as director of grants and regional events…

Eszter Neuman was appointed board chair of Los Angeles’ Sinai Akiba Academy…

Michael Lourie has been named vice president of public affairs and chief of staff for the Jewish Federation of St. Louis…

WINSLOW TOWNSON/GETTY IMAGES

Omer Shem Tov, who was taken hostage by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, and released on Feb. 22, throws out the ceremonial first pitch last night at Boston’s Fenway Park before a game between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Mets to kick off Jewish Heritage Night at the stadium.

COURTESY/ADL

Director of federal policy and strategy for the Anti-Defamation League, Lauren D. Wolman...

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