Good Wednesday morning.

In today’s edition of Your Daily Phil, we interview Gary Torgow, the new board chair of the Jewish Federations of North America. We report on the dozens of young people moving into Kibbutz Nir Oz, the hardest-hit community in the Oct. 7 attacks, and profile Jay Schottenstein, the American Eagle CEO, and his family’s historic support for Jewish philanthropic causes amid the clothing company’s viral “good jeans” campaign. We feature an opinion piece by Chanie Chein with an approach for helping communal professionals and lay leaders sustain their roles and themselves without burning out; plus Avi S. Olitzky shares the difference between succession planning and planning for success. Also in this issue: Malka Simkovich, Ithamar Handelman-Smith and Rabbi Tamir Granot.

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In June, less than a week after Michigan businessman Gary Torgow was tapped to chair the board of the Jewish Federations of North America, Israel preemptively struck Iranian nuclear sites and critical military sites, launching a war that sent the country, region and Jewish community once again reeling. 

Nearly two years since the Oct. 7 attacks, Torgow is stepping into his role as many of the challenges that the North American Jewish community has grappled with over the last few years have deepened and become chronic. Israel’s war with Hamas is now the longest active conflict since the nation’s war of independence, global antisemitism looms ever-present and increasing security needs have been highlighted by recent fatal attacks in which young couple Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky were shot dead outside the Capital Jewish Museum — and Karen Diamond, an 81-year old Holocaust survivor, succumbed to her wounds after being firebombed at a march in support of the Israeli hostages in Boulder, Colo. 

Now one month into his three-year term, eJewishPhilanthropy’s Nira Dayanim spoke with Torgow to discuss the current moment for North American Jewry, heightening demands on Jewish philanthropy and his past work with the Orthodox Union and the NAACP. 

ND: You stepped into this role at JFNA as many of the cascading crises that the Jewish community has faced over the last few years — the impact of Oct. 7, rising antisemitism and the ongoing war — are becoming somewhat chronic. How are you navigating this moment? Where do we go from here?

GT: We are clearly living in times that require and demand every hand on deck to work to strengthen and support the Jews across the world. It's clearly a time when we need unity, we need generosity, we need kindness. I'm hoping that with the collective efforts of all of the Jewish people in our communities and all the many organizations and individuals, we can help alleviate some of the pain and the suffering around the world. We can strengthen the bonds of the Jewish people, and we can empower the next generation to continue to lead with Jewish pride and a lot of sense of responsibility for the Jewish people.

We're in the month of Av. It's a time when the Jewish people are really reflective about the tragedies that have marked our history, and so we have to internalize the lesson that is really echoed throughout every generation, that when we are united, we endure, and when we are divided, we are very vulnerable…

ND: We are at a point where the immediate unifying effect of Oct. 7 is starting to fray, and we are seeing more fragmenting in the community surrounding domestic and Israeli policy. There are some real and increasing differences in how Jewish people view the current moment. How do you approach bridging those gaps?

GT: We do have struggles amongst each other, but I think the way to bridge those gaps is to have lots of important conversations. To be very mindful, to listen, to give everybody an opportunity to share their viewpoints and to create a unified, indispensable voice for all Jews, no matter their background, their generation, their observance.

We have to foster inclusion. We have to stick to the responsibilities that we have without getting too deep into the political fray, which I know is very troublesome… 

ND: Prior to working with JFNA, you also held a few positions at the Orthodox Union. An Orthodox background definitely brings a distinctive voice to JFNA, whose leadership generally comes from the more progressive denominations. How do you view that dynamic?

GT: I think the Jewish Federations of North America have done a remarkable job of uniting the communities. And we see less and less labels, and we see more and more unity. And I see it also in the Orthodox community… 

ND: So looking forward to the next three years, how will you define success on the priorities that you have listed?

GT: I hate to focus on myself, so I'm going to [answer] this as a “we.” But I think success over these years in the future is going to be a continuing effort to unify the Jewish people, support Israel, create more pathways for local, national and international cooperation, bridging socioeconomic, ideological and generational divides. 

We have a very big job to strengthen the next generation of leaders who are stepping forward and encourage them to shape our future with passion, with purpose, faith…

Read the full interview here.

COURTESY

Walking along a path on Kibbutz Nir Oz, Yahel Meirovich and Raz Baruch felt the surreal contrast between the quiet birdsong, the deceptively pastoral stillness of the near-deserted kibbutz and the steady thud of bombs heard from the Gaza Strip, less than a mile away. Part of a group of 50 young adults — all of them educators from the Hashomer HaTzair Labor Zionist youth movement (literally, “the young guard”) — who have recently relocated to the kibbutz, the two were keenly aware of the emotional tension hanging in the air, Meirovich told Judith Sudilovsky for eJewishPhilanthropy a week after their Aug. 3 arrival.

Raised right: The move of the young Hashomer HaTzair educators to Nir Oz is part of the youth movement’s Mefalsei Nativ (“Path Levelers”) program, in partnership with Kibbutz Nir Oz, which was founded by Hashomer HaTzair pioneers, with core support from the Kibbutz Movement Rehabilitation Fund — the body leading the recovery efforts of kibbutz communities in the Gaza border region since Oct.7, 2023. The Homeward Initiative, an educational foundation strengthening southern and northern communities since the war’s outbreak, has also played a key role in supporting the project from its inception as part of a broader joint effort to build young, vibrant communities in the heart of the hardest-hit kibbutzim. "For us, the decision to move to Nir Oz is the embodiment of everything we were raised on in Hashomer HaTzair – acting together with courage and stepping in where we’re needed," Meirovich said.

Read the full report here.

AGUDATH ISRAEL OF AMERICA/X

In the recent viral debate surrounding American Eagle’s “great jeans” ad campaign with Sydney Sweeney, which used a double entendre that drew accusations of promoting eugenics, it seemed many critics overlooked that the clothing retailer’s chief executive is a leading Jewish philanthropist who has long been long committed to fighting antisemitism. It was the sort of irony befitting Jay Schottenstein, 71, a mild-mannered billionaire entrepreneur from Columbus, Ohio, who oversees a sprawling business network that, in addition to American Eagle, includes DSW, the shoe chain he leads as executive chairman, among other holdings in wine, real estate and furniture, reports Matthew Kassel for eJewishPhilanthropy’s sister publication Jewish Insider.

Quiet contributions: But outside of philanthropic circles — where he is widely recognized as one of the most consequential sponsors of Jewish causes in the United States and Israel — his relatively private lifestyle has otherwise obscured his long-standing dedication to a range of issues including educational efforts, archeological research and translations of ancient Jewish texts. “I think most people really don’t know who he is,” said Brad Kastan, a Jewish Republican donor who lives in Columbus and has long been friendly with Schottenstein. “He kind of keeps a low profile.”

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

JORM SANGSORN/GETTY IMAGES

“Most of us have been taught that growth and change means pushing ourselves to be different — to think differently, feel differently, act differently — until we become who we’re ‘supposed’ to be,” writes Chanie Chein, co-director of Chabad at Brandeis and CEO and co-founder of M54: The Institute for Insourcing, in an opinion piece for eJewishPhilanthropy. “It is part of the societal phenomenon of always striving for more: Be more present. Be more productive. Be more inspiring. But that kind of change often feels like a fight against ourselves. Over the years, instead of growth, it creates stress — a feeling that we are always somehow falling short of our potential.” 

Systems check: “When I began to notice the same signs in others — fellow shluchot (emissaries) whose sparkle had dimmed, who spoke about their communities in tones edged with exhaustion — it unsettled me… That turning point led me to something deeper, something my Chabad Chassidic tradition has always taught but I hadn’t truly internalized: change doesn’t begin with willpower. It begins with awareness, especially about what is going on inside ourselves… Through this inner work, I began to see that my patterns weren’t signs of failure. They were systems I had developed to stay steady and survive... Real growth would mean working with my systems, not against them, with compassion, curiosity and even joy.”

Read the full piece here.

MIAKIEVY/GETTY IMAGES 

“When organizations talk about succession planning, the conversation almost always centers around people,” writes Avi. S. Olitzky, president and principal consultant of Olitzky Consulting Group, in an opinion piece for eJewishPhilanthropy. “It’s a game of musical chairs, hoping there’s a warm, capable body ready to take the next seat. A name gets slotted in to replace another name; boards feel relief that a vacancy won’t linger. This mindset, focused narrowly on replacing individuals, often misses the deeper opportunity.”

What you really need: “Think of it this way: If your best fundraiser resigns, the goal isn’t to hire someone ‘just like them.’ The goal is to ensure that the relationships they nurtured, the pipeline they built and the strategies they refined are documented, transferable and measurable. You’re not replacing a person — you’re replacing their outputs. ... This isn’t to downplay the importance of strong leaders. ... If their departure creates chaos, it’s not their fault. It’s a sign that the organization failed to translate leadership into infrastructure.”

Read the full piece here.

Keep it Simple, Stupid: In The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Richard Harwood rejects grand strategies to address communities’ problems by thinking about the big questions, recommending that efforts start small instead.“How can we tackle all the pressing issues we face? … How can we get everyone around the table? … How can we coordinate our actions to ensure maximum impact? … Time and again, I find these questions reflexively drive decisions. The result? Sophisticated programs, grand plans, intricate strategies. An obsession with tactics and timelines. Endless calls for research and planning and meetings. These responses, while well-intentioned, routinely take us to the wrong place at the wrong time. Some even do damage. … The trick? Start small. … In every case, an initial small action unleashed a chain reaction of actions that took root, grew, and spread. At the heart of each chain reaction was a focus on what really matters to people.” [ChronicleofPhilanthropy]

Relationship Drama: In Sapir, Malka Simkovich explores the historical tension around the idea of Jews as the chosen people. “The very force of the covenant lies in the fact that God wants the people of Israel, and the challenge of chosenness is for them to rise to the occasion as Abraham did. As the covenant transitions from one-directional blessings to uneven loyalty and finally to mutual love — from bracha to chesed to ahava — the covenantal people are expected to dig deeper into their own emotions and rise to the level of wanting God back… The task of the Israelites and their descendants is not to justify the fact that God wants them. Instead, their task is to reciprocate God’s love, even when true reciprocation is impossible.” [Sapir]

Not Feeling the Love in Norway: In FairPlanet, Ithamar Handelman-Smith puts the surge in antisemitism in Norway since the Oct. 7 attacks into a larger historical context. “While Jews were permitted to settle in Denmark, a 1687 decree banned them from Norway... Even after Norway gained independence in 1814, the constitutional ban on Jews remained in place until 1851… Unlike neighbouring Scandinavian countries that protected their Jewish populations, Norway’s Jewish community was devastated during the Holocaust, with nearly half its members killed in Nazi death camps. … ‘Unlike Sweden and Denmark… in Norway there’s some guilty feelings about the Holocaust; there’s a lot of literature about it today, they have made movies and series about it. But when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, I think a lot of people see it as a chance to clear their conscience.’” [FairPlanet]

Sunrise, Sunset: In The Forward, Benyamin Cohen marks the passing of the torch from lifelong pulpit Rabbi Victor Urecki, 64, to his incoming young successor, Rabbi Adam Berman, 35, at B’nai Jacob, a more than century-old synagogue in Charleston, W.V. “Urecki’s first and only pulpit became the anchor of his professional and personal life — he moved here two weeks after he got married, raised three daughters here, and now has a grandson growing up in the same city… Next Shabbat, Berman will stand at the same pulpit. He will inherit not just the Torah scrolls and the yahrzeit plaques, but the relationships and rhythms of a community that has learned to thrive in a place where the Jewish population can fit into a single wedding banquet hall. ‘We are the most blessed rabbis on the planet,’ Urecki told him from the bimah. Then he stepped down, leaving the Torah — and the family — in younger hands.” [Forward]

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Jewish Insider looks at how Trump allies from within the evangelical Christian community are urging Republicans to focus on countering right-wing antisemitism…

Israel’s Health Ministry released a report documenting the physical and mental tolls that captivity had on released hostages, finding nerve damage, hearing loss, malnutrition, post-traumatic stress disorder and other psychological conditions…

A forthcoming United Nations report is expected to accuse Hamas of committing rape and other forms of sexual violence in armed conflicts…

Israeli hostage families are calling for a day-long strike on Sunday, despite a lack of support from the Histradut, the country’s main labor union…

The Chronicle of Philanthropy examines how midlevel donors can play a key role in helping nonprofits weather uncertain times…

Claremont Hillel has acquired its first ever independent building, a “historic 1930s home” located across from Pomona College campus…

The upstate New York man who fired a gun outside Albany’s Temple Israel in December 2023, yelling “Free Palestine” during the attack, was sentenced to 10 years in state prison…

Organizers of the Toronto International Film Festival rescinded the invitation to show the documentary “The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue,” about the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terror attacks, at its upcoming festival, citing the use of Hamas footage of the attacks that had not been cleared for use by the terror group; Canada’s Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs called the decision “shameful” and “unconscionable”...

World Central Kitchen confirmed video footage shared by the Israel Defense Forces that showed five armed individuals using a car that was marked with a fake WCK logo; WCK said it “strongly condemn[ed] anyone posing as WCK or other humanitarians as this endangers civilians and aid workers”...

In an interview with CNN’s Bianna Golodryga, Foreign Press Association head Ian Williams equated Hamas to U.S. political parties and questioned the terror group’s designation; the Anti-Defamation League condemned Williams’ “outrageous” comments, saying that the “dangerous normalization” of Hamas’ activities “has no place in journalism”...

Dame Stephanie "Steve" Shirley, who came to the United Kingdom on the Kindertransport and became a pioneer in the IT industry and prolific philanthropist, died on Saturday at 91…

SCREENSHOT

Rabbi Tamir Granot, the head of Tel Aviv’s Orot Shaul yeshiva, officiates the wedding of Roni Levinson, the former fiancée of his son, Cpt. Amitay Granot, who was killed in battle in Gaza on Oct. 15, 2023, less than two weeks after their engagement. (Levinson’s new husband serves in an elite military unit, so his name cannot be disclosed.)

“The day that [Amitay] was killed, he said to Roni, his fiancée, that on his next leave, they’ll get married. Six hours later, he was in a battle where… he sacrificed himself,” Granot said told Israel’s Channel 13 news on Monday. “And from then, we feel that [Levinon’s] present and future are part of [our family].”

COURTESY

President of Accessibility Partners, a Maryland firm that hires people with disabilities for tech jobs, she is also the founder of a nonprofit I Support the Girls, which donates undergarments and hygiene products to women in need, Dana Marlowe... 

Member of the New York State Assembly for 24 years, since then she has been the county clerk of Queens County, Audrey I. Pheffer... Retired CPA and senior executive in Los Angeles, Morton Algaze... Treasury secretary of the United States during the four years of the Biden administration, Janet Yellen... Documentary still photographer of the American and international Jewish communities since 1970, Robert A. Cumins... Beverly Hills, Calif., resident, Ruth Fay Kellerman... Vice president and chief of staff at the Aspen Institute, James M. Spiegelman... Film producer, writer and director, Susan Landau Finch... Founder of the Council of Orthodox Jewish Organizations of Manhattan, he is also the executive chairman of LifeHealth Network, Michael Landau... Co-chairman of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, Michael De Luca... Storyteller, producer and writer, Jeffrey Mark "Slash" Coleman... Editor-in-chief of The Hollywood Reporter, Maer Roshan... Founder and managing director at Beacon Global Strategies, Jeremy B. Bash... Three-time Olympian water polo player, now assistant coach at Pepperdine, Merrill Marc Moses... Professor of government at Harvard University, he was the director of the Harvard Center for Jewish Studies, Eric Matthew Nelson... Professor of law at the South Texas College of Law in Houston, Joshua Michael Blackman... Deputy general counsel and global head of contracts and litigation for Tower Research Capital, Matthew Weiss... Weekend editor for The Washington Post, Sara Sorcher... Israeli Olympic long-distance runner, she ran the marathon for Israel at the Paris Olympics in 2024, Maor Tiyouri... Attorney at Fried Frank, Nathan Jablow... Account supervisor for crisis communications at Edelman, Jodie Michelle Singer... Vice president of business development at Azul Hospitality Group, Adam Dahan... Founder of Israel-based AlignUp Advisory Services, David Angel... Elaine Hall... Jonathan Gerber...