Good Friday morning. Ed. note:In observance of Passover, the nextYour Daily Philwill arrive in your inbox on Thursday, April 25.Chag kasher vsameach! For less-distracted reading over the weekend, browse this week’s edition ofThe Weekly Print, a curated print-friendly PDF featuring a selection of recenteJewishPhilanthropyandJewish Insiderstories, including:New Haggadot, supplemental readings and initiatives look to bring the global state of affairs into this year’s Passover Seder; Relief group SmartAid providing thousands of tents to Gazans, says it’s the only Israeli NGO operating in the St ..read more

The waves were a bit strong and the breeze still chilly, on the official opening day of the Shirat HaYam gender-segregated beach in Bat Yam, Israel, last week as Waves of Hope began the first lesson of its therapeutic surfing course for a new group of at-risk girls from the Haredi community. Exhilarated from her first foray into the sea with a surfboard, Elisheva David, 17, from the mainly Haredi city of Elad, was still wearing a wetsuit while a few of the other girls had already changed into their ankle-length skirts and long-sleeved shirts. “I was afraid I would be cold, and that I would ..read more

As one of the more prominent Jewish institutions on a college campus, Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity houses have often been targets for antisemitic activities. But this has given them deep, friendly connections to campus administrators, which have become particularly useful, AEPi CEO Rob Derdiger told eJewishPhilanthropy Managing Editor Judah Ari Gross in the latest installment of “Get Your Phil.” From a one to a four: “Many, many of our brothers kind of come into AEPi because the barriers to entry are very low, but they feel the the pull of Jewish community. And then through their involvement i ..read more

It has become a truism that the world is experiencing an unprecedented leadership crisis. The level of trust we have in our leaders — political, corporate and religious — has hit rock bottom, though that hasn’t stopped the digging. Three-quarters of Americans distrust their elected leaders, and 8 in 10 Israelis want their prime minister gone. Eighty-two percent of Americans are suspicious of business leaders, and religious leaders are distrusted by a historic number of people. Some of this may be an over-correction: we used to think that our leaders were infallible, and now we are all too aw ..read more

Good Thursday morning. In today’s edition of Your Daily Phil, we report on a new survey byJewish Federations of North Americaand a congressional hearing on antisemitism atColumbia University. We feature an opinion piece byShaina Wassermanabout steps to assess and improve workplace culture in the stressful aftermath of Oct. 7. Also in this newsletter:Rachel Goldberg-Polin,Christopher WrayandJosh Harris.We’ll start with a review of some of the new initiatives coming out for thePassover Sederto acknowledge the dire straits facing the Jewish people this year. A hostage poster set upright on a c ..read more

A hostage poster set upright on a chair at the table. A blooming flower added to the Seder plate. A poem by the mother of one of the captives. As more than 100 people languish in captivity in Gaza and increasing numbers of Jews around the world report hiding their identities in public due to rising antisemitism, this year’s Passover Seder — with its focus on liberation and freedom — is sure to be different from all other Seders.  To bring the global state of affairs into this year’s Seder, Jewish and Israeli organizations, as well as individual authors, are offering new Haggadot, supple ..read more

For many working in the Jewish communal sector, the struggle to find a path forward since Oct. 7 has been challenging, to say the least. Since October, we have borne witness to the worst tragedy to happen to the Jewish people since the Holocaust; a global rise in antisemitism; a sense of isolation amongst some partners once considered close allies; shifting philanthropic priorities adding uncertainty to our work; and escalating polarization due to the ongoing violence and loss of innocent life in Israel and Gaza.  To intensify this already turbulent period, many Jewish organizations are ..read more

From an early age, Elisha Wiesel watched how his father approached “living Jewish values on the world stage whenever they’re needed,” he recalled in an interview this week with eJewishPhilanthropy. So when Wiesel became chairman of the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity two years ago, he felt it crucial that the best way to honor the memory of his father, the Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace laureate and writer, would be for the foundation to devote itself to a crisis half a world away from Auschwitz — advocating for the Muslim Uyghur community in China. Beginning on Wednesday, the found ..read more

Growing up in the Jewish community, I learned about the importance of tikkun olam, repairing the world. I was also taught that mitzvot, good deeds, were not only the responsibility of adults. And yet, there are so few opportunities focused on mobilizing teens to make a significant impact in our community, particularly through philanthropy. There is a false assumption in the world of philanthropy that teens’ impact is limited and localized, often left to small, one-time fundraising events for organizations selected on their behalf. Today’s teen leaders shouldn’t wait for adulthood to provide ..read more

Good Tuesday morning. In today’s edition of Your Daily Phil, we report on theAnti-Defamation League’s 2023 annual audit, which found record-high numbers of antisemitic activity spurred by Oct. 7 attacks, and a new campaign by theAcademic Engagement Networkto provide tools to university faculty to combat antisemitism. We feature an opinion piece byPhilip Bendheimabout the unique benefits offered by older volunteers. Also in this newsletter:Emma Tsurkov,Alexandra CohenandIsraeli PresidentIsaac Herzog.We’ll start with the Israeli relief groupSmartAidproviding thousands of tents to Palestinians ..read more