This Week

Cover Story

Guardian Of The

Beyond trees,. NF's ocus in srae now spans critical ecology issues.

BILL CARROLL

Special to the Jewish News

news item in an obscure
Texas Jewish newspaper
two years ago was the cata-
lyst for an upheaval and
reorganization of the Jewish National
Fund, one of the world's oldest Jewish
charities.
The shakeup helped preserve JNF's
reputation as, according to its mission
statement, "the caretaker of the land
of Israel on behalf of its owners,
Jewish people every-
where."
The article alleged
mismanagement of JNF
funds because too much
of it was going to admin-
istrative costs. The item
was picked up by the

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1/21

2000

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$9 million from the operating budget,
eliminating 14 offices (down to 19)
and reducing staff by 140 nationwide,
mostly through attrition. The JNF
constitution was revised to reflect
modern methods and thinking.
"Probably the most important
thing we did was hire a national
accounting firm to audit the books
and records, and they found absolutely
no malfeasance," Krosnick declared.
"Our lay leadership continues to study
and reassess our methods, and we're
making progress all of the time in cut-
ting expenses and restoring
Photo by Krista Husa
our image.
"Our 450,000 U.S.
donors have not abandoned
us. Sure, the mismanage-
ment issue did make some
of them angry, but the
explanation and the result-
ing reorganization cleared
things up. We still get $1
million gifts from some
individuals."

"little blue box and tree" organization.
"The situation opened everyone's
eyes," Krosnick said, "and the'outcome
of the reorganization is that the JNF
has been re-introduced to the American
Jewish community, educating the chil-
dren and providing new information to
our donors, especially about Israel's
newest challenge — the critical water
shortage. All of us at JNF are proud of
what we have accomplished, and we
can hold our heads high."
The national organization, based in
New York, installed new leadership,

Jewish Telegraphic Agency,
the international news
organization, resulting in
stories that ran in news-
papers throughout the
world.
The veracity of the
charges is unclear. But
Richard Krosnick talks including President
according to Richard
Ronald Lauder of the
Krosnick, director of the JNF with Annie Goldstein
Alekman and Priscilla international cosmetics
zone that covers Detroit, the
Smith, campaign asso- family and a former
so-called scandal has "righted
ambassador to Austria
the ship ... put us on the right ciates in the JNFs
Southfield office.
(he also chairs the
track ... and re-focused JNF's
Conference of
efforts toward the problems of
Presidents of Major American Jewish
Israel" — including a shortage of
Organizations). Russell Robinson, for-
water.
merly a fund raiser for the United
The alleged mismanagement inci-
Jewish Appeal, became JNF's executive
dent was just one blip on the other-
vice president.
wise impeccable 99-year record of the
JNF's leaders cut expenses, slashing
JNF, known to Jews everywhere as the

The Local JNF

Five paid employees have
departed in the last four years from the
local JNF office on West 10 Mile Road
in Southfield, leaving only campaign
associates Annie Goldstein Alekman
and Priscilla Smith.
"Most of them were near retire-
ment age and really left on their own,"
Smith said, explaining that the cut-
backs ultimately mean more money
for Israel. "And that's the heart of the
JNF. Now we can focus our attention
on Israel's newest threat, the water
shortage."

