Many cite the American Israel Public Affairs
Committee as an organizational leadership model: It
gives volunteers a clear course of action and empower-
ment — not just through donating money, but
through basic grass-roots activism in lobbying legisla-
tors.
AIPAC's executive director, Howard Kohr, says the
group has had a "tremendous amount of success" draw-
ing and sustaining various levels of activists.
"It's a cause they care deeply about, but it's also
demonstrably shown that their actions can make a big
difference," Kohr says.
Consensus Hurts
But the leadership and success of many organizations is
hindered by their consensus-driven processes, observers
say.
Constantly shuttling between lay leaders and profes-
sionals to arrive at consensus takes time and energy
that could go toward innovation, says Yosef
Abramowitz, CEO of Jewish Family & Life!, a non-
profit that aims to build Jewish identity as a major
provider of online Jewish content.
"Innovation is linked to risk-taking, with the under-
standing that there are going to be some failures, but
most Jewish communal organizations are not allowed
to fail because of the fear that it will affect fund-rais-
ing," he says.
Abramowitz says his group uses a "venture philan-
thropy" model that has "fewer people involved, but
they roll up their sleeves and are much deeper into gov-
ernance as full partners with the professionals, rather
than just consulting or rubber-stamping."
Success will come for the community as a whole
when the consensus builders partner with the innova-
tors, he says.
That was the case with Birthright Israel, a landmark
program that provides free Israel trips for 18- to 26-
year-olds who have never been to the Jewish state on a
peer tour.
The idea emerged from the New York-based philan-
thropic foundations of Charles Bronfman and Michael
Steinhardt, and eventually found a partnership with
the Israeli government and the United Jewish
Communities, the umbrella organization of the North
American federation system.
The case underscores a trend in which many Jews are
taking leadership paths outside the organizational
ranks.
The philanthropic world is witness to a growing
number of personal foundations, and sweeping com-
munal change increasingly has come from their doors.
"Foundations can do things some of the establish-
ment don't dare do" because of the public scrutiny of a
broad donor base, Bronfman says.
According to Shifra Bronznick, a New York-based
consultant to Jewish groups, "Organizations have to
find a way to elicit leadership from people at every
rank. Our institutions still tend to be hierarchical,
bureaucratic, risk-averse and fearful of healthy con-
flict."
Stephen Hoffman, who has just stepped down as
CEO of the UJC, says, "The challenge is to marry that
ideal with the reality of operating within large bureau-
cracies that seek to deal with competing visions by vol-
unteers in a voluntary system." I-7
Mystical Girl
Madonna makes an Israel pilgrimage.
She said she has incorporated teachings of
Kabbalah into her practice of Christianity. "I am
learning about my true self, how to become a better
person, how to share and give and not look for any-
Tel Aviv
thing in return."
op diva Madonna was among the praying,
This was Berryman-Jones' first trip to Israel, and
swaying and singing masses of Kabbalah
enthusiasts who made the pilgrimage to Israel she came in order to "get closer to my roots."
"This is where it all started," she said. "Israel is the
for the High Holidays, seeking spiritual transforma-
center
of the world."
tion through Jewish mysticism.
"People wanted to come to Israel to make a differ-
The "Material Girl" was celebrated by an Israeli
ence," said Miri Citron, 46, from Fairfield, Conn.
public hungry for a touch of celebrity after four years
She said the force of the
of violence with the Palestinians that
gathering's energy could
has scared away visitors of all stripes —
have healing powers for the
famous and anonymous alike.
world.
"I think it's the best P.R. we can
Citron, who was born in
have," Tourism Minister Gideon Ezra
Israel and grew up in the
said of her visit, as part of a program
United States, became
sponsored by the Los Angeles-based
interested in Kabbalah after
Kabbalah Center.
learning about other spiri-
The world's best-known student of
tual systems, such as those
Kabbalah, Madonna — along with
practiced by Native
her husband, film director Guy Ritchie
Americans and Buddhists.
— was among 2,000 devotees who
"For me, this is coming
descended upon Israel from 22 coun-
back to my roots, my
tries, hoping to absorb the strength of
what they say are extra-powerful ener-
Participating in the Tashlich service in Jewish roots as well," said
Citron, a health care
gies emanating from the Holy Land
Tel Aviv was pop star Madonna.
administrator.
during the period between Rosh
She said all the attention
Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
"We want to create peace in the world. We want to focused on celebrities like Madonna tends to over-
shadow the fact that, like many others, they are seek-
put an end to chaos and suffering. But most of all,
ing personal transformation.
we want to put an end to hatred for no reason,"
The most famous personality participating in the
Madonna told an audience at a benefit Sept. 19 for a
Tashlich ceremony was Marla Maples, a model and
children's foundation run by the Kabbalah Center.
actress best known for her famous ex-husband, real
The center, which prides itself on bringing the
estate magnate Donald Trump.
tenets of Jewish mysticism to people of all back-
For Maples, who has been studying Kabbalah for
grounds and religions, has been criticized by tradi-
seven
years, coming to Israel was an important step
tional Jews who claim it has watered down Kabbalah
in
her
spiritual journey.
into a distorted, New Age form.
• "Israel is the heartbeat of the world," she said,
"The Kabbalah Center has nothing behind it," said
holding a bottle of Kabbalah mineral water, marketed
Jonathan Rosenblum, director of Am Echad, an
by the Kabbalah Center for its spiritual properties.
Orthodox media resource organization in Jerusalem.
"Because there is so much unrest in the Middle East,
"This is proof that at least some of the people can be
we
felt that it would be useful for us to come here
fooled some of the time."
),
and meditate for peace.
She said incorporating Kabbalah teachings in her
Tashlich Scene
life has made a real change. "It's helped me live with-
On Sept. 17, though, hundreds of Kabbalah enthusi- out so much chaos, it's helped me deal with anger,"
asts clamored on the rocks by the Tel Aviv beach
she said. She added that if celebrities wish to address
front for a Tashlich repentance service.
their own spiritual lives, they are "as deserving as any-
Closing their eyes and clutching white prayer
one else."
books, they gathered in small groups and recited
The former beauty queen from Georgia said she
prayers. "This is for everyone in the whole world,"
did not sleep at all Sept. 21. Instead, she and friends
said one group in unison as they tossed breadcrumbs
drove to northern Israel and spent the night on a
representing sins into the sea.
spiritual pilgrimage that began with a visit to the
"This is about letting go," said Kenya Berryman-
graves of rabbinical sages in Safed and ended watch-
Jones, a 56-year-old homemaker from Greensboro,
ing the sunrise in the hills.
N.C., who has been studying Kabbalah for about six
Kabbalah followers believe that visiting graves of
months.
MYSTICAI GIRL on page 40
DINA KRAFT
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
ro
SN
9/24
2004
39