Say Hello to the New Kid on the Block

by Miriam Rinn

Jerry Silverman has been on the job as CEO of the newly named Jewish Federations of North America for just a few months, but the expectations surrounding him have already ballooned to gigantic proportions. The Forward named him one of the 50 most influential Jewish leaders, adding that he enters his new job “amid messianic expectations.” Silverman comes to JFNA (formerly United Jewish Communities or UJC) from a hyper-successful stint as the director of the Foundation for Jewish Camp. There he greatly enhanced the agency’s profile as well as its annual budget. Now, many Jewish communal leaders are watching to see what Silverman can do for the JFNA, which has struggled to maintain its relevancy with local federations since the 1999 merger of three central agencies.

The former for-profit marketer Silverman sees that struggle as an opening. “The biggest opportunity is to begin to focus our organization on areas that will really add value to the local federations,” he said, acknowledging that there are doubts. While some JFNA services are highly regarded, others are not as appreciated. “I think it’s mixed,” Silverman said. “Our public policy office in D.C., people feel very confident with. There are other areas where there are questions.”

Silverman is convinced that a central federation agency can add value in several ways. For instance, in financial resource development. “We don’t raise money,” he said, “but we can add value to the local federations in their fundraising.” A national entity can create affinity groups, can help to build community foundations, can collect and share best practices. JFNA is “creating a powerhouse cohort of women across the nation,” he said, “and the same with the young leadership cabinet.” Recruiting and mentoring great talent is the mission of the JFNA’s Mandel Center for Leadership Excellence, and Silverman wants to ramp up that service.

Silverman grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, not usually considered a seedbed of Jewish communal influence. But it was a traditional home, grounded in Jewish learning. His father is a cantor and a rabbi, and his mother is descended from rabbis. The family moved to Cleveland, and then he lived in upstate New York. For 25 years, Silverman worked in the clothing industry, first for Levi Strauss, and then at Stride Rite. Moved by his daughter’s wonderful experience at a Jewish resident camp, Silverman decided to switch to the nonprofit sector when he took over leadership of Foundation for Jewish Camp. Now, he laughs at the idea that he may have traded agile and rapid decision making for the deeper emotional satisfaction of working in the Jewish community. “I don’t think that the for-profit world has a quicker pace,” he said.

Silverman’s experience with Jewish and JCC resident and day camps colors his belief in the ability of JFNA to engage the next generation of givers, something it must do if it’s going to reverse its shrinking donor base. There are programs in the Jewish community that already are making a difference, he said, citing camps and Taglit Birthright-Israel. Both of these avenues are open to a diverse range of Jews—different backgrounds, races, family definition—which mirrors the Jewish community of the future. A JFNA service-learning pilot had 600 young adults come to New Orleans to do hands-on volunteer work. “Young people don’t want structure and systems. They’re cause oriented. They’re interested in moving with agility on an issue. We have to insure that there is breathing space for them,” Silverman said. “You’re going to see more portals of entry that will allow young people to feel empowered” at JFNA.

Through the Jewish Agency, Israel continues to be the beneficiary of a large percentage of federation funds, and Silverman doesn’t see that changing. He points out that despite its economic success Israel still devotes a huge part of its budget to defense, and that a “surprising number of families live under the poverty line.” But just as much as Israel needs the contributions of American Jews, Diaspora Jews need to support Israel. The benefits go both ways. “We’re living a miracle for the last 61 years,” Silverman said, and every federation needs to feel a part of that miracle. “I think contributing dollars is an essential part of that connection.”

Silverman demurred when asked about the relationship between federations and JCCs, pointing out that he’d only been in his job a short time. “I have a lot to learn,” he said, “and one of the great things is that I have a prior relationship with Allan Finkelstein. We are committed to coming up with a shared vision that hopefully we can model and share with communities.” One of the speakers at the JCCs of North America Biennial in Atlanta in May, Silverman will no doubt have thought more about JCCs and their local federations by that time. JCC leaders’ hopes are as high as everyone else’s.

Next step: Register for 2010 JCCs of North America Biennial.

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