Focus on what’s important

We are saddened by the recent Jerusalem Post article on the intended focus of the upcoming GA conference of the Federations of North America. US Federation leaders meeting in Tel Aviv on October 22 to 24 are set to vent their anger at Israel’s Nation-State Law, Kotel prayer deal and other issues that they see as negatively impacting relations between US and Israeli Jewry. Of particular concern is their intended use of the power of the purse to express their unhappiness with government decisions.

Reducing allocations to charitable Israeli causes won’t move government decision-makers. What it will do is severely harm Holocaust survivors, the disabled, women in need, Israelis in economic distress and others who until now, have benefited from the Federation’s assistance.

We are particularly concerned by an expected reduction in support for higher education just as the school year gets underway. The Netanya-centered Forgotten People Fund reports that dozens of college and university students in Netanya, where the largest population of Ethiopian-Israeli citizens reside, will begin the academic year without laptop computers and other basic necessities to succeed in their educational endeavors. The FPF’s own program to supply laptops is hemorrhaging for lack of outside support. Is this the state of affairs that the Federations wish to achieve?

We urge Federation leaders to put aside American-Israeli relationship issues at this time and deal with such issues in a different framework. Cutting support for Israelis in need will only further exacerbate our differences. STEVE KRAMER

Kfar Saba JOEL BAILEY

Hashmonaim Forgotten People Fund board members