Board members deny politics in new Keren Hayesod CEO losing job
“I don’t think the decision was political,” a board member said. “If there was pressure from the prime minister’s family, she would not have been chosen in the first place.”
By GIL HOFFMANPolly Bronstein, executive director of Dakenu(photo credit: DARKENU)
The new CEO of Keren Hayesod-United Israel Appeal, who was supposed to start her job on Monday, was informed the day before that her post had been eliminated due to budget cuts.Members of the organization’s board of directors said the cut was professional and painful and had nothing to do with the fact that the new CEO, Polly Bronstein, is an outspoken critic of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and was the founding director of the Darkenu Movement that is seen as left-wing.Bronstein was appointed in March to replace longtime CEO Greg Maisel after 160 candidates participated in a tender and a search committee that included people across the political spectrum unanimously recommending her. The search committee included Avraham Duvdevani, the right-wing chairman of the World Zionist Organization.“I don’t think the decision was political,” a board member said. “If there was pressure from the prime minister’s family, she would not have been chosen in the first place.”The board member described a severe lack of money in the organization that is the main fundraising arm of the Zionist movement around the world, except the United States. Dozens of workers are on unpaid leave and there have been cuts in salaries in many international Jewish organizations.“It had nothing to do with her political views,” another board member said. “Keren Hayesod is in horrible straits. After laying off so many people, hiring someone new would be a slap in the face to the workers and a financial burden that Keren Hayesod could not handle right now.”But the move was still unexpected, because Bronstein, 45, was expected to bring a young and energetic new voice to the 100-year-old organization and join chairman Sam Grundwerg in a respected fundraising tandem. Grundwerg is a former consul-general in Los Angeles who was appointed by Netanyahu and is close to Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer, but was described by a board member as “a modest man of integrity” who would not make such a move due to political pressure.Grundwerg sent Keren Hayesod leadership a letter describing the difficult times Keren Hayesod is going through due to the coronavirus and informing the leadership that the board had “regrettably decided not to proceed with Polly’s onboarding process.”“Under normal circumstances, the organization would be very well served with staffing the CEO position with someone of Polly’s background and skills,” Grundwerg wrote.Nevertheless, there were those connected to Keren Hayesod who suggested “the decision had to have been made on Balfour” [Netanyahu’s residence] and “something must have happened on Shavuot.”
Grundwerg will serve as both chairman and CEO, continuing to serve two full-time roles. Sources in the organization said the move was open-ended but not permanent.“We have been around for 100 years, and we are preparing for more,” an official at Keren Hayesod said. The corona crisis is temporary, and Keren Hayesod will go on, continuing to fund immigration, absorption and socioeconomic projects in Israel.”Bronstein declined to comment.
