Foundation to Combat Antisemitism Names New President, JBBBSLA Raises $420K

The Foundation to Combat Antisemitism (FCAS) has named Adam Katz as its new president. 

He joins the organization at a time when FCAS’ research indicates 45% of Americans are unaware of antisemitism, even as Jew-hatred continues to be on the rise.

“Unfortunately, Jewish hate has become normalized for us,” Katz said in a recent phone interview. “The goal is de-normalize Jewish hate and to get people, who today are bystanders, to become upstanders, so that when they see something hateful, they say something, they do something, so that that same thing doesn’t repeat itself.”

Katz, 39, previously served as global head of physical stores at Wayfair, leading the company’s expansion into brick-and-mortar retail. He earned an MBA from the Wharton School as well as a JD and BA from the University of Pennsylvania. He lives in Boston with his wife and two children. 

Under Katz’s leadership, FCAS, based in Massachusetts, will continue its flagship campaign, #StandUptoJewishHate, which promotes the use of the Blue Square emoji on social media as a symbol for combating antisemitism, the world’s oldest hatred. 

The symbol, according to FCAS, draws attention to the fact that Jewish people comprise a tiny percentage of the country’s population — just 2.4% — yet are victim to a disproportionate amount of religiously-motivated hate crimes.

“It’s something that is very accessible, and that’s one of the powerful components of it,” Katz said of the Blue Square symbol. “It’s been something that we’ve invested in for a few years now, and we continue to, because we believe it’s a powerful way for folks to show their support, show their allyship and say that hate is not acceptable.”

Other FCAS initiatives include “Unity Dinners,” an ongoing partnership with Hillel International and United Negro College Fund that brings together Jewish students from Predominately White Institutions and Black students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) for on-campus social gatherings.

Since the conception of the “Unity Dinners” series, hundreds of students from different backgrounds and ethnicities have come together with the aim of rebuilding the historical bonds between Jewish and Black communities, according to the FCAS website. Black and Jewish students who participate in the series are subsequently encouraged to apply for $1,000 microgrants that empower them to host follow-up events.

“The idea is, how do we cultivate and scaffold a situation for students to get out of their social bubbles and interact?” Katz said.

In 2019, businessman and philanthropist Robert Kraft founded FCAS in response to rising antisemitism, with the specific goal of reaching Americans unfamiliar with the issue. In previous interviews, Kraft — who, as chairman and CEO of the Kraft Group, owns the New England Patriots, one of the NFL’s most valuable franchises —has cited the deadly Tree of Life synagogue shooting in 2018 and the antisemitic “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, as reasons why he started the organization.

Kraft has said his vision for FCAS is that it functions more like a data-driven, private, for-profit business than as a nonprofit. FCAS, he has said, is an organization that closely measures the return on its investment. 

And Katz, with his more than 15 years of private sector experience, was the right person to implement that vision, Kraft said in a May 15 statement announcing Katz’s hiring.

“At a time when hate and intolerance are growing at an alarming rate, strong leadership is more important than ever,” Kraft said. “I am proud to announce the appointment of Adam Katz as the new president of the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism. Under his guidance, I am confident we will expand FCAS’ impact, deepen its reach and empower even more people to speak out, educate others and build bridges.”

On May 12, Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Los Angeles (JBBBSLA) held its 33rd annual Camp Bob Waldorf Golf Classic at Valencia Country Club supporting its efforts to send youth across Los Angeles to overnight summer camp this summer. 

Thanks to the support of donors and sponsors, the Golf Classic raised over $420,000. JBBBSLA thanked the generous golfers, foundations, institutional sponsors, and in-kind donors who support Camp Bob Waldorf, including event co-chairs Joey Behrstock and Steve Miller; the Golf Committee; title sponsors Johnny Carson Foundation and Cogent Financial Resources; presenting sponsors Cara and Jimmy Heckenberg of Heckenberg Realty Group; and golf cart sponsors Angels 4 Austin and Men of Westwood.

“For more than 100 years, JBBBSLA has been a place where young people find hope, build confidence, and form community,” JBBBSLA CEO Cari Uslan said. “We match youth with mentors, offer life-changing summers at Camp Bob Waldorf, and help students access college. And none of that is possible without you. Together, we are shaping a brighter, stronger, and more hopeful future for the youth of Los Angeles.”

At the event’s closing awards dinner, more than 140 golfers heard from Uslan; Vice President of Camp and Retreat Operations Katie Toole; Co-Chairs Behrstock and Miller; and former camper and current Camp Counselor Kiley Haugen.

“My two years at camp were filled with so many adventures and new experiences. I got to ride horses, shoot bows and arrows, climb a high ropes course, and meet people from all around the world,” Haugen said. “I also got to find a sense of community. I am from a sole income household and was only able to afford camp because of our amazing financial aid assistance. For the first time, I was with kids who dealt with the same issues of money insecurity. Camp gave me a space to grow and learn with people like me.”

JBBBSLA has owned and operated Camp Bob Waldorf in Glendale for more than 80 years, offering multiple camp programs for youth from low-income families. All Camp Bob Waldorf campers receive financial aid, and no camper is turned away for inability to pay.