Photo courtesy YINBH Beverly Hills Synagogue Facebook page The National Council of Young Israel (NCYI) cleaned out their board of directors to move the organization away from political activism and instead focus on the synagogues involved with the organization.
eJewish Philanthropy reported that the NCYI, which consists of around 146 synagogues and 25,000 families in the United States, made the change after its members complained that the organization was more focused on political advocacy rather than improving the synagogues. Some were also critical of the organization’s open support for former President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other conservative leaders.
The election for the new board took place on February 18; the vote totals have not been publicly disclosed.
David Warshaw, the new president of the NCYI board, told eJewish Philanthropy, “We will continue to speak out on Israel, but the purpose of NCYI is not to be an advocacy organization.”
“We will continue to speak out on Israel, but the purpose of NCYI is not to be an advocacy organization.”
Rabbi Pini Dunner of Beverly Hills Synagogue said in a statement to the Journal, “I’m so delighted that the National Council of Young Israel will now devote all its energy and resources to community services and development. Ultimately, that is what our shuls need most, and let’s leave all the political activism to organizations that specialize in that sphere.”
The NCYI was established in 1912 to help Jewish immigrants assimilate into American synagogues and is headquartered in New York. According to Jewish Virtual Library, the NCYI aims “to instill into American Jewish youth an understanding and appreciation of the high ethical and spiritual values of Judaism and demonstrate the compatibility of the ancient faith of Israel with good Americanism.”
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