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GA video (Day 1): Kanfer, Cantor, Schwager, Oren

By Ami Eden · November 8, 2009

Check out the video of several major speeches Sunday at the opening day of the GA:

Joe Kanfer, chairman of the board of trustees of the Jewish Federations of North America
U.S. Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.), House Minority Whip and the only Jewish GOPer in Congress
Steve Schwager, executive vice-president and CEO of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
Michael Oren, Israel's ambassador to Washington

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Covenant Foundation gives out its annual awards

By Jacob Berkman · November 8, 2009

The Covenant Foundation gave out its annual Covenant Awards for innovative Jewish educators Sunday night at the Marriot In Washington, D.C., wher ethe Jewish Federations of North America is holding its annual General Assembly.

The Covenant Foundation, which is funded by the Crown Family of Chicago, has given out the awards, which 1991 to honor Jewish educators who are taking a different, effective approach to Jewish educators,

This year, the awards went to Erica Brown, the director of adult education for the Partnership for Jewish Life and learning in D.C., Rabbi Stuart Selzer, the Dean of Judaic Studies at the Shoshana S. Cardin School in Baltimore, and Nili Simahi, the director of the Teva Learning Center in New York.

Each of the recipients will receive $36,00 as well as $5,000 for their institutions.

The Covenant gala has become a tradition at the GA, where each of the awards recipients is introduced by a member of the Crown family, each has screened a short documentary made about them by filmmaker Perla Gluck, and then gets the opportunity to give a short sermon about their award.

Brown is the author of several books on Jewish education and identity preaches community building and action thorough education. Selzer seeks to integrate the arts into Jewish education and builds family educational projects around his school curricula. And Simhai's Teva teaches Jewish environmental studies in day schools, congregational schools synagogues and camps.

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No Obama for the GA

By Jacob Berkman · November 8, 2009

It's barely even Sunday, and we have the first big piece of news at the General Assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America: President Obama has canceled his highly anticipated speaking appearance Tuesday because he will instead attend memorial services for the victims of the shootings at Fort Hood, Texas. The talk at the GA was to be Obama's first to a Jewish audience since becoming president. Here's the message from the Jewish Federations' PR team:

We have learned that due to the tragedy at Fort Hood, Texas, President Obama will not be able to attend the GA of The Jewish Federations of North America. President Obama sent his regrets, but explained he will be attending a memorial service at Fort Hood this Tuesday, Nov. 10, when he was originally scheduled to address the GA. We are fortunate that White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel will address the GA on behalf of the Obama Administration. In addition, a small group of top leaders from The Jewish Federations will meet with President Obama at the White House. Rahm Emanuel will speak during the closing plenary at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 10.

Vice President Biden had agreed to speak at the GA weeks ago, but was scratched when Obama made the surprise decision to rethink his initial decision not to address the GA. Now attendees will be hearing from the highest-ranking Jewish official in the White House.

Obama's meeting with federation leaders will happen sometime Monday, I hear.

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Obama cancels GA appearance

By Ami Eden · November 8, 2009

From the JTA wire:

President Obama canceled a scheduled appearance before the Jewish federations' General Assembly.

A statement Saturday night from the Jewish Federations of North America said Obama explained he had to change his plans to attend a memorial service in Fort Hood, Texas for the 13 people gunned down at the U.S. Army base there on Thursday.

Rahm Emanuel, the White House chief of staff, will speak in Obama's stead on Tuesday. Additionally, Obama will meet Monday with a group of leaders from the federations' umbrella.