No: 40: Russell Robinson and Jonathan Greenblatt: Heads of ADL and JNF-USA

Russell Robinson - CEO of JNF-USA

As CEO of Jewish National Fund – USA, Russell F. Robinson has dedicated himself to realizing the Zionist organization’s historic philanthropic vision for the land and people of Israel. Under his leadership, JNF-USA has inspired millions of Americans to support the Jewish Homeland, fostering a new generation of changemakers through JNFuture, the organization’s fastest-growing society of donors aged 22-40, and through the 32,000 alums of its Alexander Muss High School in Israel.

JNF-USA, established over 124 years ago, remains a cornerstone of the Jewish philanthropic world, ensuring a strong, secure, and prosperous future for the land and people of Israel through bold initiatives and Zionist engagement. The organization’s vision encompasses a wide range of initiatives, including developing housing sites, sourcing water solutions, supporting firefighters, assisting people with disabilities, boosting tourism, promoting aliyah (immigration to Israel), medical centers, agricultural and culinary research, and operating a renowned high school semester abroad program in Israel.

In the wake of the tragic events of October 7, Robinson and JNF-USA are spearheading efforts to unite organizations from around the world to rebuild Israel’s shattered southern communities while reimagining a brighter future for the North region.

Robinson has also elevated JNF-USA to become one of the top-rated charities in the United States, as recognized by Charity Navigator and the Better Business Bureau. He has been featured in best-selling management books and frequently appears on TV, radio, podcasts, and print media. He is an inductee in the Jewish Hall of Fame, which recognizes individuals who have made an extraordinary contribution to Judaism and Jewish values during their lifetimes.

Jonathan Greenblatt - ‘Leaders need to lead’

Jonathan Greenblatt has served as national director and CEO of the Anti-Defamation League for nearly a decade. Recently, he spoke with The Jerusalem Post and shared his perspective on the rising tide of antisemitism that has washed over the world since October 7, and how the ADL is adapting and innovating in order to face the challenge.

“The ADL is the oldest anti-hate organization in America,” Greenblatt explained. “It was founded in 1913 with the singular focus of fighting hate.”

The ADL head added that despite the variety of positions held by the staff at the civil rights organization, “all of us have the same job description: protect the Jewish people.”

Before joining the ADL, Greenblatt founded the companies Ethos Water and All for Good. He was also CEO of Good Worldwide and Starbucks’ vice president of global consumer products.

Additionally, he served in the Obama administration as Special Assistant to the President and director of the Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation.

Greenblatt noted that this role, in which he strove to promote innovation and national service to accelerate economic growth and job creation, inspired his thinking upon coming to the helm of the ADL on how to engage volunteers more effectively.

However, Hamas’s October 7 attacks on southern Israel and the ensuing war created a wave of antisemitism around the world, which, Greenblatt said, had “velocity and viciousness” that shocked him.

Since then, Greenblatt’s work and the role of the ADL have been more relevant than ever.

“We’ve had to add more staff. One of the big things that ADL does is respond to incidents. People call us or email us or text us or enter in an online form,” he explained. “We respond to every incident, [and] we’ve had to add staff just to deal with the deluge.”

When asked about how the ADL is working to keep the politics of staff and the whims of donors from interfering with its mission, which, according to its website, includes attempting to “secure justice and fair treatment to all,” Greenblatt replied, “As a tax-exempt non-profit, we’re bound by the law not to get involved in politics.”

“Our job here is to call balls and strikes on antisemitism. We don’t play for the red team or the blue team. We’re here to defend the Jewish team. We’re here to defend the American team,” he added. “Donors don’t tell us what to do. I’ve lost plenty of donors over the years because they’re unhappy with this position or that position. We just try to keep our heads down, play the long game, and remind ourselves of the job description. It’s always the same: protect the Jewish people. That’s it.”

Greenblatt stressed that building partnerships was a key part of that mission, adding that after he staffed a G7 meeting for former president Barack Obama, he was involved in the creation of the “J7,” a body composed of representatives from the seven largest Jewish communities around the world: the United States, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Australia, and Argentina.

Immediately after October 7, Greenblatt also worked to rally cooperation with non-Jewish entities.

“The first call I got on the 7 was from Al Sharpton, who said, ‘What can I do?’” Greenblatt recalled. “Twenty-four hours later, Reverend Sharpton and his National Action Network, the NAACP, the National Urban League, and other groups released a statement decrying what happened on 10/7. The Asian American community did the same, and many others.”

The ADL chief looked to the future as well, defining success for the organization as “turning the tide on this wave of antisemitism. Success is decreasing the number of anti-Jewish incidents.”

Greenblatt noted the expansion of the groundwork of systems of accountability and training that the ADL has established in educational institutions and businesses as a strategy for achieving this goal.

He also emphasized the need to address antisemitism on a societal level by tackling it both from the bottom up and the top down.

“We need everybody to play a role. Leaders need to lead,” he said. From presidents of countries to presidents of local PTAs, “I want more of that moral clarity from people in positions of authority. I want people in positions of authority to demonstrate authority.”

Additionally, Greenblatt called for “consequences to doing things that are consequential,” pointing to his disappointment when universities backed down after initially withholding diplomas from students who had been suspended during anti-Israel protests.

Regarding his vision for the future, Greenblatt said, “I am bullish on this country, and Israel aside, I would say that America has been the best haven for the Jewish people in our history.”

However, he pointed out that one should never assume that a country will always be safe for Jews. “I can’t imagine having grandchildren anywhere other than America. I do this job in order to fight for their right to be here, to live as Jews with all the privileges and all the rights that I have been able to enjoy, as did my parents, as did my grandparents.”