The Case for Empowering Grassroots Jewish Infrastructure in Toronto

By: Lions of Judah - The Maccademic Discussions
Beyond the Banner: The Case for Empowering Grassroots Jewish Infrastructure in Toronto

Since October 7th, a sobering truth has been exposed within Toronto’s Jewish community: the organizations we’ve historically relied upon to protect, empower, and unify us in times of crisis are not equipped to meet the moment.

This realization has not come easily. For decades, our community has taken it at face value that our needs, safety, and growth are best served through a few consolidated institutions and their affiliated bodies. Born of noble intention in a different era, legacy organizations once served a clear purpose: To raise funds for and steward the infrastructure of Jewish life in Toronto. But time and growth have transformed them into something else entirely—a bureaucratic monopoly whose ever-expanding scope and priorities have greatly diluted their impact and ability to adequately serve the community they were built to uplift.

This isn’t a hostile observation, but rather a call for better solutions.

A System Paralyzed by Monopoly

The Jewish community in Toronto is not without talent, drive, or courage. In fact, since October 7th, we’ve witnessed an inspiring groundswell of grassroots initiatives, many of them led by volunteers and professionals working tirelessly to fill the leadership vacuum. These groups are nimble, mission-driven, and deeply rooted in the lived experiences of our community today. They are not waiting for permission. They are diligently and effectively answering a call.

And yet, these very grassroots groups are too often diverted, co-opted, or outright dismissed by the very institutions that claim to speak for the entire Jewish community. Their ideas are harvested, repackaged, and presented back to donors as institutional initiatives, frequently diluted, delayed, and stripped of their original impact, and ultimately deliver little in the way of meaningful, measurable outcomes.

This would be frustrating in any context. But in a time of rising antisemitism, threats to our safety, and a rapidly shifting cultural climate, it is simply unsustainable.

Who Speaks for Us?

Despite their branding, centralized legacy organizations and their subsidiaries have never spoken to, for, or served the entirety of Toronto’s Jewish community. They primarily represent a sliver of the vibrant mosaic that makes up the Toronto Jewish community.

Ironically, the same organizations that champion Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) so loudly in their PR fail to reflect it in practice. Leadership remains homogenous, risk-averse, and out of step with the challenges, dynamism and diversity of today’s Jewish Toronto.

Despite presenting itself as the central hub of Jewish life, legacy organizations have failed to coordinate and deploy a unified strategy with their counterparts across Canada and North America—a basic, reasonable expectation of any institution that claims leadership. In times like these, real leadership demands not only local stewardship, but the foresight and infrastructure to mobilize a continental response when crisis strikes.

Let us be clear about the core structural problems we now face:

Monopoly Thinking: The community has been conditioned to see centralized organizations as the solution, rather than as a piece of a larger ecosystem.
Lack of Self-Awareness: Rather than focusing on their core competencies—fundraising and infrastructure—these institutions have attempted to insert themselves into every lane, stifling innovation, duplicating effort and yielding suboptimal net results.
Opacity & Buzzwords Over Strategy: They have failed to clearly articulate actual goals, performance metrics, or strategies to either solve the challenges of today or support grassroots initiatives better suited to fill these gaps. Nearly two years after October 7th, we have seen meetings, placations and talking points, but little action.
Scope Creep: Legacy organizations continue to sprawl into areas they are neither qualified nor structured to lead, crowding out those who are.

Missed Opportunity: Talented, credible leaders and grassroots initiatives are being ignored, sidelined, or drained of their value just when we need them most.

A Word of Caution: Don’t Be Distracted by More of the Same

As donors begin to ask questions and look elsewhere, legacy institutions will respond, not with change, but with their ‘damage control’ protocol. There will be polished communications reassuring the community that “important conversations are underway.” There will be hastily assembled calls, advisory groups, listening sessions, and roundtables, all designed to give the impression of responsiveness. Some grassroots leaders will be invited into the room, but any ability to collaborate will include conditions that they relinquish their independence, share their plans, and await approvals that never come.There may even be another ‘change of leadership,’ the reshuffling of the existing players to new roles and titles—but in the absence of new and fresh talent to lead the charge, these actions too will be performative and deliver little in the way of change.

This is a familiar cycle. It has been witnessed more than once over the last year. Concern is met with theatrics. Proposals are met with vague enthusiasm. Momentum is met with bureaucracy. And ultimately, nothing changes.

It is vital that the community, and especially our philanthropic leaders, not be placated by these well-rehearsed tactics. We cannot afford more delay disguised as dialogue. Their fight to monopolize donor attention can no longer distract from the existential fight we all face. Real value must be sought beyond the meetings, but in the outcomes. And the time for outcomes is now.

The Cost of Monopolized Fundraising

We must all acknowledge the elephant in the room: the sheer dominance of a single legacy fundraising institution has actively hindered the rest of the Jewish ecosystem from standing up to meet the moment. With aggressive fundraising machines and policies that discourage or outright prevent other charities from soliciting support during self-declared “campaign windows” (windows that can span nearly four months each year) many worthy organizations have been left starved of resources, visibility, and opportunity.

The self-preservation, subtle but effective tactic to paralyze donors by sowing doubt about the credibility, professionalism, or longevity of grassroots efforts, while simultaneously using social pressure and backchannel messaging to discourage donors from supporting initiatives outside their orbit, must be recognized and nipped in the bud when attempted. In the same spirit as one would qualify a grassroots organization, the same questions of ‘why you’ and ‘are you even able to’ must be asked of legacy organizations proposing to morph into new areas of expertise to maintain their iron grip on donor attention.

It’s natural to feel uncertain when stepping outside the familiar comfort of legacy institutions. That hesitation is not accidental; it’s the byproduct of decades of conditioning that trained our community to equate centralized control with security and competence. Let’s be honest: If that model worked, we would have a solid, scaleable, well-communicated action plan to keep the Jewish community safe and feeling secure, rather than a mishmash of reactive whatsapp chats and social media outrage. Questioning and exploring new paths is not a sign of disloyalty—it’s a sign of instinctive philanthropic leadership. Considering alternatives isn’t reckless—it’s prudent, reasonable, and necessary in light of the glaring gaps exposed since October 7th.

This isn’t just about funding. It’s about oxygen. The community cannot breathe, let alone grow, if one organization monopolizes both attention and capital while delivering suboptimal results.

The Path Forward: Diversify Support Channels

This is not a call to dismantle centralized legacy institutions. It is a call to rebalance and refocus. Legacy organizations can and should continue to play an important role in our community, but with the humility to recognize their limits and the wisdom to stay in their lane.

More urgently, this is a call to the philanthropic community: Do not let legacy alone determine your loyalty. There are extraordinary efforts underway from grassroots groups that are delivering impact, building trust, and doing the work the community needs right now. These organizations are often starved of resources, not because they lack merit, but because they don’t have access to the same donor pipelines dominated by legacy institutions.The ask of this article is for today’s donors to do what visionary philanthropists have always done: bet on the future. In this case, hedge your bet with a portion of what you already give, maybe 10%, and direct it to organizations outside the traditional umbrella. Fund the professionals and initiatives that have fought to exist, despite the odds, who show up day after day and are already moving the needle in the absence of support, not through slogans, but through effective action.

A Proposed Framework for Engaged and Effective Philanthropy in the Grassroots Landscape

Unlike established bureaucracies that often present polished narratives and vague promises, grassroots initiatives are lean, responsive, and often operating on sheer willpower and volunteer energy. They are not selling a finished product; they are inviting you to help build one.

To that end, here are a few principles to guide your due diligence and engagement:

1. Shift from “What are you doing next?” to “What are you building, and how can I help?”
Many donors arrive expecting a roadmap or a list of upcoming initiatives, but that assumes the infrastructure is already in place. Instead, begin by asking: What vision are you pursuing? What are the constraints you're facing? What would you do if the right support were in place?

2. Evaluate potential, not polish.
Legacy institutions often win attention with their slick presentations of decades old past successes, but grassroots organizations offer something far more valuable: immediacy, agility, authenticity, and community trust. Look for leaders who are grounded, strategic, and realistic.

3. Measure commitment, clarity, and competence.
Ask about the “why” behind the organization, the problem it seeks to solve, and the expertise behind its strategy. Clarity of mission and track record of execution often says more than a laundry list of abstract goals.

4. Recognize that your seed funding is what makes meaningful impact possible.
The demand for metrics before meaningful investment can be a trap. Help build the conditions where impact can actually be delivered, rather than demanding proof of success before laying the foundation for it.

5. Support with flexibility—and be part of the journey.
Grassroots organizations often need partners more than patrons. Instead of asking for only reports or updates, consider being part of an advisory board or offering strategic guidance. This allows you to stay engaged, see your dollars at work, and help shape the path forward. Flexibility in how support is delivered, whether through general operating funds, pilot project grants, or infrastructure needs, can make the difference between stagnation and meaningful progress.

6. Align, set goals, and structure support in stages.
Start by identifying who aligns with your values and the specific outcomes you care about. Once that alignment is clear, work together to define realistic, mutual goals. Then, structure funding in thoughtful milestones—staged investments tied not just to performance, but to foundational needs like hiring, development, or outreach. This approach builds confidence over time, deepens trust, and provides the space for these initiatives to prove their value without being prematurely forced into scale or polish.

The road to a stronger, safer, more unified and flourishing Jewish Toronto is not one lane wide. It was never meant to be. Legacy organizations are just one piece of the puzzle—but they are not the whole picture. If we are serious about building a resilient future, we must invest in the entire road: diverse, grassroots, professionally led efforts that reflect the real needs, voices, and aspirations of our people today.

Let us not be distracted by optics or drawn into another cycle of placation. The time for performative leadership is over. Now is the time for authentic investment—one that builds community power, protects our future, and restores faith in the collective Jewish voice.

If you would like to be connected to professionally led grassroots Jewish organizations making an impact today, or if you are a donor looking for tangible opportunities to diversify your giving, please reach out. The road ahead is wider than you’ve been told—and it leads to a future worth building together.

Am Israel Chai / עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל חַי

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