As we begin the New Year, 5770, the Jewish community can only ponder what lies in store for Israel. Will this be a year free of war? Will we thrill to the long-awaited return of Gilad Shalit, the kidnapped Israel Defense Force soldier held in captivity by Hamas? Will the economy turn around? Will we be blessed by the arrival...

Oy, what a tough year to be a Jewish leader! Stock-market losses wreaked havoc with endowments and budgets, and fundraising challenges skyrocketed. Organizations directly or indirectly invested with Bernard Madoff faced even greater losses. Then came firings and slashing of programs, and news of rabbis involved in money-laundering and the selling of human organs. Under such conditions, what could leaders...