A friend says: “It looks like a hoax, and Republicans look like idiots. It looks like they played up bs.”
The two main characters in this scandal met at the Beverly Hills Orthodox synagogue Beth Jacob — Morey Levovitz and Rabbi Steven Weil.
My sources say these two haven’t changed. They were ruthless in LA, they were ruthless with Beth Jacob and Harkham Hillel Hebrew Academy, and they’ve ruthlessly advanced their own interests at FIDF.
Rabbi Weil was detested in LA by his fellow Modern Orthodox congregational rabbis.
Terms used in FIDF for Morey and Steven’s FIDF behavior — “cutthroat,” “poisonous,” “bullying” and “mafia-like” — echo the language used about them in LA.
After the Levovitz-Weil experience, Beth Jacob went in the opposite direction by choosing Rabbi Kalman Topp.
Judah Ari Gross writes for eJewishPhilanthropy:
The Friends of the Israel Defense Forces has gone into crisis management mode following the leak of an internal investigative report to the Israeli news outlet Ynet last week that detailed serious allegations against the organization’s top leadership, particularly its board chair, Morey Levovitz, of mismanagement, wasteful spending and creating a toxic work environment….
In response to the leak, the organization has hired a crisis communications outfit — on top of its existing public relations firm — and brought on additional legal assistance. It has also issued strict orders to employees and lay leaders not to speak publicly about the situation….
Multiple sources told eJP that after a significant rise in donations to the organization in the wake of the Oct. 7 terror attacks, contributions have decreased sharply in the past year, with multiple donors explicitly telling FIDF that they were withholding funds because of the situation with upper management.
“They are substantially below their target [for 2025],” one donor source told eJP. “We know of many donors who are holding donations and explaining that it’s until actions are taken to address the problems,” the source said, adding “many, many donors.”
In the Bay Area FIDF chapter, for instance, donations dropped from more than $7 million annually to well below $1 million this year after its popular executive director was fired following a disagreement between her and Levovitz, according to two sources connected to the chapter.
The report, which remains closely guarded by the organization, was prepared this spring by an investigative committee led by board members Garry Sobel, Fred Distenfeld and the organization’s counsel, Steve Rubin. The committee spoke to more than 30 people, the majority of whom were current and former employees.
The committee found that for roughly the past two years — particularly since the Oct. 7 terror attacks — Levovitz has served as the de facto CEO of FIDF, while Weil, the organization’s actual CEO, has served in a lesser administrative capacity, while still drawing one of the highest chief executive salaries in the Jewish world.
According to multiple sources, Levovitz has repeatedly declared to FIDF staff and lay leadership that he is the true head of the organization, including in meetings where Weil was present. Weil has also regularly stated that Levovitz was helping run the organization.
“It has just been accepted that that’s the way it is,” one source said. “He was never elected officially [to serve as CEO].”
The investigative committee detailed a number of irregularities in its report, which was presented to select board members last month, including a highly irregular exclusive agreement between FIDF and the Israeli travel company Ortra, which is run by a close acquaintance of Levovitz, requiring that all of the organization’s missions and other travel be purchased through the firm. This arrangement was allegedly reached unilaterally by Levovitz, without going through a standard tender process. A former senior FIDF employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told eJP that when individual FIDF chapters tried to use cheaper alternatives for their missions to Israel, Levovitz intervened and canceled their visits to military bases as a form of punishment for not using Ortra.
The report also found that Levovitz has demanded reimbursement for his travel expenses to Israel, which often include business and first-class seats, amounting to more than $53,000 — in contrast to previous chairs who paid for their own travel and accommodations, in addition to making six-figure donations to the organization, which Levovitz has also reportedly not made…
“I’m afraid they will destroy my donor base,” said one former employee, who has since become CEO of another Jewish nonprofit. “These are dangerous, dangerous people.”
Two former employees, from different FIDF regions, told eJP that they had seen cases of the organization “double-selling” projects to donors. “Steve double-sold an amphitheater to another donor,” said the former employee who now leads another nonprofit, whose family also donates to FIDF. “A Florida donor bought the same amphitheater for the same base as us. They told us that we can get a garden instead.”
All of the sources — coming from three different regions of the United States and Israel, most of whom had been involved with FIDF for many years, some for more than 20 — described a severe deterioration in the work environment at the organization in recent years, using terms like “cutthroat,” “poisonous,” “bullying” and “mafia-like.”
Multiple sources tied the current turmoil in the organization to a 2020 decision spearheaded by then-board Chair Peter Weintraub to split the professional leadership of the organization into two. FIDF had historically been led by a former Israeli general, but then the board decided to hire Weil, a former pulpit rabbi and executive vice president from the Orthodox Union, to serve as CEO, while also bringing on board a former general to serve as national director. (The organization recently created an executive vice president position as well.)…
During his interviews with the board, Weil noted that he did not have experience as a CEO, and after he was hired, he brought Levovitz onto the board to assist him. The two had known each other for nearly 20 years at that point through the Beth Jacob synagogue in Beverly Hills, Calif., and various local Jewish organizations.
In 2023, Levovitz was named board chair. A regional FIDF board member said that Levovitz began acting as the CEO soon after the Oct. 7 terror attacks, declaring in a meeting a few days later, “I am the one in charge; Steve is not really capable.”
“We were all heartbroken and shocked by what happened in Israel, so our focus was not on who is joining the organization or not,” she said. “We did argue and didn’t quite understand where it was coming from. But in normal circumstances, this would not have passed.”
A former FIDF employee told eJP that the influx of funding in the wake of the attacks — in 2023, the organizations raised $282 million, more than three times what it did the year before — was used by Levovitz and Weil to fend off criticism.
Excuse me if I’m late to the pedo party, but the more I learn about Jeffrey Epstein, the more I don’t like him.
I get the revolt against Trump covering up Epstein. Sunlight is the best disinfectant right?
It’s easy to say release it all! Release Jeffrey’s client list! You should know that innocent people are on that list. God-fearing, tax-fearing yeshiva-supporting blokes who just hung out with Jeffrey for the tax tips and the science and the connections and the prestige. We’re not pedos. But we’re tainted now.
Blokes like me hung out with the Epsteins of the world for the social intercourse. The science intercourse. Not the sexual intercourse.
Jeffrey had this calm, clear way about him. I thought he was into Buddhism — a Jew-Bu? But turns out, it wasn’t Buddhism. It was just abundant post-nut clarity.
He was a bad man, but he was charming. He was always helping people. He had a smile that would light up a room. He was Google before Google. He connected all the movers and shakers. It was easy to be seduced. People saw what they wanted to see in Jeffrey. If he was clean enough for Bill Gates and Bill Clinton, who am I to judge?
It wasn’t called Lolita Island on the map. It said “Little St. James.” Which, in hindsight, sounds even creepier. The plane didn’t say “Lolita Express.” My ticket just said “Flight 26A.” I was reading the Federalist Papers the whole way—Madison, Hamilton. I swear, no pedos there, right? Founding Fathers were mostly clean.
But now I feel like I’m the victim here! People look at me like I’m Prince Andrew. I’m not Prince Andrew! I’m a simple Jew. I’m basically innocent.
I just thought Jeffrey was an ambitious Jew like Sammy Glick from “What Makes Sammy Run.” Apparently, what made Jeffrey run was illegal in 50 states.
Call me naive. I want to believe the best about my fellow Jews.
Recently, I used ChatGPT to analyze my YouTube transcripts for lack of self-awareness. The result came back: “Severe.” I’m officially the first man in history to have his self-awareness measured at negative six standard deviations. I’m not even on the bell curve—I’m off in Epstein territory.
Speaking of Epstein again—maybe I shouldn’t—but I’ve been to paradise, I’ve been to Lolita Island. But I’ve never been to me. And given what we know now, I’d prefer me. Even with my personality disorders.
I don’t have the energy to sin anymore. I’m 59. I like to chill and watch French Netflix films about schizophrenia.
Chevra, I’m not Epstein, I’m not Prince Andrew. I’m a simple Jew. I might have hung out with the morally dubious for excitement, written some questionable blog posts, but hey—I’m just intellectually alive.
Thanks for tuning in. Same time next week—unless I’m Epstein’d.
01:00 How Australia’s Cronulla Riots Helped Stop Grooming, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=161988
06:00 Video: The 2005 Cronulla Riot: the triggers, the aftermath, and the impact on Australia, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eg6RTrBQ3Qc
29:00 Remembering Coach Red Pill Gonzalo Lira, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=162105
31:00 Trump Is Out Of Touch With MAGA Over Jeffrey Epstein, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=162101
32:00 Donald Trump’s Seven Rules: Mark Halperin on How President Trump Runs The White House, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmVfyDSkNGE
36:00 Should We Aid Ukraine As Much As Israel? https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=162097
41:00 Michael joins to talk about Jeffrey Epstein, https://x.com/Michaelmvlog
50:15 Tucker Carlson’s disappointment with Donald Trump
1:01:30 Wet Hot American Epstein | The Tim Dillon Show, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_V-gkjSGKC4
1:24:50 Video: You always break your own heart: the death of a dream, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2wXzCvNx40
1:40:50 Dooovid joins to talk Jeffrey Epstein, https://x.com/RebDoooovid
1:49:00 My favorite movies and music revolve around loss, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=154082
1:51:00 Conversion to Judaism scandal in Detroit, https://www.facebook.com/zaakah/posts/oak-park-michigan-resident-mordechai-klainberg-charged-with-stalking-home-invasi/1069254461974527/
2:09:20 Video: Don’t fight to keep people: you lose when you win, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6MSEF1DBQY
2:19:30 Is Xi Jinping losing power in China, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2m7_Iqd5to
2:53:50 The Duran: Regime change operation opened the gates of hell, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Qwpm-y-C00
2:57:00 Jonah Goldberg Yearns For Quality Criticism, https://lukeford.net/blog/?p=161998
There should always be one group controlling territory, and there will always be fringe aka second class citizens, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/13/us/politics/trump-reversal-better-times.html
3:22:20 Video: Make her work for it: don’t just hand it over, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=963Y_h1CejE
3:24:50 Video: Her only competition: why men end up in bad relationships, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANMLJgM7-8M
3:41:25 Video: “Made in China” Becomes “Made in Vietnam” || Peter Zeihan, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3jRuaHNeOo
4:00:10 Video: How Israel’s Perfect Sneak Attack on Iran Will Change Warfare Forever, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkZB3BcOU8I
4:10:00 The Art of Trump’s Trade Deal || Peter Zeihan, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aw-BQji34PU
4:15:00 Video: The Revolution in Military Affairs: Europe’s Future || Peter Zeihan, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbCPjbUqL1Y
4:19:00 Colorado’s gay Jewish governor made a music video
4:21:00 Video: Is the Iran War Over … or Just on Pause? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6-jOEgljUE
Grok says:
Over-Dramatization of Personal Slights and Victimhood Narrative:
Ford frequently dwells on personal anecdotes of rejection or exclusion, such as his story about feeling excluded from a Shabbat dinner, only to later realize he had been invited but chose not to attend due to laziness (Transcript, 1:09:59-1:10:05). He admits to “treasuring the feeling of exclusion despite the reality,” revealing a tendency to cling to a narrative of victimhood that is not supported by facts. This lack of self-awareness is evident in his failure to recognize how his own choices contribute to his perceived social isolation, instead framing himself as a misunderstood outsider.
Hypocrisy in Criticizing Sensitivity While Being Hypersensitive:
Ford criticizes others for being overly sensitive or engaging in feuds, yet he exhibits similar behavior. He notes, “I’m overly sensitive to people who remind me way too painfully [of] myself” and admits to fixating on perceived exclusions (Transcript, 1:22:21-1:22:40). He acknowledges his own hypersensitivity but does not apply the same critical lens to his actions as he does to others, revealing a blind spot in his self-perception. For example, he discusses avoiding people who feud (1:22:48-1:23:05) but fails to see how his own fixation on slights mirrors this behavior.
Inappropriate Responses to Serious Situations:
Ford recounts learning about an acquaintance entering hospice and his immediate reaction being to use ChatGPT to craft a social media post for sympathy (Transcript, 1:15:43-1:15:50). He reflects, “Why on earth would I think in such a dark time about how to milk sympathy for likes?” This reveals a lack of self-awareness about the appropriateness of his responses, prioritizing personal gain over empathy. His tendency to exploit serious situations for attention undermines his claim to spiritual growth.
Self-Centered Narrative Framing:
Ford frames his personal struggles, such as his conversion to Orthodox Judaism and past experiences, as central to his identity, yet he admits that these efforts (conversion, therapy, medication) have not profoundly changed him (Transcript, 1:16:45-1:16:53). He focuses on his feelings of rejection and outsider status without critically examining how his behavior, such as provocative blogging or inappropriate humor, contributes to his isolation. For instance, he jokes about comparing AI chatbots to women (1:17:19-1:17:33), which he later acknowledges as inappropriate, but does not reflect on how such remarks alienate others.
Uncritical Engagement with Speculative Sources:
Ford’s discussion of geopolitical events, such as potential regime change in Iran, Russia, and China, relies heavily on speculative YouTube sources like “Lei’s Real Talk” (Transcript, 2:18:12-2:21:14). He admits these sources lack credibility and that his “spidey sense” drives his analysis, yet he presents these ideas as plausible without sufficient evidence. Grok’s critique notes that Ford “fails to assess critically the lack of empirical evidence” and relies on “confirmation bias” (2:16:24-2:17:02), highlighting his lack of self-awareness about his susceptibility to sensational narratives.
Contradictory Ideological Positions:
Ford advocates for nationalism and group interests, praising Israel’s actions and Trump’s policies, while also emphasizing individual dignity and personal responsibility (Transcript, 3:17:33-3:20:07). He does not address the tension between his collectivist views (e.g., punishing entire groups like Gaza for Hamas’s actions) and his advocacy for individual merit. Grok points out that Ford “fails to critically examine the tension between his support for universal nationalism and his specific advocacy for Jewish nationalism” (3:17:58-3:18:05), indicating a lack of awareness about the inconsistencies in his worldview.
Overconfidence in Personal Assessments and Dismissal of Opposing Views:
Ford dismisses mainstream media and experts as motivated by prestige while relying on low-credibility sources to support his geopolitical claims (Transcript, 2:21:37-2:21:45). He critiques pundits like Jonah Goldberg for lacking substance (2:56:11-3:01:07) but does not acknowledge how his own reliance on unverified sources mirrors the behavior he condemns. Grok notes that Ford “mirrors the behavior he critiques in others, such as chasing attention through provocative claims” (3:08:21-3:08:28), revealing his overconfidence in his own insights without reflecting on his biases.
Failure to Reflect on Polarizing Impact:
Ford underestimates the impact of his platform, dismissing his influence as negligible despite discussing polarizing topics like immigration and Israel (Transcript, 3:20:47-3:21:05). He acknowledges attracting extreme audiences but does not fully reflect on how his rhetoric, such as racially charged or sexually explicit remarks (3:42:41-3:43:02), contributes to divisive discourse. Grok highlights that Ford “fails to consider how his rhetoric… reinforce[s] divisive narratives” (3:21:05-3:21:12), showing a lack of awareness about his role in polarization.
In summary, Luke Ford’s lack of self-awareness is evident in his tendency to over-dramatize personal slights, his hypocritical criticism of others’ sensitivity, his inappropriate responses to serious issues, his self-centered narrative framing, his uncritical engagement with speculative sources, his contradictory ideological stances, his overconfidence in his own assessments, and his failure to recognize his platform’s polarizing impact. These patterns undermine his stated goals of pursuing truth and spiritual growth, as he often prioritizes emotional narratives and provocative commentary over rigorous self-reflection and evidence-based analysis.
Coach Red Pill effectively committed suicide by criticizing Ukraine while living in a Ukraine under siege by Russia.
You can criticize your own group while living within it but it is not easy. The only way to go is to place your criticism under the umbrella of group interest. If you expose groomers, cheats and threats within your own community, you might well have majority community support. If I were to out a sexual predator of children within Los Angeles Orthodox Judaism, most Los Angeles Orthodox Jews would not be offended. On the other hand, if Los Angeles Jews were trying to survive a Holocaust, publicly exposing problems in the community would be unwise.
If you are living as a resident stranger in a country at war, it is suicidal to publicly attack your host and side with its invader. That’s what Lira did, and given his weak health, that was a suicidal strategy. In addition, he had an exaggerated sense of the value of what he was doing. In the end, all he did was kill himself. He didn’t save Western civilization.
Gonzalo Ángel Quintilio Lira López, February 29, 1968 – January 12, 2024) was a Chilean-American novelist, screenwriter, filmmaker, political commentator, blogger, YouTuber, and self-styled dating coach. At one point in his career as a novelist, Lira was described as the ‘highest paid Chilean writer in the world’. Lira would later become involved in the manosphere, posting anti-feminist content under the name Coach Red Pill. By the time of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Lira had been living in Ukraine for years. As a resident of Kharkiv, Ukraine, Lira vlogged about the Russian invasion, and was described by Ukrainian officials and Western researchers and media as spreading Russian disinformation and propaganda.
In April 2022, Lira disappeared briefly, stating upon his release he had been detained by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). In May 2023, Lira was again arrested by the SBU, and this time charged with ‘producing and publishing material that tried to justify the ongoing Russian invasion’, something illegal under Ukrainian law. Lira was released on bail and subsequently tried to flee the country. He was arrested again for violating his bail conditions, and died of pneumonia in custody on January 12, 2024.
