Features
Interview with Daniel Levin – author of international best seller “Proof of Life”, the sensational true story of the hunt for a young man gone missing in Syria in 2012
By BERNIE BELLAN A couple of months back I had the opportunity to read and review an advance copy of a terrific new book titled “Proof of Life”, by Daniel Levin.
In it Levin tells the true story of a task he was given to try and find out what happened to a young man who disappeared in Syria during the early stages of what turned out to be a protracted struggle between the regime of Bashar Assad and the many different groups that emerged determined to fight him.
By now we know how incredibly vicious that fighting became – with all sides committing atrocities that shocked much of the world. Yet, despite the tremendous dangers he knew he would face in accepting his assignment, Levin was able to navigate some of the murkiest corners of the Middle East in pursuit of his goal.
Levin’s book was so completely riveting – and disturbing in many aspects, that when I was offered the opportunity to interview Levin himself, I immediately accepted. It took some time, however, to find a time where Daniel Levin could sit down and talk with me over the phone – about his life and his endlessly fascinating career which has involved his working in some of the world’s most dangerous areas.
Finally, on June 4, Levin was available – for what I originally thought was only going to be about 20 minutes, but when he told me that he actually had 45 minutes to spare, I took advantage to delve as much as I could into how he came to be doing what he does. I spoke with Levin, who was in his home somewhere in New York.
Levin’s early years took him all over the world
I had thought that what might follow would be a give and take, but in reality Levin operates in such a different world that would be so unfamiliar to most of us that he spent a good deal of his time explaining just what it is that he does. I began by saying to him: “Your background was as sort of as a negotiator – you were working to develop modes of democracy in states that had authoritarian-led governments. Is that correct?”
Rather than answer that question in a brief manner, however, Levin entered into a long and fairly complex explanation of what he does and how he ended up in the world of hostage negotiation, which is a byproduct of his primary work.
He began by informing me that he had read my review of his book, which, he said, was quite good, except that I had made one mistake. I had written that Levin was a “Swiss-born Jew”.
“I was actually Israeli-born,” he clarified – “in 1963. My father was an early founder generation – served in the Palmach, ended up going into politics, was close to Ben Gurion, became a diplomat, and in the mid-60s he was posted to Kenya – where my sister was born.
“We were there during the Six-Day War and after he returned – in 1969, his views diverged from those of his colleagues in the Labor Party. He favoured a negotiation with the Palestinians immediately – despite the Khartoum Resolution (which became famous for the “three nos: no peace with Israel, no recognition of Israel, no negotiations with Israel”), had a big clash with most of them, and decided to leave for a few years. And because my mother was from the Italian part of Switzerland, we moved to Switzerland in 1970. That’s how the Swiss angle started.
“We lived there for most of my school years – elementary and high school. After high school I came to the US, where I went to Yeshiva, also studied martial arts. I went back to Switzerland, went to law school, moved back to Israel in 1988, both to do my military service, also because I was working on my doctorate in law and my thesis was about clashes between religious and secular legal systems.
“I came to the States in 1992 – I’m basically anchored here since.
“The reason that I’m telling you all this is that my most of my work as a lawyer involved conflicts between different legal, religious, and political systems and how they can be reconciled.
“As an example, if you have a Jewish divorce that a secular judge has to evaluate for compliance with secular constitutional norms – does he just go into his American law – or his Swiss law or his French law, or does he look at the Jewish law and see whether it might provide suitable alternate solutions that would be more compliant with his secular law principles?
“That was my initial background and when I came to the States in the early 90s I did a post doctorate at Columbia, then ended up working in a large law firm, and most of our work was in developing countries, trying to develop their new financial markets and judicial systems. I did that for a few years until I decided I wasn’t interested in doing just the transactional part and I started my own law firm with some partners with the idea of initially helping countries – in Africa, South America, in the Middle East, help them emerge from poverty and high debt levels, and try to develop new political and economic structures.
“That was in the 90s. We developed essentially a development platform – at its core a non-World Bank approach. We didn’t just fly in experts and tell them what to do, but rather we developed a kind of knowledge platform – like a library, and we would provide that platform as a tool to local talent, to young professionals on the ground, and we would work with them to develop their own solutions.
Contacted by the Prince of Liechtenstein to help start a foundation
“That was the origin of our work and, around 2006 I was contacted by a head of state – a monarch in Europe, the Prince of Liechtenstein, who said ‘I really like your approach to development. What I’d like to do is start a not-for-profit foundation and you’ll use your methodology as a way to work in failed states, conflict zones, war torn areas, to help rebuild them by helping with the next generation of leaders to develop solutions that might work – so that, for example, if you go to a country like Yemen, which has been shattered by civil war and by tribalism – 187 tribes, can we figure out different political systems, different constitutional systems – rotation governments for example – not what you have in Israel right now, but rotations among tribes, and can those solutions work?’ ”
Levin continued: “We develop platform tools for training of next-generation leaders. We work with partners in the different regions. For Yemen, for example, we’re working with a partnership in Abu Dhabi. In Libya we’re working with a very high quality individual to develop a think tank outside of Libya, where we’re training young Libyans to take future leadership positions in the country.
“It’s not as if we’re coming into countries and telling people what their countries should look like. Our goal is to use our knowledge platform and our tools to help teams on the ground to develop their country based on their own preferences and traditions, but with the benefit of best practices from other countries and regions.”
Levin went on to describe the often painfully slow steps required in trying to develop democratic institutions within countries that have not had any sort of tradition of democracy. He said that his foundation tries to find young, uncorrupted individuals – not the sons and daughters of ruling elites, he emphasized – and teach them about such things as constitutions and a judicial system that will remain uncorrupted.
I wondered whether it was even possible to find – and train, young individuals, inside the countries themselves where Levin’s foundation might be attempting to develop basic democratic norms.
He admitted that, in many cases, it involves having to take individuals outside of their countries for training. “But,” he cautioned, “there is no way to replace the presence in the country itself. There is no way, for example, to avoid having to go to Syria in those early years and interact with people there.”
Levin added though, that the goal, “at some point, is to take the core team that you’re working with out of the country – and take them for further training, in the Syrian case – to Lebanon, because it’s just not safe for your own staff and for the individuals who you’re wanting to train to leave them there.”
As much as one may harbour notions of glamorous international diplomacy – jetting into world hot spots – such as how American diplomat Richard Holbrooke was famous for doing, Levin said, he wanted to make sure to dispel any idea that what he and his small team do is anything except very hard work – often leading to total disappointment.
With that in mind, Levin launched into a more detailed explanation how he became involved in what was, at the time, a civil war in Syria between the Assad regime and a large number of factions opposed to that regime.
“That became the beginning of my work and, since the Arab Spring (which began in 2011), we’ve been so heavily involved in war zones – in Syria, for example, which is the basis of the book, that we were involved not just in developing these solutions, but in mediating between the war sides. This was early in the war – when it wasn’t clear how the war was going to end or that the regime would end up with the upper hand following the Russian intervention in 2015.
How Levin became a hostage negotiator in Syria
“It was in that context that I was approached by various families (including of the young man who went missing in Syria), who said: ‘You’re active in Syria, you’re active in Libya, can you help us find our missing son, our missing husband? That was the entry into the world of hostage negotiations.”
At that point I said to Levin that I was glad he provided context for how he ended up involved in trying to find out what happened to one young man in particular in Syria. I said to him that anyone who would read “Proof of Life” would find themselves plunged right into the harrowing tale of Levin being immersed in a very dangerous pursuit of information – without knowing all that much about Levin himself. In fact, I said to him, if he hadn’t made clear at the outset of the book that what the reader was about to read was all true, I’m sure that a great many readers would think that it’s a work of fiction.
I said to Levin that “the next question that would probably come to mind to any Jewish reader, for sure, and probably almost anyone for that matter, is how does a Jew – and you didn’t pretend to be anything other, gain entrée into all these countries where one would think a Jew – never mind an Israeli, would not exactly be received with open arms. Was it a problem at all?”
Never hid the fact he was a Jews – although he didn’t advertise his being Israeli-born
Levin responded: “There are a number of elements to that. First of all I never have hidden the fact that I’m Jewish; I did not advertise the fact that I’m Israeli. I have multiple citizenships, but I am Israeli-born. Israeli was my first one (citizenship) and the one I’m most attached to. I view myself as Israeli; I served in the army there, my father served in the army there; I was in combat multiple times. I didn’t advertise that and that is why I am very careful how I describe myself in the book.
“I do show how I recorded and documented everything in the book, but I didn’t want the book to be too much about myself. I am the protagonist in this, but I really wanted to tell the story of this war economy (in Syria) and some of its victims (some girls who were forced into prostitution in Dubai became subjects of Levin’s interest during the course of his investigation).
“As to my own background and my ‘Israeliness’, it shines through – and some of the things that I did in the army were tools that I needed to navigate these 20 days (Levin spent in pursuit of his goal) and some other scenarios.
Levin answered: “I never hide my Israeliness; I just don’t advertise it. If someone asked me I wouldn’t lie about it. Anything I’m telling you now – unless I say something is off the record, you can go ahead and write about.”
As for how Levin recorded actual conversations (which are often quoted verbatim in the book – and some of them are extremely frightening as he is able to get certain characters to open up about some terrifying incidents in which they have been involved, including murder) – “The way I recorded (conversations),” Levin explained, “was primarily with my phone. I created a short cut to my home screen. I didn’t have to open my phone; I just had to tap a button and start recording, and I had a separate recording device.
“Whenever I was able to record a conversation, I did that. There were several situations in which I was unable to do that – especially the night in Beirut where I had to surrender all my electronic devices. In those cases, I would take notes whenever I could and I’m careful in the book to indicate when I’m writing down from memory, also when the memory of others was different from the way I remembered moments, so that I try to be as honest as I can.
Levin said he “wanted to add (in response to my question how Levin was able to navigate some of the murkiest areas of the world in the Middle East) that I had lived in Africa as a kid, and one of the languages I learned was Swahili – and Swahili has a very strong Arabic base. It later helped me when I learned Arabic, much, much later in my professional career. So, part of the answer to your question is I was able to blend in, rather than stand out as Jewish or Israeli.”
I wanted to switch tacks from talking about “Proof of Life” to Levin’s experience as a negotiator in other venues. “Have you been asked by various governments to get involved in behind the scenes negotiations at other times?” I wondered.
“Yes – there are two angles to this. Usually – in the case of hostages, I get approached by families and then I coordinate with governments if it’s relevant – with the intelligence community or diplomats, but generally I get approached by families because they’re not getting anywhere with their home governments.
“With respect to mediation between the sides in the Middle East (and it’s usually the Middle East where Levin gets involved, he noted) it’s on our foundation’s platform either to mediate a conflict or to provide what I call a ‘Track 3 diplomacy’ channel, which is a very informal – with full plausible deniability, communication channel, so that the sides that might not otherwise be talking – and there are several of those in the Middle East, as you can imagine, have a way to communicate – not so much to sign some sort of peace agreement – that’s an illusion, but just, for example, to prevent unintended escalations.
“Very often Israel is one side of this equation – and an action gets misinterpreted as an intended act of aggression, and there’s a real need to have indirect conversation and make sure that it doesn’t trigger consequences. It’s something that I get very involved in as part of my daily work.”
I asked: “Given that, is there anything you’d like to say about the recent war between Israel and Hamas? If you had been involved, was there some sort of expertise that you might have been able to offer that could have prevented that war?”
“The short answer to your question,” Levin offered, “is no.
“I’ve been involved in escalations both between Israel and Palestinians and countries surrounding Israel. The issue in all the clashes between Israel and Hamas – as well as Israel in Lebanon, is: ‘Are you trying to mediate this for the sake of finding a solution or are you trying simply to mitigate the suffering or are you merely going through the motions based on your own particular identity – even if you look at the recent clash and, even if you try to avoid the particular tribal or political affiliation – Jewish, not Jewish, conservative, progressive – those types of discussions tend to be tedious and unproductive, because once people have identified who they are, their positions tend to flow from there without much flexibility or room for negotiation.
“My job is different because, in the case of Israel and Hamas, these types of escalations have clear political benefits for very specific individuals or parties. If you take the recent one, it’s very clear that Netanyahu’s political fortunes had reached an end…and obviously with this most recent case, it started with a very clear provocation by right wing Israeli groups in Sheikh Jarrah. If you want to start into a discussion about who’s been in the Middle East longer – 3,000 years, 5,000 years – I’m not interested in that.
“What I’m interested in is that people are suffering in the region and you have to make a decision whether you’re working toward a political solution or not. This particular escalation benefited Netanyahu – at least very temporarily, and it benefited Hamas. Hamas itself was starting to lose control over the street in Gaza. I’ve been to Gaza many times and Gaza today is not Gaza of 20 years ago – before Israel pulled out – in 2005. It’s also not Gaza of ten years ago.
Youth in Gaza feel oppressed by Hamas
“In Gaza today you have a youth fighting battles that were born after those conflicts of 20-25 years ago and they don’t feel the same allegiance to Hamas; they feel oppressed by Hamas. Hamas is starting to lose some of its authority and needs to resort to more and more oppression to stay in power. They had an interest in this escalation because they can present themselves as the protector of Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and responding to the provocation of Israeli policemen and soldiers with boots in the mosque. Those kinds of games and provocations have been going on for decades. There’s really nothing for me to do because no one is really trying to find a solution, through mediation or by other means – yes, there’s mediation for a cease-fire, but you’re never getting at the root of the conflict. I want to get involved when there’s a genuine desire to go beyond just repeating the same mistakes.”
I wanted to return to Levin’s experience in Syria, which, after all, led him to write “Proof of Life”. I asked him whether his involvement in mediating between various sides – both pro-regime and anti-regime, would also have led him to get involved with “Islamist groups” as well?
He answered: “No, not at the time. If you look at the timeline of the war in Syria, you have the uprising starting in 2011 – and it’s really starting over an increase in bread and food prices. And, instead of responding intelligently, they (the Assad regime) responded brutally – like many countries in the Arab Spring they started to slaughter children – 15-year-old boys spraying on a wall ‘We want cheaper food’ would be beaten to death in a police van, and that triggered huge uprisings and an insurgency started in September 2011.
“My involvement was primarily in 2012-13 in a mediating capacity. It was when the UN was trying to negotiate a cease-fire. It was before the rise of the Islamists in 2014, which also led to those gruesome executions of American and other Western hostages. It was also before the Russian intervention in September 2015, which completely tipped the war in favour of the regime.”
Levin also reminded me that there were no Islamist insurgents in 2011 in Syria, although Assad did release thousands of Islamists from prison at the very beginning of the insurgency – exactly the same way Saddam Hussein did during the American invasion of Iraq – and those released prisoners became the core of ISIS.
“At the point that we were involved, it was to see if we could deescalate the violence; the regime was not gaining the upper hand, the opposition was organized under the Free Syrian Army, and there were – within each camp, really genuine requests to see if there was a way that we could end this slaughter.
“When the whole thing collapsed – in 2014 and 15, we aborted our project there and stopped any form of mediation because the regime was no longer interested in a peaceful, negotiated solution. But I still remained involved in several matters in Syria, including the searches for missing persons and hostages.”
Levin’s current focus is on Libya and Yemen
I asked: “You say you’ve been involved in countries in Africa and the Middle East that could be described either as failed states or states attempting to emerge from authoritarian rule. Are there any other countries in which you’ve been involved?”
Levin said: “Yes, certainly in a development capacity, in Central America, Southeast Asia – Malaysia, Indonesia, but in terms of real conflict negotiation in the sense that I’ve been describing (during this conversation), it’s been primarily in north Africa, the Middle East, and the Gulf – from Yemen to Libya, even some aspects of the Iran conflict.”
“Libya and Yemen?” I said. “Those can best be described as failed states run by gangs and warlords. Is there anything you can offer as a ray of hope for the futures of those two countries?”
“Yes, I think so,” Levin replied. “Our foundation is actively involved in both those countries. In Libya, there is some hope – not so much because of the current temporary prime minister – (whose name is Dbeibeh), but rather because there is a weakening of the warlords, particularly the warlord in the east of the country, whose name is Khalifa Haftar, who is supported primarily by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, and Russia. There is some form of reconciliation there, also encouraged and supported by European countries which finally recognized that the only way to stem the flow of African refugees coming to Europe through Libya was to have some form of stability in Libya.
“Yemen,” Levin observed, “is a very tribal society – some 187 different tribes – very fragmented, fragmented religiously between Sunni and Shia – fragmented between south and north. Yemen has been in a tenuous state since the 50s and every outside party that has tried to get involved in Yemen has failed. It’s sort of the Arab Vietnam. It’s a very complicated place to try to turn into a functioning state.
“There are very legitimate questions – and we’re working with groups, trying to figure out whether Yemen should be one nation or should it be a confederation of states or even tribes? Yemen was also a terrible mistake by the Saudi Crown Prince who thought he could prove his manhood with a quick win in Yemen and didn’t realize he would face the same fate as Nasser did 65-70 years ago (when Egypt’s then President Nasser also intervened in Yemen).
“So, Yemen is in far worse shape than Libya, I would say in answer to your question.”
As much as reading “Proof of Life” led me to want to find out quite a bit more about Daniel Levin, talking to him about the book and his career led me to ask him whether there might be more books in the works.
He said that in September a book called “Milena’s Promises” will be released in German (“Milenas Versprechen”). “It’s a crime story, a dialogue between an Israeli woman and a young man in the U.S. in the form of an email exchange. It’s all about the question of God’s existence and omnipotence, the suffering of innocent people, and the meaning of being a “chosen” people.”
“Proof of Life”, which was released on May 18th, has garnered a myriad of sensational reviews – including my own. As a result, I can hardly wait to read “Milena’s Promises” once it comes out in English.
Features
Buck In Situ: A Dog Story
By DAVID TOPPER I suppose the first thing I should say is that, although this is a true story, it’s not about a real dog. (That may be obvious if you look at the picture accompanying this tale.) Yes, the dog – a wooden statue – is Buck.
I do want to explain what “in situ” means. For those who know the term, it betrays the fact that I was a teacher of art history before I retired. It’s a Latin term that refers to an art object being in its original or natural place. For example, the famous Elgin Marbles (statues of Greek gods, goddesses and other mythological figures), which are prized objects in the British Museum in London, were taken by Lord Elgin from the Acropolis high over Athens in Greece, in the early 19th century. If the museum ever returns the statues (as Greeks have been demanding them to do for years), and if the statues were then placed back on the Acropolis – then they would be “in situ.”
All this has been my way of introducing you to a story about a little statue that has been sitting in my home ever since my late wife, Sylvia, and I returned from a trip to Jamaica many years ago.
Here’s Buck’s story. One afternoon during our vacation on the island, we went to an Art Fair. I was particularly interested in wooden carvings. There was a long line of tables, end to end, with different carvers showing off their wares. As we walked along the tables, among the different carvers, I was dumbfounded because they were all carving the same statues! Different artists: same statues. The statues were of some local deities; none of whom I had any interest in taking back home – no matter what magic it could perform.
Sylvia and I were baffled as we strolled along the long row, eventually coming to the end. Then, lo and behold: the last carver was carving different statues – not necessarily of gods. Coming across his table filled with a wide variety of subjects was a breath of fresh air.
Of course, the first thing I asked him was why everyone else was carving the same things. His answer was simply that they thought that was what tourists wanted, and they were afraid to try anything else. I asked him why he was not afraid. He said he was afraid; nonetheless, he would be bored doing the same thing over and over – even if he made more money.
By now you can see where this story is going. It was among his wares, on the last table, that I saw the statue of the dog – which I immediately fell for. Sylvia, a dog lover, fell for it, too, and hence we bought it. I don’t recall the price, or if we haggled over it. But what I do remember – and why I am telling this story – is this. While talking with him and watching him at work, I noticed the way he was squinting. I asked him about this, and he said his eyes were not what they used to be, that he needed glasses but he couldn’t afford them.
At the time, I was in an early stage of permanently wearing glasses. Having gone through various stages of over-the-counter reading glasses during the previous decade or more, I was now wearing my first prescription glasses. I gave them to the carver to try on, and he said they were too strong. “Good,” I said. I told him I had several pair of different power reading glasses at home, which I had used before I got these. I’d be pleased to mail him those glasses, which perhaps could get him through the next decade or more. He gave me his address, and that’s when I found that his name – or, maybe, it was his nickname – was Buck.
“Would you mind if I name the dog Buck?” I asked – because I liked that name for the dog. He had no problem with that, and hence Buck it was, and Buck it always will be.
Not long after we got home, I mailed a box of glasses to Buck. Although I had my return address on the box (in case it got lost) I never heard from him. I didn’t expect to; yet occasionally I talk to my Buck and tell him that I hope the Buck whom he is named after, is still using a pair of the glasses I sent him. It would be comforting to know. My Buck agrees, I trust.
From the photo you can see that Buck sits at the foot of a staircase. Those stairs start in the front entrance of our home and go to the second floor. Buck not only stands on-guard, watching all who enter the house, but he also plays the following role. If I want to remind myself of something without having a paper and pencil handy, I just turn Buck around – say, on my way upstairs for the night. In the morning, coming down the stairs, I see that Buck is reminding me to do something. Although, I must confess, sometimes I can’t recall exactly what it was!
Finally, I live in Winnipeg, Canada. I know that’s far from the island of Jamaica, but here Buck has become a part of our life. All the family knows that if Buck is turned around – it means something! I therefore believe that it’s not stretching the terminology t-o-o much by calling this memoir: “Buck In Situ: A Dog Story.” To me, Buck is right where he belongs.
David R. Topper writes in Winnipeg, Canada. His work has appeared in Mono, Poetic Sun, Discretionary Love, Poetry Pacific,Academy of theHeart & Mind, Altered Reality Mag. and elsewhere.
His poem Seascape with Gulls: My Father’s Last Painting won first prize in the annual poetry contest of CommuterLit Mag – May 12, 2025.
Features
13 Best Amazon PPC Management Agencies for Growing Brands
Growing brands should hire an Amazon PPC agency that optimizes daily against TACoS and contribution margin, staffs senior specialists on the account, and reports results per ASIN in plain language. The agencies that deliver consistent, profitable growth share a few verifiable traits: Amazon-specific expertise, transparent reporting, and pricing that rewards performance over ad spend. This article ranks and compares 13 Amazon PPC agencies against those signals for 2026.
Why Amazon PPC management gets harder as brands grow
Amazon advertising gets more competitive and more expensive every year. US retail media ad spend will reach $71 billion in 2026, according to a December 2025 eMarketer forecast, which means more brands are bidding on the same high-intent keywords. As a result, average Amazon cost per click rose about 35% between 2023 and early 2026, reaching $1.21.
The problem is compounded at scale. Accounts with hundreds of SKUs and five-figure monthly ad budgets tend to see ACoS creep up as campaign structures sprawl. According to 2026 Amazon PPC benchmarks, the median ACoS across US Amazon accounts in H1 2026 was 38% and the median TACoS was 15%.
TACoS, or total advertising cost of sale, measures total ad spend as a percentage of total revenue, including organic sales. TACoS matters more than ACoS at scale because it reveals whether advertising is building the brand or just paying to keep revenue flat. An account with a stable 20% ACoS can still be in trouble if TACoS is climbing each quarter.
Most brands notice the shift somewhere between $1M and $10M in annual Amazon revenue. That is the stage where manual campaign management eats too many hours, ACoS-only reporting hides margin erosion, and the cost of hiring the wrong agency becomes meaningful.
How to evaluate an Amazon PPC management agency
The right Amazon agency for a growing brand is one whose approach matches the brand’s stage, goals, and internal bandwidth. Use these criteria to separate signal from marketing noise:
- Amazon specialization. The agency focuses specifically on Amazon advertising, not general paid media with Amazon as an add-on.
- Who runs the account. Senior specialists with years of Amazon experience manage campaigns directly. Junior account managers learning on the brand’s budget is a warning sign.
- Primary optimization metric. The agency reports TACoS and contribution margin, not just ACoS or ROAS. ACoS in isolation hides whether ads are cannibalizing organic sales.
- Reporting transparency. Per-ASIN reporting in plain language, not dashboards filled with acronyms and aggregated numbers.
- Optimization frequency. Daily optimization beats weekly reviews. Amazon’s auction changes constantly.
- Pricing model. Flat retainers or hybrid models align incentives better than pure percentage-of-spend fees, which reward the agency for spending more.
- Verifiable credibility. Amazon Ads Partner status, third-party reviews (Clutch, Trustpilot), and named client results with real numbers. Self-reported “top-rated agency” claims are not credibility.
Top Amazon PPC management agencies for growing brands in 2026, at a glance
| Rank | Agency | Best for | Primary focus | Notable signal |
| 1 | Olifant Digital | Established brands wanting daily, profit-first management | Done-for-you Amazon PPC with TACoS reporting | $114M+ managed client revenue; 98% retention; named Amazon results |
| 2 | Tinuiti | Enterprise brands needing DSP and AMC | Full-funnel Amazon Ads + DSP | Amazon Ads Advanced Partner; AMC accreditation |
| 3 | Blue Wheel | Mid-to-large brands wanting ads and DSP under one roof | Omni-channel Amazon Ads + DSP | Amazon Advanced Partner; $1B+ in client revenue managed |
| 4 | Incrementum Digital | Data-driven brands wanting analytics-led management | Amazon-first performance advertising | Amazon Ads Advanced Partner; 2024 Buy With Prime Partner Award |
| 5 | Trivium Group | Brands wanting profit-focused full-service management | Amazon PPC, DSP, and account management | Inc. 5000 (#170); $24M+ annual ad spend managed |
| 6 | Amazon Growth Lab | 8- and 9-figure brands | Amazon PPC, SEO, DSP, and listing optimization | 50 Clutch reviews; clients incl. Ray-Ban, Anker |
| 7 | BellaVix | Brands needing both Vendor and Seller Central coverage | Marketplace management + full-funnel Amazon Ads | Amazon SPN; $500M+ marketplace sales |
| 8 | Selouse | Brands with large SKU counts wanting one senior team | Amazon + TikTok Shop management | Positions for brands doing $500K+ annually |
| 9 | Desverto | Brands whose listings/creative need work alongside ads | Creative-led Amazon optimization + PPC | Amazon Verified Advertising & Creative Partner |
| 10 | Trellis | Brands wanting software-led automation | AI-powered Amazon and Walmart advertising | Software trusted by brands, agencies, and aggregators |
| 11 | AMZDudes | Brands wanting month-to-month, no-contract management | Full-service Amazon PPC + account management | Free growth audit; self-reported 4.9-star rating |
| 12 | PPC Jumpstart | Smaller growth-stage brands wanting founder attention | Boutique, founder-led Amazon PPC | Founder managed $10M+ in ad sales; Trustpilot reviews |
| 13 | SmartSites | Brands wanting Amazon inside a broader digital program | Full-service digital marketing incl. Amazon | Clutch Premier Verified; 285+ reviews; nine-time Inc. 5000 |
Read the table as a starting point. The best agency for any given brand depends on stage, margin structure, and whether the brand needs just PPC or full account services.
The best Amazon PPC management agencies for growing brands in 2026
Below are detailed profiles for each agency in the ranked list. The first entry is the most detailed; the rest are neutral, factual summaries based on publicly available information.
1. Olifant Digital
Why Olifant Digital ranks first: Olifant Digital provides done-for-you Amazon PPC management focused on turning ad spend into profitable growth, taking full ownership of strategy, account restructuring, daily optimization, and budget allocation aligned to revenue and profit targets. It pairs senior-only staffing with a proprietary campaign framework and named, verifiable results, an unusual combination in a space where “AI-powered” and “expert-managed” are often just marketing language.
What sets Olifant Digital apart:
- Every account receives daily optimization rather than set-and-forget automation, with senior specialists carrying a minimum of seven years of Amazon experience managing campaigns directly. No juniors are staffed on client accounts.
- Campaign execution follows the 1-1-1-1 Scaling Method, Olifant’s proprietary campaign architecture framework that separates every account into four strategic focuses: testing new keywords and ASINs, scaling high performers, exact-match campaigns to boost organic rank, and brand defense.
- The agency blends human expertise with its in-house Olifant AI platform, built and continuously improved by an internal engineering team, with data scientists reviewing account metrics across every client daily. New tactics are tested on Olifant’s own Amazon brand before ever reaching a client account.
- Reporting is per-ASIN and in plain language, with TACoS and contribution margin as the primary metrics rather than ACoS or ROAS in isolation.
- Named client results: Ekster ($688,406 in annual Amazon profit), WedgeGuys (+391% Amazon sales with a 17% ACoS reduction), Elite Jumps (+124% revenue in 3 months with a 51% CVR lift), MatchaBar (+$114,305 in added monthly Amazon revenue), and Balanced Tiger (171% revenue growth with a 50% ACoS reduction).
- The agency manages over $114M in annual client revenue across 50+ active brands, maintains a 98% client retention rate, and holds a 5.0 rating on Clutch.
- A full-service option is available, covering PPC, listings, catalog, and Brand Store under one team.
Best fit for: Established brands with Amazon traction that want to scale profitably with daily, hands-on management.
Pricing: flat retainer starting at $2,000 per month, custom to catalog complexity, with no percentage-of-spend fees. Every engagement is backed by a 60-day money-back guarantee on management fees.
2. Tinuiti
Why they stand out: Tinuiti offers full-funnel Amazon Ads and DSP management for enterprise and commerce brands, backed by proprietary ad tech and deep platform accreditation that few agencies can match at scale.
What to know:
- Amazon Ads Advanced Partner status, placing it in the top 7% of agencies by Amazon’s own recognition program.
- AMC (Amazon Marketing Cloud) accreditation for advanced cross-channel attribution work.
- Proprietary MobiusX ad tech platform supporting campaign management and reporting.
- Named clients include illy and Poppi.
Best fit for: Larger brands that need sophisticated DSP and Amazon Marketing Cloud capabilities.
Keep in mind: Brands wanting a boutique team focused exclusively on Sponsored Products or PPC may find a smaller specialist agency a tighter fit than an enterprise, multi-channel firm.
3. Blue Wheel
Why they stand out: Blue Wheel provides omni-channel commerce services including Amazon Ads and DSP full-funnel management, built around a proprietary bidding system designed for real-time campaign control at scale.
What to know:
- Uses a proprietary “Companion” bidding system based on Search Term Isolation for real-time campaign adjustments.
- Holds Amazon Advanced Partner and SAS Core-approved status.
- Has managed $1B+ in client revenue since its founding in 2011.
Best fit for: Mid-to-large consumer brands wanting ads and DSP integrated under one roof.
Keep in mind: Brands selling exclusively through Sponsored Products with no near-term DSP need may not require the full omni-channel infrastructure Blue Wheel is built around.
4. Incrementum Digital
Why they stand out: Incrementum Digital focuses on Amazon-first performance advertising across marketplaces, differentiated by an in-house analytics platform built specifically to track blended profitability rather than platform-reported metrics alone.
What to know:
- Uses its proprietary DataOwl analytics platform to track blended profitability and TACoS.
- Holds Amazon Ads Advanced Partner, Walmart Connect Partner, and TikTok Shop Partner status.
- Won the 2024 Buy with Prime Best Merchant Activation Award.
Best fit for: Data-driven brands that prioritize analytics-led management over a purely relationship-driven engagement.
Keep in mind: Brands that want a single point of contact managing strategy end to end, rather than a dashboard-forward engagement, should confirm how much day-to-day strategic input comes from a named specialist versus the platform.
5. Trivium Group
Why they stand out: Trivium Group offers full-service Amazon PPC, DSP, and account management with a profit-first methodology that factors in COGS and daily profit rather than treating ROAS as the finish line.
What to know:
- Profit-first methodology factoring in cost of goods sold and daily profit, not just return on ad spend.
- Manages $24M+ in annual ad spend across its client roster.
- Ranked #170 on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies.
- Clutch profile includes 40 reviews.
Best fit for: Brands wanting profit-focused full-service management rather than a narrow PPC-only engagement.
Keep in mind: With a growing client roster, confirming the specific account team and reporting cadence assigned to a given brand size is worth doing directly.
6. Amazon Growth Lab
Why they stand out: Amazon Growth Lab provides full-service Amazon PPC, SEO, DSP, and listing optimization, built around a data-density approach that goes well beyond the handful of metrics most competitors report on.
What to know:
- Analyzes 750+ ranking and conversion data fields rather than surface-level metrics alone.
- Clutch profile with 50 reviews.
- Named clients include Ray-Ban, Jacuzzi, Anker, and Brooklinen.
Best fit for: 8- and 9-figure brands with complex catalogs that need PPC, SEO, and DSP coordinated together.
Keep in mind: Smaller or earlier-stage brands may find the agency’s complexity-oriented approach more infrastructure than a leaner catalog needs.
7. BellaVix
Why they stand out: BellaVix offers marketplace management and full-funnel Amazon advertising across both Seller Central and Vendor Central, with multi-marketplace coverage that extends the relationship beyond Amazon alone.
What to know:
- Also manages Walmart and Target marketplaces under one partnership.
- Holds Amazon SPN status and is a Verified Amazon Advertising and Global Selling Partner.
- $500M+ in marketplace sales managed.
- 33 Clutch reviews.
Best fit for: Brands that need both 1P (Vendor Central) and 3P (Seller Central) coverage under one team.
Keep in mind: Brands selling only through Seller Central with no Vendor Central complexity may not need an agency built around managing both.
8. Selouse
Why they stand out: Selouse provides full-service Amazon and TikTok Shop management under one roof, with a single senior team handling PPC, listings, creative, and daily operations across the US, UK, and EU rather than splitting responsibilities across specialists.
What to know:
- A single senior team owns PPC, listings, creative, and daily operations across three regions.
- Positions itself for brands doing $500K+ in annual revenue.
- Credibility signals are self-reported rather than externally verified.
Best fit for: Brands with large SKU counts that want one senior team handling everything rather than coordinating multiple vendors.
Keep in mind: Because credibility signals here are self-reported, it’s worth requesting references or case studies directly rather than relying on site claims alone.
9. Desverto
Why they stand out: Desverto offers creative-led Amazon optimization alongside PPC management, built around the idea that ad performance and listing quality are inseparable rather than managed by separate teams.
What to know:
- Uses a creative-first model called Product Family Architecture, built around listing design feeding ad performance.
- Holds Amazon Verified Advertising & Creative Partner status and is an Amazon SPN member.
- 900+ brands served.
Best fit for: Brands whose listings and creative need improvement alongside ad management, not just campaign structure.
Keep in mind: Brands with already-strong creative and listings that only need PPC management may find the creative-led positioning adds scope they don’t need.
10. Trellis
Why they stand out: Trellis provides AI-powered Amazon and Walmart advertising plus automation software, positioning itself as a technology platform first with managed service layered on top rather than the reverse.
What to know:
- Unifies PPC automation with pricing, promotions, and content optimization, referred to as the “4Ps” of merchandising.
- Software is used by brands, agencies, and aggregators directly, not just as a white-label layer.
- Managed service options are available alongside the self-serve software.
Best fit for: Brands wanting software-led automation, with the option to add managed oversight.
Keep in mind: Brands wanting a dedicated strategist as the primary point of contact, rather than a software-first relationship, may prefer a traditional agency model.
11. AMZDudes
Why they stand out: AMZDudes offers full-service Amazon PPC and account management with a data and AI-driven approach, built around a low-commitment entry point designed to reduce the friction of switching agencies.
What to know:
- Provides a free Amazon growth audit before engagement.
- Month-to-month management with no long-term contracts.
- Site reports a 4.9-star rating from 260+ brand reviews and Amazon Ads Verified Partner status; both figures are self-reported rather than independently verified.
Best fit for: Brands that want month-to-month management without a long-term contract commitment.
Keep in mind: Because the review count and partner status are self-reported, independent verification through Clutch or a direct reference check is worth doing before signing.
12. PPC Jumpstart
Why they stand out: PPC Jumpstart is a boutique, founder-led Amazon PPC management agency built around direct founder involvement rather than a delegated account team, with pricing tied to outcomes instead of a flat fee.
What to know:
- The founder manages accounts directly rather than delegating to junior staff.
- Offers a pay-on-results, profit-first model focused on TACoS and margin.
- The founder has personally managed $10M+ in ad sales.
- Trustpilot reviews from clients back the boutique positioning.
Best fit for: Smaller growth-stage brands that want hands-on attention from an experienced operator rather than a large agency team.
Keep in mind: The founder-led model has natural capacity limits; brands should confirm current availability and account load before committing.
13. SmartSites
Why they stand out: SmartSites is a full-service digital marketing agency covering PPC, SEO, web design, email, and social media, including Amazon advertising, with review credentials that are unusually deep for a generalist shop.
What to know:
- Clutch Premier Verified with 285+ reviews averaging 4.9 stars.
- Google Premier Partner status.
- Nine-time Inc. 5000 honoree.
Best fit for: Brands that want Amazon advertising managed alongside a broader digital marketing program rather than as a standalone specialty.
Keep in mind: Brands wanting an Amazon-only specialist with campaigns as the sole focus may prefer a dedicated marketplace agency over a multi-channel generalist.
How much does Amazon PPC management cost?
Amazon PPC agencies typically charge using one of three pricing models:
- Flat monthly retainer. A fixed fee regardless of ad spend. Typical range for boutique agencies: $1,500 to $5,000 per month. Full-service agencies managing larger accounts charge higher retainers.
- Percentage of ad spend. The agency takes a percentage (often 10% to 20%) of monthly ad spend. This model rewards spending more, not performing better.
- Hybrid. A smaller base retainer plus a percentage of spend or a performance bonus tied to TACoS or revenue targets.
The incentive problem with percentage-of-spend pricing is real. An agency paid 15% of ad spend earns more when the brand spends more, regardless of whether that spend is profitable. Flat or hybrid models tied to performance align the agency’s incentive with the brand’s.
Olifant Digital uses a flat retainer model: pricing starts at $2,000 per month, custom to catalog complexity, with no percentage-of-spend fees. Every engagement is backed by a 60-day money-back guarantee on management fees.
Frequently asked questions about Amazon PPC management
What does Amazon PPC management include for growing brands?
A typical scope includes campaign strategy and architecture, daily bid optimization, keyword and search term analysis, Sponsored Products and Sponsored Brands management, budget allocation, and reporting. Full-service agencies may also cover listing optimization, A+ Content, and Brand Store design.
How much does Amazon PPC management cost?
Boutique agencies typically charge $1,500 to $5,000 per month as a flat retainer. Full-service agencies with larger account loads charge higher fees. Percentage-of-spend models (10% to 20% of ad spend) are common, though flat or hybrid pricing aligns incentives better.
When should a growing brand hire a PPC agency instead of keeping it in-house?
Most brands reach the decision point when ad spend exceeds $10,000 per month, ACoS is climbing despite more effort, or the internal team lacks the bandwidth for daily optimization. An experienced agency can often pay for itself in efficiency gains.
What is a good ACoS or TACoS for Amazon?
ACoS (advertising cost of sale) measures ad spend as a percentage of ad-attributed revenue. TACoS measures ad spend as a percentage of total revenue, including organic. In H1 2026, the median US ACoS was 38% and the median TACoS was 15%. A “good” number depends on the brand’s margin structure and growth goals.
How long until results show from a new Amazon PPC agency?
Most agencies show measurable movement in ACoS or TACoS within 30 to 60 days. Significant revenue or profit improvements typically require 90 days as the agency restructures campaigns, harvests converting search terms, and adjusts bids based on real data.
Should brands choose flat fee or percentage-of-spend pricing?
Flat fee or hybrid pricing is generally preferable because it aligns the agency’s incentive with profitable growth rather than spending more. Percentage-of-spend models reward the agency for increasing ad budgets regardless of returns.
Features
Hamilton Hebrew Academy refuses to let 2 Jewish students enrol – because their mother had a Conservative, not an Orthodox conversion
By BERNIE BELLAN (This story was originally posted July 14)
From time to time we receive a request to do an investigative piece about one matter or another. Before I even begin to entertain following up on that type of request I pose quite a few questions to the person or persons who sent me the request. I also send copies of whatever it is that I might consider publishing to subjects of the story for them to comment prior to its publication.
Recently I was contacted by a former member of our Winnipeg Jewish community by the name of Fabio Chusyd, who now lives in Hamilton with his wife, Soraya, and their two daughters (whose names will not be given here.)
Fabio Chusyd first contacted me on July 7. Here is what he wrote in an email:
“My name is Fabio Chusyd. We met years ago while I was living in Winnipeg, and I have always respected your work. My family and I are active members of the Jewish community in Hamilton.
“Hamilton Hebrew Academy is the only full-time Jewish day school in Hamilton. It shares its premises with Adas Israel Congregation, an Orthodox synagogue, and its Dean is Rabbi Daniel Green.
“At the same time, its mission states that it is “dedicated to fostering an inclusive learning environment that welcomes and embraces children and their families from diverse Jewish affiliations and backgrounds.”
“Our daughters, (names redacted) have experienced antisemitism in the public school system, which is why we sought a safe Jewish educational environment. They have received Jewish education at home and through Temple Anshe Sholom. …. also previously attended HHA’s daycare, where Saraya’s Conservative conversion was known and accepted. The girls were invited to visit the school, met the teachers, toured the classrooms, and naturally became excited about attending. They were then ultimately denied admission.
“After two meetings with Rabbi Green much of the discussion focused on Saraya’s Conservative conversion and our willingness to pursue an Orthodox conversion path. Shortly afterward, our daughters were denied admission.
“I lawfully recorded both meetings under Ontario’s one-party consent law. We later submitted six written questions seeking clarification of the decision, but the school declined to answer any of them, stating only that it had nothing further to add.
“The Hamilton Jewish News declined to publish our family’s response, which is why I am reaching out to you.”
I responded to Fabio and asked him whether he might consider trying to contact the Canadian Jewish News and ask them to do a story about his family’s situation – since the CJN website is by far the most important Jewish website in Canada, also Hamilton is only a short distance from Toronto, so it made more sense to try to get the CJN to cover the story.
Fabio wrote back: “Following your suggestion, I have also reached out to the Canadian Jewish News. I wanted to let you know out of courtesy.”
In a later email Fabio elaborated on the Hamilton Jewish News’ refusal to do a story about what had happened to his family. Further, the Hamilton Jewish Federation had also refused to intervene in the situation. By the way, the Hamilton Jewish News is run by the Hamilton Jewish Federation.
I found that all so surprising. And yet, while Hamilton is far removed from Winnipeg physically, a fair number of former members of Winnipeg’s Jewish community have moved to Hamilton in recent years. Hamilton now has a Jewish population over 5,000 and it has become a popular alternative destination for families looking for a cheaper place to live than Toronto. I was quite surprised that both the Hamilton Jewish Times and the Hamilton Jewish Federation had refused to delve into what had happened to the Chusyds. So, I told Fabio that I would be willing to write an article, but only after a thorough investigation of what had happened.
Hamilton actually has two Jewish day schools: the aforementioned Hamilton Hebrew Academy and a school called Kehila Heschel School. Hamilton Hebrew Academy offers classes from JK- Grade 8 (It also may be adding a Grade 9 this coming year.) and has approximately 200 students. On its website HHA describes itself as “dedicated to fostering an inclusive learning environment that welcomes and embraces children and families from diverse Jewish backgrounds.”
There is another important aspect to Hamilton Hebrew Academy. It is directly connected – both physically and spiritually, to Hamilton’s Orthodox synagogue, the Adas Israel. Here is what I was able to find about that connection: “The Hamilton Hebrew Academy (located at 60 Dow Ave) is located adjacent to and was founded by the Adas Israel Congregation (located at 125 Cline Ave S).
“The Orthodox synagogue established the school decades ago to serve the community, and they often share leadership; for instance, the spiritual leader of Adas Israel serves as the Dean of the academy.” (That last point is key to understanding what has happened to the family in this story.)
The other Jewish school in Hamilton, Kehila Heschel School, bills itself as an “independent, egalitarian, community school that welcomes families from the full spectrum of Jewish life” but, as was previously noted, it had only 35 students this past year, according to Fabio Chusyd.
One other point of interest from a Winnipeg perspective: The CEO of Hamilton’s Jewish Federation (until he retired in April) was Gustavo Rymberg. Like the Chusyds, Gustavo and his family first moved to Winnipeg after having emigrated from South America in the early 2000s. I wonder how Gustavo would have reacted to what has happened to the Chusyds? By the way, the new CEO of the Hamilton Jewish Federation, Marion Zeller, does not take over her role until August 10, 2026.
In a subsequent email, Fabio Chusyd elaborated on what happened after the family had been invited to visit Hamilton Hebrew Academy:
“What happened is that they invited the girls to visit the school, they were welcomed by students and the principal – who happens to be a rabbi as well.
“We explain (to)…- the rabbi of the synagogue (who is also) dean of the school that we are happy at the reform synagogue. But he made it mandatory to join the orthodox synagogue with openess to a future orthodox conversion.”
Fabio Chusyd recorded two conversations Rabbi Green had with Fabio and Soraya Chusyd. Fabio sent me transcripts of both conversations – one recorded on June 26 and one on July 2. In both conversations Rabbi Green hinted quite strongly – without ever spelling it out as a direct stipulation, that in order for the Chusyds’ daughters to be allowed to enrol in HHA, Soraya Chusyd would have to undergo an Orthodox conversion and the Chusyds would have to join Adas Israel Congregation.
On July 6 the father received a Whatsapp message from Rabbi Green:
“Hi Fabio,
“I just wanted to give you a headsup. Kym (Gazda, the director of admissions for HHA) will be sending an official email from the school. Based on our conversations, I don’t think the school is the right fit at this time. If you have a change of heart, pls let me know. Wishing you much success.”
That ‘change of heart” apparently referred to Soraya’s reluctance to undergo an Orthodox conversion. In a subsequent email Fabio Chusyd explained that his wife did not want to go through another conversion process after having been converted by a Conservative rabbi in South America. Further, the couple was reluctant to leave their Reform congregation and join the Orthodox Adas Israel congregation, which also seemed to be a prerequisite to their daughters’ being able to enrol in Hamilton Hebrew Academy
Just as Rabbi Green’s email was opaque, the email from the director of admissions was equally opaque in not offering a specific reason for the school’s refusal to admit the Chusyds’ two girls this coming school year. Here is what Kym Gazda wrote in an email on July 7:
“Dear Mr. and Mrs. Chusyd,
“Thank you for your interest in Hamilton Hebrew Academy and for taking the time to meet with us.
“Upon careful consideration, and based on the information provided, we are unfortunately unable to accept …. to the HHA for the 2026–2027 academic year.
“Should anything change, please feel free to let us know, and we would be happy to reconsider your application at that time.
“We wish you and your family all the best.”
I received a further email from Fabio Chusyd, in which he reprinted the Hamilton Jewish News’ editor, Wendy Schneider’s response, also dated July 7, to his request that the paper consider doing a story about what happened to him and his family:
“Dear Mr Chusyd Thank you for this note. I appreciate how deeply upsetting and frustrating this is for you. As I explained yesterday, at this time, I feel I cannot act without advice from the Federation CEO because of the nature of your complaint i.e. a local issue. I sincerely hope this issue is resolved to your satisfaction. Unfortunately, for now, there’s nothing I can do at this point to help ease your distress. “
In response, Fabio Chusyd wrote to Wendy Schneider:
“Thank you for your time on the phone yesterday and for your supportive words.
“However, several years ago, you published a letter titled “Censorship Has No Place in Our Community.” Yet by not allowing me to use the online letters section, you are effectively censoring my voice.
“The slogan of the Hamilton Jewish News is “The Voice of Jewish Hamilton.” By refusing to publish or even accept my letter, you are silencing a member of the very community the publication exists to serve.
“How does this decision align with the principles of free expression and with the mission of your newspaper?”
This was all so puzzling. Here we have a case of a couple with two young children whom they would like to attend a Hamilton Jewish school – and the school simply turns them down flat – without any explanation beyond saying the “school is not the right fit at this time.” It seems clear though that the mother’s refusal to undergo an Orthodox conversion and the parents’ unwillingness to join the Adas Israel Congregation were key to the school’s decision not to accept the couple’s children as students this coming school year.
Now, ordinarily, one might expect that after receiving a slap in the face like that, the parents of the girls would simply say they’ve had enough of that – and resign themselves to sending their daughters back to public school.
But, when I asked Fabio Chusyd why he and his wife were so eager to send their daughters to HHA – or whether they had perhaps considered sending their daughters to Kehila Heschel School , here is what Fabio wrote back:
“We did consider Kehila Heschel School. We visited a few years ago, but with only about 35 students in the entire school, we didn’t feel it was the right fit for our girls. For us, school also means exposure to a larger group of children and a broader social environment. HHA has over 200 students. Also HHA appears to be opening a Grade 9, so I am thinking long-term.
“… is going into Grade 4 and … into Grade 2. As a family of immigrants without an extended support network here, we felt it was important for both girls to attend the same school.
“And then we had moved them out of HHA daycare because our local public school is only five minutes from our home.
“Oct. 7 happened, antisemitism reappeared, and the girls were victims. Hence, HHA that call themselves open to all Jewish affiliations seemed to be the safe spot. Rabbi Green and Kim Gayza were told that the girls had been victims of antisemitism. Mainly …, who gave Hanukkah goodie bags last year and her classmates ripped it, spitted on it and throw them in the garbage, while saying offences.”
There is another factor that one might consider in this entire matter. According to its own annual report, the Hamilton Jewish Federation provided $289,000 in funding for the Hamilton Hebrew Academy for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, so the HHA is hardly operating independently of the Hamilton Jewish Federation.
It may not be the place of the publisher of a Winnipeg website that focuses to a large extent on the Winnipeg Jewish community to poke into the affairs of another Jewish community such as Hamilton’s, but where that community’s Jewish newspaper refuses to delve into what appears to be a clear case of wrongdoing by a Jewish institution and, as of writing this, the Hamilton Jewish Federation has also refused to intervene in this matter, then we thought it an important enough issue to broach on this website.
We contacted both Hamilton Hebrew Academy and the Hamilton Jewish Federation, offering them an opportunity to respond to this article prior to its being published.
On July 21, we received a response from Rabbi Green:
“Hamilton Hebrew Academy’s inclusive character and the diversity of its parent and student body are well known throughout the community. Our families include individuals from a wide range of Jewish backgrounds, including converts of all denominations, and many who are not Jewish whatsoever. The school is family-oriented, where we strive to be on a journey of growth togther. (emphasis mine)
“Through Project Lifeline, HHA has also taken a leading role in supporting children who experience antisemitism in public schools, particularly those who may be the only Jewish student in their school or community. For this purpose, we operate transportation routes serving students from Niagara, Kitchener-Waterloo, and other communities outside Hamilton, and provide free bus service and often tuition. This project, I believe, is unprecedented in North America and speaks to the proactive nature of our school in supporting Jewish students at risk. “
I responded to the rabbi:
“With all due respect Rabbi, your email here would seem to directly contradict how you behaved with respect to the Chusyd family. If there is some reason that you have turned down the two Chusyd girls for enrolment in your school – but you are not at liberty to discuss that reason, then I could include that in what I publish.
“But – as it stands, the only reason that I have seen in your correspondence with the Chusyds. is that you don’t think it would be “a good fit” for the Chusyd children to attend HHA.
“I am going to give you every opportunity to explain what you meant by writing that, but I would suggest your latest response is somewhat disingenuous.”
The rabbi responded:
“As I mentioned, I am not at liberty to discuss the admission decision of any specific child or family. “
Also in an email sent to Fabio Chusyd on July 21, Rabbi Green wrote:
“Our position remains unchanged. As previously indicated, Hamilton Hebrew Academy will not engage in public discussion regarding the admission of any individual applicant or family. We have nothing further to add on this matter.”
