THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Friday, November 30, 1984 49
•-•
"
tion ladder to the presidency, and
seven or eight years ago, as that term
expired, Citrin repeated the same
process with the CJF. "I was a member
of CJF's review committee on recast-
ing CJF into its present form. Again, I
received a unique overview, looking at
interviews with 1,500 profesionals
around the country. I was able to see
what federation professionals liked
and disliked, what they wanted de-
veloped."
Citrin went from the review com-
mittee to chairmanship of the Cam-
paign Planning Advisory Committee,
which launched the capacity giving
programs, several pilot projects, and
ultimately led to Citrin's presidency of
CJF.
Now, moving closer to the
sidelines, Citrin sees new priorities for
CJF. Major among the problems is re-
cruitment of qualified, highly-trained
professionals for federations through-
out North America.
The professionals we have, have
done a great job, but we are running
out of good people," Citrin said. The
CJF has established a blue-ribbon
panel under the chairmanshiP of past
CJF president Morton Mandell of
Cleveland to address this issue.
But Citrin is optimistic about the
future. The Jewish federation genius
has always been the learned ability to
take abstract goals- and turn them into
realities. . ." To do this in the-future,
we have to function in different ways
than we have in the past .. .
"Local autonomy is always impor-
tant, but we can not let it blind usAo
the overarching issues. There is
recognition of this. My articulation is\
based on what federation leaders are
already saying to each other."
Citrin describes his own com-
munal future as not quite as inten-
sive an experience over the next couple
of years" as it has been over the last
three. But the community has made_
an investment in me, and it should not
go for naught."
He remains on the board of the
Jewish Agency and has been invited to
continue meeting with its Executive.
"I'm available to the president and
leadership of CJF as they see fit" and
he also wants to "get back to local Fed-
eration activities that have had to
mark time." He continues to sit on the
board of Sinai Hospital and Federa-
tion's executive committee.
Citrin pointed to a shul-knocker
on a shelf in his office. The sculpture of
a hand holding a piece of wood was
given to him by brother Toby when
Citrin was elected to the CJF
presidency. In Eastern Europe, the
synagogue sextons used a piece of
wood to rattle the shutters on the
homes of Jews to round up the morning
minyan.
"I plan to stay busy," laughed Cit-
rin, pointing to the knocker.
.
The CJF presidency
took 30 percent of
Marty Citrin's time during
the last three years.
Reports on the Council of Jewish Federa-
tions' General Assembly in Toronto ap-
peared on Page 1 last week, and on Page 58
today.