Wayne Feinstein reviews his four years in Detroit.
W
hen - Wayne Feinstein
moved to Detroit from
New York four years ago
to become executive vice-
president of the Jewish
Welfare Federation, the economic de-
pression here was at its lowest point.
The city's severe troubles were mir-
rored by deep concern in the Jewish
community: the annual Allied Jewish
Campaign was stagnant for the third
consecutive year; the Jewish popula-
tion continued to decline and a
number of prominent leaders, and
their children, were moving away
permanently; and there was a fear
that the community's economic
backbone would be broken.
Recalls Feinstein: "The percep-
tion was that the Detroit Jewish
community's glory days were over."
In a sense, though, they were just
beginning.
Today, four years later, as Feins-
tein assumes his new post as execu-
tive vice-president of the Jewish Fed-
eration Council of Greater Los
Angeles, the Detroit community has
undergone a quiet renaissance,
marked by a reinvigoration of fund-
raising and a new sense of maturity
— a sense that the storm has been
weathered and the ship may be
stronger than ever. And much of the
credit for that turnabout has been at-
tributed to Feinstein.
14
Friday, August 1, 1986
During an interview at his home -
shortly before he moved to Los
Angeles, Feinstein discussed the De-
troit Jewish community, its strengths
and challenges, and how he looks
back on his tenure here.
Even at home after a long day of
traveling, he was completely focused
in his thoughts and conversation.
Disarmingly young for a man of his
position — there were those who were
skeptical about hiring a 30-year-old
for the Detroit position four years ago
— Feinstein is not only articulate but
thoughtful on any given subject. Be it
PACs or pluralism, recession or reli-
gion, he is extremely well versed and
clear in his views.
His style blends the pragmatism
of a successful businessman with the
instincts of an involved and caring
Jew. It is this combination that has
found him at the top of his field at the
age of 34.
Feinstein said that in weighing
his decision over whether to leave his
New York post at the Council of
Jewish Federations and come to De-
troit in 1982, he contrasted the terri-
ble economic recession in Detroit vs.
the excellent reputation of the Jewish
community. And he took the job be-
cause he was confident that the
economy would improve and that
much could be accomplished in the
community. As for the national image
of lectin
Federation's
Rebirth
.
GARY ROSENBLATT
Editor