1986-2006 Back to the Future By Dr. Conrad L. Giles Now that time travel is no longer the subject of only B-grade movies, let's imagine for a moment that we've arrived at the year 2006. It's not that far away, you know—only 20 years down the road. We discovered a tremendous untapped source of voluntarism among our senior citizens. We discovered that their special skills and experi- ence, their wisdom and sensitivity were one of the Jewish community's greatest strengths. Being neither forecaster nor prophet, I can only guess what our Jewish community will look like. But I do have Federation's first 60 years as a guide. They give a pretty good idea of our ability to turn challenge into opportunity. Development of Resources What we found among older adults we also learned about young adults: They needed to be reached in the right way if we were to build leadership and obtain their support for vital services. Safely landed in the year 2006 after our trip through time, let's look at four challenges that our community has faced: Jewish Identity and Affiliation Sometime back in 1986, the Detroit Jewish community met head-on the problems that go with the changing nature of marriage and the family. We introduced new programs of high quality that would appeal to all ages and professions. We reached out to them where they lived and worked, communicating the message of Jew- ish community and peoplehood:We Are One — Partners for Life. Martin Kraar We solidified Detroit's position as the leading community in philanthropy on behalf of Jewish causes—through both the Allied Jewish Cam- paign and the Federated Endowment Fund. Sometimes the shifting economy made the go- ing a little rough. But our $100 million endow- ment goal was surpassed handily, and the Campaign reached new heights in fund raising. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Around us we saw a growing number of single- parent families—as well as those with two working parents. We were concerned about a declining population. Could we withstand the trends toward later marriage and fewer chil- dren? Could we tune in the Jewish dropouts? With increasing mobility and geographical spread, could we recreate the spirit of the old Jewish neighborhoods? Could we transmit traditional Jewish values amid all of these concerns? In seizing an opportunity, we learned a lot about ourselves. We learned that it would take innovation and creative ideas to offset the many choices in a free and open society. We learned that this could not be a one-shot operation. It would require greater support both of day schools and of agencies providing informal education. And we learned that we could rely upon many community resources, especially synagogues and temples, as neigh- borhood centers for imparting Jewish values. The Elderly Suddenly, all of us were facing this critical con- cern. Not only our parents, but we ourselves, were coming face to face with the aging process. Federation committed a greater proportion of its resources to improving the quality of life for our community's older adults. The emphasis increasingly was on helping them to live in- dependently in their own homes, thus prolong- ing their lives and enabling them to live in dignity. Coordinating services provided by our agencies, applying imagination and clout to involve the private and public sectors, Federation reached out to many more people—and in the process made a wonderful discovery. Israel As we learned in the "old days" back in the 1980s, neither politics nor economics could diminish our community's support for Israel. Through good times and bad, Detroit and Israel strengthened each other. We went beyond traditional relationships, building new foundations of understanding and friendship. And, recognizing the impor- tance of manpower to the State of Israel and the personal sacrifice required to start a new life there, we found ways of assisting those making aliyah. I suppose the greatest discovery of the past 20 years was really not new at all. In fact, we shar- ed many of the same concerns that our parents faced. But, long ago, in the decades of Federation's establishment, we learned that no problem was unsolvable if we had the will to solve it. With the dawning of the 21st Century, I see a com- munity that is wiser, stronger and confident of meeting whatever challenges lie ahead. Dr. Conrad L. Giles is vice- president of the Jewish Welfare Federation and has headed its Task Force on Services to the Hon- Institutionalized Elderly. OFFICERS Joel D. Tauber President Dr. Conrad L. Giles Edythe Jackier Thomas I. Klein David K. Page Jack A. Robinson Vice-Presidents Mark E. Schlussel Treasurer Secretary and Executive Vice-President David Handleman President United Jewish Charities Hon. Avern L. Cohn Chairman Max M. Fisher Honorary Chairman Peter M. Alter James M. August Mandell L. Berman Louis Berry Marlene Borman Paul D. Borman Ruth K. Broder Stanley D. Frankel Carolyn Greenberg Hugh W. Greenberg Stuart E. Hertzberg Lawrence S. Jackier Maxwell Jospey Milton Lucow Robert H. Naftaly Dulcie Rosenfeld Jane Sherman Bruce E. Thal *Paul Zuckerman and Officers BOARD OF GOVERNORS Jerry Bielfield Maurice S. Binkow David L. Bittker Paul Borman *Tom Borman N. Brewster Broder Lester S. Burton * Deceased Martin E. Citrin Susan Citrin Leon S. Cohan Joseph B. Colten Gerald S. Cook Marvin I. Danto Dr. Paul C. Feinberg Dr. Leon Fill Benjamin H. Frank Samuel Frankel Joel D. Gershenson Marvin H. Goldman Dr. Milton H. Goldrath Stuart Goldstein Harvey A. Gordon Irwin Green Miriam Hamburger Sharon Hart Mark R. Hauser Samuel Hechtman David Hermelin Joseph H. Jackier Dr. Joseph M. Jacobson Jennie Jones Bernard Klein Emery I. Klein Dr. Richard Krugel Janet Levine Edward C. Levy, Jr. David B. Liner Harry T. Madison Milton S. Marwil Myron L. Milgrom David S. Mondry Norman Naimark Joseph H. Orley Dr. Irving Panush Michael B. Perlman Jack Schon Alan E. Schwartz Janice Schwartz Edwin G. Shifrin Erwin S. Simon Leonard N. Simons Robert G. Slatkin Richard Sloan Philip Slomovitz Robert A. Steinberg Bernard H. Stollman Frieda Stollman Phillip Stollman George M. Stutz Rabbi M. Robert Syme A. Alfred Taubman Norman Wachler Stanley J. Winkelman