OPINION I
CONTENTS
The Changing Attitude
On Jewish Community
LAURENCE R. !MERMAN
T
wo articles appeared
in the March 23 issue
of The Jewish News
which challenge often
repeated maxims: that Jews
are philanthropic; and, that
Jews are an involved people,
participating in Jewish com-
munal activities and laboring
to improve the quality of life
for the general society.
The evidence offered for
these maxims is drawn from
the Torah, Jewish com-
munities in Europe, and the
historical involvement of
Jews in social causes and
liberal political movements. It
would seem that myth and
reality are not one.
Ti aditional Jewish
values have
changed and
alienation from
Jewish communal
institutions has
occurred. But, one
must ask: why
have values
changed, and can
anything be done
to alter those
attitudes?
The first article reported
the results of a survey taken
by researchers from Brandeis
University. It was found that
Jewish volunteerism is lower
than the national average.
Only two in five Jews inter-
viewed volunteered time
either for Jewish or non-
Jewish causes.
The second article analyzed
Allied Jewish Campaign con-
tributions since the late
1940s. The analysis showed a
40 percent decrease in the
number of givers within a
generation, from one in three
area Jews in the 1950s to less
than one in four today.
These figures must be read
in light of the recently releas-
ed Detroit area demographic
study. According to pre-
liminary results, we are a
Laurence Imerman chairs the
Jewish communal affairs
section for the Detroit chapter
of the American Jewish
Committee and is activities
chairman, Michigan District,
Optimist International, a
community service
organization.
population of highly-educated
individuals who live in mid-
dle and upper-middle class
communities. Perhaps most
importantly, we have resided
in the Detroit area for 20
years or more.
My college sociology text-
book would have predicted
high community involvement
and a desire to help those less
fortunate in such a popula-
tion. Further, one would have
predicted that Detroit area
Jews would be working to im-
prove the community in
which they have chosen to
live and whose co-religionists
are likely friends, relatives, or
at least acquaintances.
The wide variance between
the expected and the actual
indicates a massive shift in
the way Jews conduct their
lives.
This should be a call to ac-
tion or at minimum should
provoke further exploration.
Traditional Jewish values
have changed and alienation
from Jewish communal in-
stitutions has occurred. But,
one must ask: why have
values changed, and can
anything be done to alter
those attitudes?
Do Jewish institutions and
institutional leadership com-
municate that only the
economically elect are fit to
lead or pure volunteerism is
not be be prized? Are many
Jews offering rationalizations
in order to avoid leaving the
comfort of their health club,
the golf course, or their
favorite couch to volunteer to
help others?
In my opinion, one must go
beyond one's family and the
four walls of one's home. You
cannot just say, "my family is
my charity" or "I'm a little
guy — no one cares if I don't
do anything." Jewish tradi-
tion teaches that the concept
of family means a peoplehood
with all Jews. It means one
should invest in the com-
munity in which we live.
Perhaps the first step is for
each person who is a
volunteer to ask one person to
become involved in some-
thing and make sure that per-
son does act.
A second step might be for
the leaders of Jewish
organizations to change em-
phasis: hold the worker in as
high esteem as the giver; and,
praise the small contributor
as much as the big giver.
If action is not taken soon,
the deterioration of the
volunteer spirit will continue
and this community will lose
its "heart."
15
DETROIT
Call To Action
SUSAN GRANT
Some practical ways
to help Soviet Jews.
26
CLOSE-UP
Starting Over
SUSAN GRANT
RICHARD PEARL
Soviet Jews, both old and new,
work to become Detroiters.
45
PASSOVER
26
Hand-Made
WILLIAM LANDAU
Make-your-own matzah
is an Israeli tradition.
57
FITNESS
At Home
HOWARD ROSS
Stay-at-home fitness
has its rewards.
FINE ARTS
Lasting Impressions
70
ADRIEN CHANDLER
An orthodontist bites
into an unusual hobby.
96
FOR SENIORS
Keeping Pace
57
RICHARD PEARL
An exercise enthusiast
stays spry at 95.
SINGLE LIFE
Price Of Ignorance
106
RON OSTROFF
Neglecting singles
will cost the community.
COVER Art by Giora Carmi
DEPARTMENTS
33
41
46
49
50
Inside Washington
Insight
Business
Community
Synagogues
84
86
104
110
136
Travel
Cooking
Births
Classified ads
Obituaries
CANDLELIGHTING
70
7:46 p.m.
Friday, April 6, 1990
Sabbath ends April 7 8:49 p.m.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
7