THE JEWISH NEWS

MARCH 8, 1991 / 22 ADAR 5751

SERVING DETROIT'S JEWISH COMMUNITY

SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS

CLOSE-UP

WHEN

DIVORCE

SPLITS THE FAMILY

JWF To Hire
Lansing Lobbyist

KIMBERLY LIFTON

Staff Writer

T

he Jewish Welfare
Federation is just
weeks away from hir-
ing its first community
lobbyist, expected to assist
agencies in securing funds in
the midst of massive
statewide budget cuts.
The Federation, with the
assistance of Jewish Com-
munity Council Executive
Director David Gad-Harf,
has narrowed its candidate
list to four lobbying firms,
each based in Lansing. Fed-
eration President Mark
Schlussel said an agreement
should be completed by the
end of March.
"It is real important to
have a presence in the state
capitol," Mr. Schlussel said.
"We will focus our primary
attention toward the ad-
ministrative, not the
legislative, side. Oppor-
tunities have been missed."
By retaining a lobbyist,
the Jewish community will
join other religious groups in
having a voice in Lansing.
These include the Michigan
Catholic Conference, which
lobbies for dioceses through-
out the state through its Lan-
sing office.
The lobbyist would be
employed by the Michigan

Jewish Conference, a net-
working group funded in
part by the Federation and
Jewish communities
throughout the state. The
conference is in the process
of opening a Lansing office.
Start-up costs were $30,000.
The lobbyist would focus
on legislative needs while
Conference head Caryn
Nessel concentrates on
building relations among
Jewish communities
throughout the state.
Neither Mr. Gad-Harf nor
Mr. Schlussel would discuss
details of the plan. They con-
firmed the lobbyist would be
retained on a contract for an
undisclosed annual fee.
"Everything is still under
discussion," Mr. Gad-Harf
said. "All federated agencies
have expressed interest in
this lobbyist."
Four agencies — Sinai
Hospital, the Jewish Home
For Aged, Jewish Vocational
Service and Jewish Family
Service — have indicated
they will each contribute
about $5,000 a year to retain
the lobbyist.
If agencies receive ap-
propriate funding, the cost of
the lobbyist will pay for
itself, Mr. Schlussel said.
The Conference and lob-
byist ideas are an outgrowth

Continued on Page 20

Special Report

Does War's End
Mean Mideast

PEACE

• )6/

For Israel, the next front is
diplomatic, as pressure mounts
to deal with the Arabs.

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