CONFRONTING page 31
SINAI HOSPITAL
The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
of Sinai Hospital
is pleased to announce that
Richard Bronsteen, M.D.
has joined
David B. Schwartz, M.D.
Gregory Goyert, M.D.
Debra Wright, M.D.
in the care of problem pregnancy
For more information about the available
services, please call:
Perinatal Center
Sinai Hospital
6767 W. Outer Drive
Detroit, MI 48235
313 493-6060
Women's Center
Berry Health Center
28500 Orchard Lake Road
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
313 851-5445
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transmit tradition and build
community in an America
he described as "the most
individualistic society in
world history."
He called for the need to
"wrestle with God" in ex-
ploring ideological issues
and suggested that a Jewish
community that has been
"bound up with God and the
commandments for 3,000
years" cannot ignore re-
ligion.
Mr. Eisen asserted that 40
percent of American Jews
are unaffiliated because "we
haven't made Jewish life
viable and exciting." He
added that only positive
Jewish experiences — not
guilt — can help reverse the
trend.
In an age of infinite op-
tions, Mr. Eisen said that
each of us must choose to be
Jews. "All of us in North
America today are Jews of
choice," he said.
Rabbi Yitz Greenberg, the
founder and president of
CLAL, compared the
organized Jewish commun-
ity's response to assimila-
tion to that of General Mo-
tors' response to Japanese
car makers: initial denial of
the problem, followed by
evasion, followed by engag-
ing in the struggle.
Rabbi Greenberg called for
a total commitment to Jew-
ish renewal. "We did it for
Israel and we should do no
less for ourselves," he said,
suggesting that in reviewing
priorities nothing should be
sacred. He cited as an exam-
ple, weighing the benefits of
funding programs for Jewish
life on campus vs. tradi-
tional large sums for Jewish
defense agencies.
Announcement was made
of a long-term task force on
Jewish continuity to be
chaired by Marvin Lender,
but the most tangible effort
was the creation of an Israel
Experience program that
will make a trip to Israel a
universal rite of passage for
American Jewish youth.
The five-year project of the
CRB Foundation of Mon-
treal will provide funds to
help local federations pro-
mote trips to Israel and pro-
vide scholarships for teens
interested in such trips.
Charles Bronfman, presi-
dent of the CRB Foundation,
told the delegates that, in
partnership with CJF, the
United Jewish Appeal, the
Jewish Community Centers
Association and the Jewish
Education Service of North
America, he hopes to see the
number of young Jews
visiting Israel a year go from
the current 8,000 to 50,000
in the next seven years.
Local federations will be
asked to provide three
dollars for every dollar
offered by CRB and its part-
ners.
Mr. Bronfman noted that '
visits to Israel have proven
to be a powerful, positive ex-
perience for Jewish young
people.
A unique highlight of the
GA was a two-hour learning j
session in which thousands
of delegates studied Jewish
texts in small groups with
more than 80 rabbis and
educators.
But there was no shortage
of skeptics who felt that the
GA did not deal directly
enough with specific pro-
posals or programs to
counter assimilation. Robert
Aronson, executive vice
president of the Jewish Fed-
eration in Detroit, said that
the calls for funding Jewisl-l-,
We did it for
Israel and we
should do no less
for ourselves.
identity may end up on "the
trash heap of other well-'
intentioned ideas that the
Jewish community just can't-,
afford right now." With fun,!
ding low and social service
needs great, he said th-7
assembly should have focus-
ed on "ways to find new
money," primarily in en-
dowments to fund creative
pilot programs.
Others questioned
whether federations will not
duplicate the same mistakes
of bureaucracy, turf battles
and lack of real motivation
that doomed the Institute for
Jewish Life in the early
1970s.
But Carl Sheingold, assis-
tant executive vice president'
of CJF, said the base of
sincerely committed leaders
is far broader now and the
need is even more compell-c),
ing. "If we fail this time, it
won't be for the same
reasons," he said in ari
interview following the GA.
The key challenge, he said,
is "to know what to do, to be
willing to be experimental,(
and to be able to measure )
success and failure. I think
we'll do it because we have
to do it," he concluded.
No one is expecting over-
night miracles but there is a
sense that communities wilU,
be looking for innovative
ideas and proposals in the
next few months. Otherwise,
the feeling will grow that
Federations are better at
identifying problems than
dealing with them.