Still At The Crossroads

The annual meeting of Jewish federation leaders offered many woes,
but few solutions or answers.

PHIL JACOBS EDITOR AND NEIL RUBIN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

NO PROGRESS

sentation along with Detroit's
Harlene Appelman. The 300 or
so delegates attending this
workshop were asked a sim-
plistic question: "Why are you
Jewish?" The answers told a
great deal about the issue of
continuity. The top answer was,
"born Jewish, choose to live a
Jewish lifestyle." Others said
they chose to be Jewish because
of Jewish value systems, histo-
ry, holidays, the covenant with
God and also because it "feels
good."
Joyce Goldstein of the
Federation of Metro West, N.J.,
offered some of the conference's
most encouraging information
concerning "Connections," a
project she facilitated. This was
an effort to reach 200 non-affil-
iated families through a series
of book groups, Chavurah
groups, play sessions and
Shabbat dinners.
Ms. Goldstein said that in
some cases there was a great
deal of hostility to the federa-
tion from some of the Jews par-
ticipating. There was even a
session she walked in on where
Christmas stockings were be-
ing crocheted by group mem-
bers.
The effort resulted in 100 of

THE DE TR O

Continued From page 1
They've attended religious
school, had a bat mitzvah, dat-
ed only Jewish men and still
haven't married.
The same topic of discussion
was discussed by the CJF and
groups like the American
Jewish Committee in the mid-
1980s. Yet it was brought up
again like it was brand new.
The continuing issue of Jewish
continuity, this time accented
by the state of Israel-Diaspora
relations, highlighted the six-
day conference held in
Montreal.
Rabbi Shlomo Riskin wasted
no time discussing continuity
and warning of its fragility in
his plenary opening remarks.
"Judaism is a civilization
with a land of its own, a lan-
guage of its own," said the chief
rabbi of Efrat, Israel. "But it's a
civilization that requires a com-
mitment. The challenge we
have is honoring that commit-
ment. We as Jews have come to
this great melting pot in the
United States, but the problem
is we're melting in it."
The following day, Ron
Wolfson, vice president of the
University of Judaism in Los
Angeles, facilitated a key pre-

ewish paraphernalia was, on sale in bulk throughout the GA's duration.

the families joining syn-
agogues and maintain-
ing a connection.
Dr. Rela M. Geffen of
Philadelphia's Gratz
College said the
American Jewish com-
munity has to spend
more time investing it-
self in problems such as
"Connections," which
she referred to as "well
family care" for Jews.
"We have more adult A positive statement was the large presence of students.
single Jews than ever,
or her parents want.
and we're not doing anything
For Rabbi William Gershon
for them," she said. 'They're a
of Congregation Shaarey Zedek
neglected group. We don't treat
in Southfield, the key to the GA
them like adults."
is what happens in the imme-
She added that the Jewish
diate months following the
community is out of sync with
hours of meetings.
the needs of its members, that
"I think the discussions were
Jewish organizations such as
helpful," he said, "but still, the
federations need to stop re-
Federation has to grapple with
quiring so much time from its
taking this agenda and putting
active young parents.
it into action."
"It's overload," she said.
"Young fathers and mothers are
never home. They are working
all day and then are relied on
to come to a meeting at night.
aving Diaspora-Israel re-
Their children are not playing
lationships as a prima-
house anymore; they're playing
ry topic surprised no one,
meeting. But this is the prod-
especially with the deck
uct of the stresses of high
now
shuffled
toward peace. For
achievement."
longtime GA followers, though,
Ms. Appelman agreed with
there was perhaps an inconsis-
some of the concern she heard
tency to experience.
in the audiences and hallways.
Two years ago at the General
But, she said, the speakers were
Assembly in Baltimore, Prime
leaving out a key ingredient to
Minister Yitzhak Shamir ad-
assimilation — the media.
dressed the conference prior to
"We spend all of this time
a meeting with President
talking about the situation from
George Bush. At issue was the
the outside," she said, "but we
support of the American Jewish
don't know what's happening
community itself.
on the inside with our children.
There was a feeling among
We don't know who is their in-
GA delegates of a need to sup-
fluence. Is it a rock singer, a
port the prime minister in pub-
television show, or something
lic no matter how one felt in
that's influencing a friend of
private
to send a message of the
their's that's important to
requirement for continued
them?"
American support. When Mr.
If a Jewish child's best friend
Shamir appeared at the
is into going to the mall on
Baltimore Convention Center,
Friday night, Ms. Appelman
3,000 GA delegates arose to give
said that pressure is sometimes
a thunderous ovation for the
more important than what his
Likud leader, especially when

New Roles For
Israel-Diaspora

H

he spoke about a strong Israel
that would not bend to the
Arabs.
Last week in Montreal, many
of those same delegates stood
again in an emotional, active
welcome for Labor's Prime
Minister Rabin, the man who
on Sept. 13 shook hands with
PLO Chairman Yassir Arafat.
In a sppech that was a sur-
prise to many, Mr. Rabin spoke
about a role reversal in relations
between Israel and the
Diaspora. He talked about the
need for Israel to help the spir-
itual survival and Jewish con-
tinuity in the United States.
This was not a speech about
tanks or planes.
"This is the time to rewrite
the covenant between Israel
and the world Jewry," said Mr.
Rabin. "The thrust of that
covenant must be Jewish con-
tinuity and survival and the
reclamation of our youth. We
might lose our young people,
and there is only way to face
this attrition — profound, in-
delible Jewish education cou-
pled with Israel experience."
Economic development was
another component of the
Israel-Diaspora relationship un-
der the microscope. Federations
around the country have set up
initiatives to direct local Jewish
and non-Jewish business exec-
utives to seek joint ventures
with Israeli firms, hopefully to
capitalize on the burgeoning
possibilities of Soviet-born
Israel scientists teaming up