Editor's Notebook Community Views Rabbi Syme's Guide To Defining Leadersh p Pride And Comfort Come With Sharing PHIL JACOBS EDITOR RABBI ARNIE SLEUTELBERG SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS Ever have that experience where you go into a meeting with a goal and agenda and come out with something never expected? Temple Israel Rabbi M. Robert Syme did this to me Tuesday. We had set an appointment to discuss a certain story. When we were done doing the inter- view, he said, "Now, let's talk about something really impor- tant." He then looked at me in a "you choose the topic" kind of way, and with all the pressing issues swirling around I didn't know which to grab. But as many of us who have been fortunate to work with Rabbi Syme should know, that sort of comment usually means that he's got something on his mind: Synagogue leadership. "I want to talk about syna- said that for any board of any Jewish organization to meet the needs of its constituents, there has to be requirements of lead- ership, not necessarily econom- ic. "You've got people making de- cisions on religious matters in some institutions who are irre- ligious," he said. "That's like a person not knowing the first thing about the automobile in- dustry telling us how to build a car." Here's what Rabbi Syme's re- quirements would be for board membership for a Jewish orga- nization: 1. A board member needs two years of attendance in Jewish adult education courses. 2.A board member would have a ready knowledge of the Hebrew language. 3. A board member would at- tend religious services at least once a week. 4. A board member must be checked for ethical business prac- N.J., meeting of Jewish editors from all over the nation, speak- ers told us that the "C" word of the 1990s wasn't necessarily continuity, but courage. It's going to take courage to re- main a strong Jewish people, because a requirement of survi- val is that we become more reli- gious. As Ms. Cardin and Rabbi Syme and others are saying, we need to realize that while it's im- portant, it's not enough for our children to see us only writing checks. Imagine the impression of a young boy or girl upon seeing a parent putting on tefillin for the first time. That, according to many, is the defining moment of continuity. Imagine a wife pulling out the candlesticks from a cabinet and working through the prayers on a Friday night. Again, a defining moment of continuity. This, according to Rabbi Syme, is where the leadership needs to Rabbi Syme: Redefining leadership. gogue leadership or leadership in tices. general," he said. Rabbi Syme remembered that Uh-huh. That was it, and not as a child growing up in Win- specifically Temple Israel's lead- nipeg, "a board member was al- ership. ways a person of Jewish "Why don't we have a guide for knowledge. Today, it's a matter temple and synagogue leader- of money." ship?" he asked. "You think that Two years ago, one of the coun- because someone gives money, try's most courageous Jewish this automatically places him in leaders, Shoshana Cardin, scold- a position of leadership? Please, ed members of the Council of it can't work that way." Jewish Federations General As- I thought I could put my note- sembly. They were avoiding is- book away, and instead there I sues of religiosity, simply defining was looking for a blank page. their Judaism in terms of dollars, Rabbi Syme questioned across- she said. the-board Jewish leadership. He And at a recent Princeton, come from. "Let's consider another topic," the Temple Israel senior rabbi then said. OK, here it comes. What's next? "Have you ever heard my son David on the piano?" I could really put the notebook away. A Jewish communal leader and I just sat quietly and listened to his son's beautiful music. The hour spent was about what Rabbi Syme really want- ed to talk about. It was a guide to leadership. ❑ Recently I had thing we could to the commu- one of the more nity, and is why, I presume, memorable my parents were selected to be experiences of the grand marshals of the pa- my life. I was rade. It was one of the ways asked to be the Hudson could say "thank you" chauffeur in a for the myriad contributions 1963 red Ponti- my parents have made over ac convertible the years. '1-- with my par- I hadn't expected to feel as ents sitting on top of the proud as I did that night. I canopy, waving to the citizens had the comforting feeling lining the streets of Hudson, that all was well with the Mich. My parents had been world, that people of different chosen to be the grand mar- ethnic and religious back- shals of the Hudson Grange grounds truly could respect Fair Parade. one another and become gen- I tilted the rear-view mirror uine friends — that an entire as far up as it could go in or- community could individual- der to see the faces of my par- ly, collectively, and officially ents as my father held his recognize the mutually en- top hat in one hand and with riching opportunities that the proudest face I've ever arise when people of diverse seen, greeted the crowds of people he knew. My mother, while waving to the crowds, filled me in on the names of all the people I'd long for- gotten. With the band before us and the sheriff's posse on horse- back behind us, this was a scene I will never forget. As refugees from Holland, my father's family settled in Hudson in 1940, opened the only cloth- backgrounds share with one ing store in town, and kept it another. going for 52 years. My parents If we in the Jewish commu- found in Hudson a safe haven nity could follow the same wel- of caring people far from coming, caring, respectful war-torn Europe. My mother attitude toward non-Jews, our was a hidden child in the people, too, can be immensely home of righteous gentiles and enriched. joined my father in Hudson in 1954. Two years ago they de- cided to retire and sold the business. "I had the Though my sister Ester and I knew no differently at the comforting time, growing up as part of the feeling that all only Jewish family in Hudson was most certainly a unique was well with experience. Hudson is a town of 2,500 the world." people located near the Ohio — Rabbi Arnie Sleutelberg border, south of Jackson. It's a farming community where 80 percent of the students in the school system are bused in from the countryside. In an era where the typical Anti-Semitism on any kind American heroes are tainted of discernible level was non- by scandal and impropriety, I existent. To the best of my feel blessed that the feelings I knowledge, our family was had as a child, that my parents completely accepted by the cit- were heroes, are reinforced izens of Hudson in every pos- for me as an adult. The Jew- sible way. This allowed us to ish people have been well feel good about giving every- served with fine ambassadors in Simon and Edith Sleutel- Arnie Sleutelberg is rabbi of berg. Congregation Shir Tikvah. ❑