Community Views
How We Help
Determines Effectiveness
HARLENE APPELMAN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
Recently, I had the
opportunity to
hear someone talk-
ing about her most
important lesson
from her Jewish
education. She
was talking to a
group of Jewish
educators about
what possible impact they could
make on their students in the few
short hours they had them.
Her instantaneous reply was
that the process was as impor-
tant (if not more) than the con-
tent. For her, the lessons she
carried with her for life were not
only the information but the
manner in which it was trans-
mitted. She cited her experience
at the Jewish Theological Semi-
nary where the weaker students
go to the best teachers and the
brighter students were expected
to spend their time helping those
who needed it.
I've been thinking about her
comments a lot. She said, "Con-
tent without process is like one-
handed clapping." It seems
obvious, but let's look at our own
institutions and see how it works.
Let's take single Jewish moth-
ers as a case in point. This year
the Fisher Foundation was gen-
erous enough to give Jewish Ex-
periences For Families a grant to
continue its outreach to this pop-
ulation. The money has been
well-invested.
In conducting focus groups to
\Th
/-)
Marlene Appelman is director of
educational services at Agency
for Jewish Education.
So, He's Jewish.
Can He Govern?
PHIL JACOBS ED TOR
assess what service this group
needs, what we've found is a
group anxious to help itself and
enthusiastic about being part of
the Jewish community. Howev-
er, what we continue to hear is
how difficult it is to maintain
membership in the organized
Jewish community.
Ladies and gentlemen, what-
ever we have to offer — pro-
grams, education, powerful
worship services or wonderful
service groups — is like one=
handed clapping. If the process
is less than welcoming, the con-
tent will never be transmitted.
The community has made a
statement by giving us the Fish-
er grant to help with specific pro-
gramming, a newsletter and
holiday outreach. The statement
is an important one with its punc-
tuation mark: continuity. Now it
is time for each institution and
organization to explore creating
policy for single Jewish parents.
Although each case is unique,
there is a thread that runs
through all of them: the hesitan-
cy, the embarrassment and the
sapping of energy that it takes to
ask for assistance. A divorce is
a time of crisis and emotional ex-
haustion. It is a time when insti-
tutional, communal and
congregational support is vital.
It is time we think about an
overall policy that relieves stress
rather than increases it, a policy
that holds on to families rather
than dismisses them or has them
go through the membership
process yet again.
How to begin to create such a
policy? First, find out in concrete
Editor's Notebook
terms what happens now. What
steps are taken when a member
becomes involved in divorce to
keep these people part of the or-
ganization?
Second, make sure that every-
one knows the process. One of the
most disastrous conversations
can occur when someone looking
for help gets an uninformed an-
swer. The power of clerical sup-
port staff in all institutions is
amazing. That staff is one of our
primary resources for outreach.
Let's make certain they have the
information they need to give ac-
curate, caring answers.
Third, a statement such as, "If
your family status is changing, we
are anxious to know and be of help,"
in membership bulletins and ap-
plications for the institution and
religious school is important. It
sends an important signal.
Finally, let's remember that all
members of an organization hear
and see how others are treated.
It is reassuring to everyone to
know they belong to an institu-
tion in which everyone is cared
for and important.
I am more than aware that we
can't be all things to all people,
and our institutions work hard
at offering the best they can. But
I believe that the content with-
out the process is indeed one-
handed clapping. If 10 years from
now we ask the children of these
families what they remember
most about our institutions, will
it be that the process, the way
they were treated, was a valuable
Jewish lesson? Will they re-
member the process as well as
the content? ❑
Gubernatorial by major Arab organizations.
candidate How- Punchline — the respected con-
ard Wolpe is gressman fell asleep during our
Jewish. Gover- interview. His embarrassed
nor John Engler aide had to nudge him awake.
isn't.
His opponent never received a
There,
it's dime of Arab money, went on
' been written.
to pull an upset and became a
Is it important close friend of Israel and the
for a candidate Jewish community.
to be Jewish?
How many of us stroll into
Apparently it is to us.
the voting booth, not having a
Or is it important that a can- thread of information on the
didate be a proponent of Jew- candidates? So, when in doubt,
ish issues and concerns such as we vote for the Jewish names.
Israel and social action, no mat- Chances are we don't know a
ter what his faith?
single bit of background on the
The questions asked of me people we're voting for. This is
repeatedly during the past no way to vote.
weeks have been: "Did you
Yes, it's nice for all Jews
know that Howard Wolpe is when a person who wins an of-
Jewish?" or "When is The Jew- fice happens to be Jewish. We
ish News going to do a story on feel good, because it means that
Howard Wolpe being Jewish?" the Jew hopefully won with
Nobody's asked if I think Mr. votes from Jews and gentiles
Wolpe would be a good gover- alike.
nor. Nobody's asked if I think
he has a chance to defeat
Gov. Engler.
My question to the Jewish
community is: what differ-
ence does it make if Mr.
Wolpe is a Jew? Be interest-
ed in the best candidates for
the job — in their voting
records, campaign forums
and references. Then make
a decision.
There have been plenty of
Jewish candidates who have
made good office-holders as
well as those who have been
poor politicians, be they lo-
cal or national. I've had the
experience of interviewing a
former governor and a for-
mer city council president,
Candidate Wolpe
both Jewish.
The governor spent time
in a Florida jail for racketeer-
There's even ah opposite con-
ing charges while the city coun- dition at times when candidates
cil president did a stint in a don't want their religion known.
Pennsylvania prison for taking A U.S. Senate candidate, mar-
a bribe. The city council presi- ried to a Jewish lobbyist on
dent had a relative who was a Capitol Hill, begged off any
noted Dead Sea Scroll scholar. questions about her religion.
Both Jewish politicians were She said she was a Catholic. It
good campaigners, and both was later discovered that she
were out there as Jews. The city had converted to Judaism. Why
council president stayed in a she didn't say this up front is
federal prison camp that was anyone's guess.
equipped with its own temple
There are Jews who want to
and kosher kitchen.
see Mr. Wolpe win, and who are
working hard for his campaign.
But there are also Jews who
want to re-elect the governor.
Let's pay attention to the two
candidates and what they have
to say that is pertinent to Michi-
In a different arena, I once gan. If one has an adult bar
did an interview with the for- mitzvah one day or finds the
mer head of the U.S. House Ap- meaning of life in the Talmud,
propriations Committee, so that's nice.
But if either one can improve
important to Israel and to Jews.
The man, a gentile and a pow- the quality of life in Michigan
erful politician, was running for everyone, Jews and gentiles,
against a feisty opponent who yasher koach (more strength to
was rumored to be bankrolled you). ❑
Both were Jewish,
and went to jail.
0)
Cr)
C\I
LU
CC)
CD