Community Views
Opinion
Federal Programs
And The Jewish Community
We Don't Have
The Luxury To Wait
ALAN GOODMAN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
GARY TORGOW SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
The debate in
Washington and in
the states is heat-
ing up on the issue
of balancing the
federal budget by
the year 2002.
With the lion's
share of the budget
"off the table,"
namely defense and social secu-
rity, attention is focused upon the
health and human service ex-
penditures. The question of what
should be cut from these areas in
order to bring about the trillions
of dollars in savings needed is one
which will be avidly debated in
the media.
Absent from the debate is what
I call the "worm's-eye view" of the
issue.
When there is talk about
"Medicare and
Medicaid" and
"entitlements"
and "welfare re-
form" and the bil-
lions of dollars
which it costs the
taxpayer (us) to
keep these pro-
grams going, it is
tempting to take
a simplistic view.
We readily agree
that something
should be done
because of the
abuses that we
hear about or
read about in the
media and be-
cause of the escalating costs.
Besides, trying to understand
how this complex system really
works forces us to look beyond the
"sound byte" approach that we
have grown accustomed to rely-
ing upon for our information. Its
potential impact upon the orga-
nized Jewish community, and
more specifically upon individu-
als, is immense.
A recent survey showed that
the Jewish community nation-
wide receives approximately
83.67 billion in government funds.
The bulk of these monies goes to
hospitals ($2.59 billion) and nurs-
ing homes ($1.08 billion). The re-
mainder is for social and human
services.
A delicate balance exists be-
tween what the federal govern-
ment provides in terms of
entitlements and what the Jew-
ish community contributes to as-
sist individuals in need. For
example, families who are de-
pendent upon welfare payments
or who are employed at the min-
imum wage are barely able to
make ends meet.
In a society where a bread-
Alan Goodman is executive
director of Jewish Family
Service.
Similarly, an elderly individ-
winner has to work one full hour
at minimum wage to purchase a ual, unable to walk, may have
box of cereal, something is seri- been discharged to her home,
ously wrong. Any additional ex- where she lives alone with no oth-
penditure for such families er support services.
We see these shortcomings in
represents a major financial cri-
sis — example: if the car, which other ways as well. At present,
is the only means of transporta- the Jewish Home for Aged has
tion to work, needs to be repaired calculated the cost for providing
or if a health-care emergency oc- care each day for a resident to be
curs and there is no medical in- $109. The state (through Medic-
aid) reimburses the home for $82
surance.
In such situations, these fam- for each day of care, relying upon
ilies can turn to the Jewish com- the home to subsidize the balance
munity for assistance. Through through other sources.
How much worse would it be if
our agencies, we will provide or
lend the monies for the car repair there were even less reimburse-
and will make sure that the ment provided? How will the Jew-
health-care emergency is dealt ish community be able to assist if
with, even without medical in- even less funding is provided,
when we are already unable to
surance.
However, the Jewish commu- meet the needs that we see all
nity does not have the where- around us?
The Jewish
community has
built a network of
supplemental ser-
vices which rely
upon the federal
government pro-
viding basic care.
This public/pri-
vate partnership,
despite its short-
comings, has
worked well for
our community
and the federal
government.
The federal
funds leverage sig-
nificant communi-
ty dollars which
withal to take the place of the provide a framework for the pro-
federal government and shoulder vision of services and a channel
the burden of basic subsistence for philanthropic dollars to target
for the poor or health care for the those areas where they are need-
indigent, the elderly, the disabled ed most in each community.
The elimination of programs
and children at risk.
We can only provide quality and existing entitlements would
care, at a reasonable cost, and oc- have a disastrous effect.
It is important to look beyond
casional supplementary assis-
tance when the needs are beyond the rhetoric and the astronomi-
cal numbers to what I call the
what the "system" can provide.
At the present time, there are "residual costs" of severely re-
already serious shortcomings in ducing or eliminating entitlement
the federal and state entitlement programs. It has been estimat-
systems, allowing many truly ed that in order to offset the gov-
needy individuals to fall through ernment cuts of 35 percent, the
the cracks, forcing them to live Allied Jewish Campaign alloca-
their lives in misery and despair. tion for social services would need
Imagine making the decision to increase by 100 percent — or
every month between feeding force the reduction of support for
your children and purchasing the non-social service needs in the
medication, or between paying Jewish community.
In this national debate, the
your rent or your electricity bill.
Already, the people who come to "safety net," which the not-for-
Jewish Family Service looking for profit agencies provide, is as-
emergency assistance tend to be sumed to be able to catch all of
more needy and in worse shape those who will no longer be
helped. There is little thought giv-
than even a year ago.
For example, a mentally ill in- en to the fact that without gov-
dividual who suffered a serious ernment support and without the
breakdown, may have been dis- ability to cover our costs through
charged after only a week of hos- fees and or significantly increased
pital care, before being stabilized community support, this safety
and able to demonstrate an abil- net will unfortunately become an
ity to take medications on a reg- illusion. ❑
ular basis.
As never before in our histo-
I recently attend-
ed a United Jew- ry, the Torah and its message
ish Appeal are available to any searching
Young Leader- soul. Our job is to provide the
ship Cabinet vehicle and affordability for all
meeting in that need our help.
Today, the New American
Scottsdale, Ariz.
The most inspir- population and our own native
ing message de- born must be reached and in-
livered at the spired. It is up to us to respond
event came from the incoming to the challenge of instilling a
cabinet chairman, who de- vitality in the voices of a new
scribed a near fatal adventure generation.
As in every Jewish era since
he and his wife had test-driving
our forefather Abraham, we are
a new Dodge Caravan.
As they and their salesper- faced with struggles that affect
son approached a busy inter- the very fiber of our peoplehood.
section, a speeding motorist ran In our time, the challenge of ed-
a red light and col-
lided with their
not-yet-purchased
vehicle. The im-
pact rendered the
new van a total
loss, yet miracu-
lously allowed the
passengers to es-
cape serious in-
jury.
The lesson that
became most clear
to him as he exit-
ed the accident
scene was that life
is extremely pre-
carious and that
we must be sure to
take advantage of
every opportunity
presented to us to
make a difference.
It simply does not
make sense to ra-
tionalize that to-
- morrow is as good
as today.
This Sunday
evening, the Yeshi
va Beth Yehudah Judge Avern C ohn: Yeshiva honoree.
is honoring a man who has most ucating our children must be
assuredly learned this lesson. dealt with swiftly and surely so
Judge Avern Cohn is in so many as not to fail the test set before
ways a unique and selfless com- us.
Our responsibility is to search
munity statesman. His judg-
ments in life and in his out and serve all Jewish chil-
courtroom reflect a man not sat- dren, enticing them to taste
isfied with what he learned or from the deep wellsprings of our
accomplished yesterday, nor tradition.
As we sift thorough our an-
with what could be adjourned
until tomorrow. His decision to nual responsibilities to our-
accept the Yeshiva's highest selves, our families, and our
commendation, the Golden community, these lessons must
Torah Award, was made only be- come into focus. When asked to
cause he understands the criti- step up to the line to lead, we
cal need for a strong and vibrant must not endeavor to figure out
why not, but rather how and
Jewish tomorrow.
Today our communal chal- with what talents we can con-
lenge is Jewish continuity. It is, tribute.
In the final analysis, our win-
as never before in our history,
a moment in time that cannot dow of opportunity to do the
be postponed. Jewish education right thing does not afford us
for all of our children must be the luxury to wait for someone
the paramount preoccupation else. If we hesitate when the
of our communal efforts. Our moment demands, it may be too
young people must be imbued late. ❑
with a sense of why they are Gary Torgow is president of
Jewish and what they must do Yeshiva Beth Yehudah and a
to preserve and protect our pre- Detroit-based attorney.
cious legacy.