Editorials

°E1 Educational Alliance Holds Promise
In Quest For Jewish Continuity

clearinghouse for long-range Jewish educa-
If the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
a role it aspired to but
tion planning
Detroit is truly serious about preserving
never
achieved.
Jewish continuity from generation to genera-
Aronson is on target in saying Federation,
tion, then it must show that its commitment
AJE
and the public "all have the same agenda"
to Jewish education extends beyond fund-
now
— a "big-picture" push to getting Jewish
raising.
education
in this community to where it
Laudably, Federation appears to be doing
should be. Naftaly already has issued a plea for
just that in the wake of a Federation-com-
Jewish Life Fund contributors "so our children
missioned Jewish Education Service of North
and grandchildren aren't left in the cold when
America (JESNA) study of the Agency for
it comes to a Jewish quality of life."
Jewish Education (AJE) of Metropolitan
As envisioned, the Alliance would give AJE
Detroit. The refreshingly honest report pro-
more
visibility, clout, authority and, frankly, a
vides a constructively critical look at the 6-
reason
for being. With an infusion of funding
year-old AJE, a beleaguered constituent
from
Federation
and the Jewish Life Fund,
agency of Federation.
AJE could overhaul deficiencies in educational
In a show of solidarity Monday night,
resource services, educational consultant ser-
Federation's Bob Naftaly (president) and Bob
vices,
advanced professional development pro-
Aronson (executive vice president) and AJE's
grams,
adult education programs and teen pro-
Dr. Lynda Giles (president) teamed up to
grams.
At the same time, it could build on
pitch their plan for an Alliance for Jewish
momentum
in special-needs education pro-
Education to the AJE board, which gave it a
grams,
school
in-service programs and JEFF
thumbs up. The Federation board will con-
(Jewish Experiences For Families). It also could
sider it on Aug. 25; we urge final approval
play an integral part in Federation's budding
then.
partnership with synagogues, especially their
Dr. Jonathan Woocher, JESNA executive
congregational schools.
vice president, says the plan "puts Federation
Make no mistake: What works should be
four-square behind an expanded commit-
kept
and what doesn't should be scrapped.
ment to Jewish education."
Constructive
change should be invited, not
The proposal brings AJE under Federa-
feared. AJE
tion's wing
must dare to
while creating a
confront new
communal
frontiers in its
opportunity to
quest to become
heighten Jewish
more relevant,
identity and
and vital, to our
inspire a vision
lives. The
for lifelong Jew-
upshot: a richer
ish learning. It's
delivery system
also timely,
for Jewish edu-
given that AJE's
cation.
staffing, pro-
As upbeat as
gramming and
we are about
resources are at
the potential
a key crossroads
for the Alliance
under Judah
for Jewish Edu-
Isaacs, the spir-
Grace Jessop was among participants at the Purim party
cation, we
ited interim
March 12 hosted by JEFF; an AJE community outreach and
remind Federa-
executive
education program.
tion that a
director.
structural
The plan's
change
is
a
means
to
solving
AJE's
trail of
centerpiece is a merger of Detroit's Jewish-
problems,
not
the
solution
itself.
So
both
education stakeholders: Federation, AJE, day
Federation
and
AJE
must
be
ever
vigilant.
schools, synagogues, donors, etc. Serving as a
That's the only way to regain public confi-
mega-planning commission, this new
dence in AJE.
Alliance would oversee the AJE board, the
We've been critical of AJE's questionable
Jewish Life Fund (a planned $25-million
practices
in the past, but we fervently hope
endowment for Jewish life experiences,
its
closer
ties to Federation's arsenal of
including education) and other education
resources
enable it to escape the doldrums
initiatives.
and
get
on
with the business at hand —
Aronson, Naftaly and Giles hope their
shaping
Jewish
education in Detroit.
restructuring proposal re-invents AJE as a

.

IN FOCUS

Uplifting Experience

More than 600 people attended a screening of the film docu-
mentary "Best Man: Best Boy And All Of Us 20 Years Later" at
the Jewish Association for Residential Care's annual meeting at
Adat Shalom Synagogue. Shown are "Best Man" producer and
director Ira Wohl, event chair Bobbie Miller and newly reelect-
ed JARC president Bill Cohen. "Best Man" is a 90-minute doc-
umentary about the life and times of New Yorker Phil Wohl, a
developmentally disabled man and the cousin of Californian
Ira Wohl. "It's very moving, especially the part where Phil
became bar mitzvah. The experience is uplifting," said Rena
Friedberg, JARC development director.

LETTERS

Israel Experience
Positive For Teens

Having just returned from 12
days of traveling with the
Detroit Federation Teen Mis-
sion 2 Israel, I want to share
some thoughts about the trip.
For most of the 216
teenagers, this is their first visit
to Israel. They are sharing their
five-week experience with 33
teenagers from our Partnership
2000 region in the Galilee. I
am convinced that this Ameri-
can-Israeli encounter is success-
fully nurturing a better under-
standing of the similarities and
differences in the respective
cultures. Real friendships are
being developed -as the
teenagers experience a
Havadalah service at the Tem-
ple Mount, dance till midnight
at a Jerusalem disco or share
home hospitality for a weekend

'111 1p arlos st

It's hoped the Teen Mission 2
Israel yields a lifetime of good
memories.

with the families of Israeli
teens.
The teens are realizing that
the rabbis who are leading each
of the seven buses are not only
spiritual leaders on the bimah
of their synagogues or temples,
but are good friends with
whom they hike while
descending a steep path on Mt.
Arbel or share a cold drink in

7/17
1998

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