COMMENTARY
Ascension In Jewish Leadership
Speaks Of Money, Apathy
JAMES D. BESSER
Washington Correspondent
lmost beyond the Jewish
public eye, the recent contro-
versy that brought billionaire
Ronald Lauder to the head
of organized Jewish leadership has cast
light on the intriguing — and at times
disturbing — world of Jewish politics.
It speaks of the big money of a few,
the indifference of the majority and
how personal agendas can dwarf con-
sensus-building in organized Jewish
life.
As the new chairman of the Con-
ference of Presidents of Major Ameri-
can Jewish Organizations — which
coordinates organized Jewish life's
response to the media and Washing-
ton, D.C. — Lauder brings name,
business success and contacts to th ►
task.
And that troubles some observers
who do not share the views of the
Estee Lauder magnate. Politically, he is
a conservative Republican who repre-
sents a community that is still over-
whelmingly Democratic. He also is a
defender of Israel Prime Minister
Binyamin Netanyahu, who has had his
problems with much of American
Jewry.
All that said, Lauder could play a
healing role in the political cross-cur-
rents of Jewish life, or he may just add
A
LETTERS
Cleveland (JECC) to develop a program
through which the schools share a consul-
tant and pool their resources to increase
their computer purchasing power.
The beauty of ORT's efforts is that
they are transferable. Unlike a building
that benefits one community, computer
information can be accessed in schools,
homes, Jewish community centers and
synagogue libraries, or in a community
room — across international boundaries.
Successful implementation of tech-
nology-based Jewish education is excit-
ing and achievable. In fact, it is already
happening in many Jewish communi-
ties. The Detroit Jewish community
would be well served to communicate
with and research those communities,
and the organizations supporting them,
in an effort to improve the state of high-
tech Jewish education here at home.
Patti Aaron
Women's American ORT National
Board of Directors
West Bloomfield
4/2
1999
30 Detroit Jewish News
to the divisions wracking the commu-
nity.
His election raises other questions,
as well. Just who should represent the
American Jewish community in this
role and how should that be decided?
And is it even possible to elect some-
one to speak for a community that is
so deeply divided on so many religious
and political issues?
Then there's this little fact: the
majority of American Jews simply
don't give a hoot who runs their orga-
nizations.
Jewish leaders, such as Lauder, are
highly regarded in government and
media circles as the duly elected repre-
sentatives of the American Jewish
community. Meanwhile, they certainly
are not chosen by a majority of Amer-
ican Jews.
In the Presidents' Conference, a
nominating committee representing a
small portion of the 55 organizations
in the umbrella group gets together in
private and makes a choice that is
almost always ratified by the overall
group, despite occasional opposition.
The organization itself is a curious
mix of mainstream groups, such as the
Anti-Defamation League, and tiny
groups on the fringes of Jewish life,
such as American Friends of Likud. In
any event, it would be hard to argue
that the umbrella body represents a
majority of American Jews.
So if the deck is stacked in favor of
For example, AIPAC, the effective
very
wealthy, well-connected leaders
pro-Israel lobby, is led by a president
more conservative than rank-and-file
who is almost invariably — how to
Jews, it's at least in part because those
put this delicately? — a big giver to
Jews aren't joining and supporting
the institution and to political cam-
organizations that represent their
paigns. The president is nominated by
views. Further, the apathy adds to the
a small central corps of officers com-
pressure to find potential big donors
prised mostly of other big givers. The
and to reward them with important
choice is then rubberstamped by the
leadership posts.
officer corps and the full membership.
That brings us back to Lauder,
But criti-
whose generosity and activism have
cisms of the
played a significant role in Eastern
anti-democrat-
Europe's Jewish resurgence. Does he
ic way big
reflect the views of a majority of
Jewish groups
American
Jews? Not by a long shot.
choose their
Can
he
do a good job in his new,
leaders lose
high-profile
role? That depends on his
some force
willingness to listen hard and to
because of the
actively look for the elusive points of
environment
agreement in a badly divided commu-
of pervasive
nity.
indifference in
Nobody expects Lauder to give up
Ron
Lauder,
new
which these
his
conservative politics in his role as
chairman
of
the
organizations
Conference
of
the
Jewish community's almost-official
operate.
Presidents
of
Major
spokesman.
But he is now obligated to
After all,
American Jewish
be sensitive to the strong differences in
what propor-
Jewish opinion on a wide range of
tion of Ameri- Organizations.
domestic and international issues.
can Jews
And the response that he and
belong to any
other
defenders of the system often
of the groups that make up the Presi-
give
remains
valid as ever. Quit
dents' Conference? How many Ameri-
kvetching and get involved. Jewish
can Jews pay any attention when
organizations can't be democratic if
AIPAC delivers a message about Jew-
ish views on the Mideast peace talks to most Jews shun the organizations
that represent them. fl
their friends on Capitol Hill?
LEARNING from page 28
happening and joined our Conserva-
tive companions in an act of solidari-
ty. We had come to respect the right
of each group to pray as desired.
Eventually, the Israeli police joined
in and after a lengthy and heated dis-
cussion, the Conservative service
ended. At that point, a number of the
Reform Jews went to the Wall to pray.
At the Wall, we were approached
by a number of the Orthodox men on
our trip. I will never forget one of
them turning to me and saying, "Do
you want to see life on the other
side?" He walked us into a room remi-
niscent of a cave that is beyond the
exposed portion of the Wall. Several
groups of Orthodox Jews were daven-
ing with a number of different ser-
vices taking place at the same time.
These Orthodox men from our group
took the time to walk us through the
room and explain about a number of
the different sects of Orthodoxy. They
explained what was happening in each
of the services. It was a truly moving
and eye-opening experience.
Then, the entire group walked
together for two and a half miles back
to our hotel, as we did not drive on
Shabbat.
The next morning, each group had
its own services. The Orthodox Jews
rose early to walk to shul. The Conserv-
ative Jews were up shortly thereafter also
to walk to shul. The Reform Jews had a
service on the grounds of our hotel at
about 11 a.m. We were going to have
the first service from Temple Israel's new
colorful illustrated prayer book, which
Rabbi Paul Yedwab, one of the trip lead-
ers, had designed and edited. A number
of the Orthodox Jews, men and women,
asked if they could join us in our
Reform service. They sat outside of our
circle on the lawn as we sang songs,
recited prayers and Rabbi Yedwab
played guitar. Unlike an Orthodox ser-
vice, our service had a great deal of Eng-
lish and singing. A number of the
Orthodox Jews had never attended a
Reform service before and told us after-
ward how beautiful the service was and
how much they enjoyed it.
By the time Shabbat ended, there
was open communication among all the
groups. We had all truly become friends.
We spent the rest of the trip as one uni-
fied group touring our homeland.
Overall, the trip was an extremely
positive experience. It has shown us
how 30 couples — Reform, Conserva-
tive and Orthodox — who otherwise
might never have met, can function
together as one community. I only
hope that our trip can serve as a
model for the entire Jewish communi-
ty of metro Detroit and, hopefully,
this entire country. We can respect
each other's differences while acknowl-
edging our similarities and heritage.
Our group, Mal Yisrael, will con-
tinue to meet and we hope to branch
out to include others in the Jewish
community. II