■ ■
national organization of all. Jewish
community Councils, the Jewish
Council for Public Affairs. The direc-
tor of that network, Larry Rubin, says
the Detroit Council has been a
national leader, because of the large
local population of ethnic groups.
"The entire field is concerned with
that overriding question of how do we
live with our non-Jewish neighbors, "
he said. In Detroit, in some ways its
a laboratory for that. You have a large
Arab American, African American
population, and Detroit's experience
in these areas has been very instructive
and helpful around the country.
Seeking A Middle
While there are no Jewish votes on
how the Jewish community should
act on a certain issue, the Council
tries to find common ground, said
Allan Gale, the Council's assistant
director for government relations.
"We seek consensus, but in some
cases when we can't find a consensus,
.
we don't act," he said. "In other cases.,
where we as a representative body feel
the Jewish community needs to go,
then we will lead the community."
Gale cited leadership's feeling to
have extensive relationships with the
African American community, more so
than any other Jewish organizations.
Political issues in Lansing are dealt
with as a consensus opinion as well,
and the Council does not go out of
its way to tell a legislator that one
part of its constituency may have dif-
fered from another.
The legislative agenda also includes
issues dealing with the elderly, ser-
vices to the disabled, and refugee
assistance, issues that loosely connect
through Jewish Family Service and
Jewish Vocational Service.
Cindy Hughey, director of the
Michigan Jewish Conference, which
represents Councils from across the
state, said there was no major Jewish
legislative issue this year. "The legisla-
tors have been dealing with issues
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Robert Aronson,
David Gad-Harf,
Israeli Ambassador to
the US. David Peleg
and Howard Wallach
at a reception honoring
Israel's 50th Anniversary
in 1998.
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"I'm very con-
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Describing her
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Gad-Harf said David
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and Coalition for Immigration Policy member in 1996
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Detroit Jewish News
6/4
1999
19