Right Place, Right Time

U-M students get a rst-time look at post-graduation activism.

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Top: Shiri Revital Bilik,
sophomore, Commerce;
Georgi Weinstock, junior,
Los Angeles; Eileen
Alexander, sophomore,
Scarsdale, NY; Shira
Finger,.sophomore, New
Orleans. Center: Amy
Saltzman, sophomore,
Skokie, Ill.; Heidi Isaacs,
junior, Phoenix; Efiat
Ludomirsky, sophomore,
Ann Arbor. Bottom:
Rachel Dobbs, freshman,
Clearwater, F

SHIN REVITAL BILIK

Special to the Jewish News

A

s she entered the plenary
room, Heidi Isaacs, a 21-
year-old University of
Michigan junior, was taken
aback by the sheer number of people
at the national Jewish young leader-
ship forum. •
"I wasn't really sure what to expect,
but seeing 3,000 young Jewish leaders
in one room was a remarkable experi-
ence," she said about Washington 12,
the-United Jewish Communities' recent
national young leadership conference.
The conference is the largest event
of UJC's Young Leadership Cabinet. It
brings authors, politicians and Jewish
leaders to Washington, D.C., for dis-
cussion of communal involvement and
responsibility.
Paul Silverman, 33, of Bloomfield
Hills, is president-elect of the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit's
Young Adult Division (YAD) and co,

chair of the Detroit contingent. He
said the goal of bringing students to
the conference — geared for 25-45
year-olds — was- to expose them to
the vibrant Detroit Jewish community.
"The Jewish community of metro-
politan Detroit would like to encour-
age students to become more active
communally, and hopefully stay in
Detroit," he said.
About 100 individuals, including
14 Israelis from Federation's sister
region in the central Galilee, attended
as part of the Detroit delegation. Each
student was assigned a mentor who
provided insight into Jewish commu-
nal leadership.
"The mentorship program was a way
for the students to connect with some-
one who would be able to guide them
through what might be an overwhelm-
ing experience, in addition to answer
questions and discuss post-college com-
munal involvement opportunities," said
Josh Cohen, 29, director of YAD.
Ross Kirschner, a 21-year-old U-M

political science junior from North
Caldwell, N.J., said, "The students
appreciated the Detroit Jewish com-
munity's efforts in making us feel a
part of the Detroit contingency."
The theme for the conference was
"Right Place, Right Time." In a letter
to participants, the conference's co-
chairs, Sara Speer Selber of Houston,
Tex., and Louis Price of Oklahoma
City, Okla., wrote about their wish to
channel the optimism of the most
successful, affluent, powerful and free
Jewish generation in history" towards
communal action. "It is our sacred
responsibility," they wrote, "to bring
our success to those who haven't been
so blessed."
Among the conference speakers
were Coretta Scott King, who spoke
of the need for a continuing dialogue
between African Americans and Jews.
Others were U.S. Special Middle
East Coordinator Dennis Ross, and
Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore., and
Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., speaking

about hate-crime legislation.
Breakout sessions dealt with Israeli
society, the peace process, Judaism,
Jewish American culture and politics.
Sara Ballon, a 27-year-old from
Texas and a Berman fellow at the U-
M Hillel, enjoyed the lobbying trip to
Capitol Hill. It began with a rally
addressed by, among others, Senate
Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss.
Afterwards, participants spoke to con-
gressional members about the peace
process, foreign aid for Israel, and
hate-crimes legislation.
"It was a fascinating process,"
Ballon said. "Not being from
Michigan, I learned a lot about this
state's representation in Congress."
She added that the student delegates
gained "a better idea of the ways they
can get involved when they become
active members of their community
after college. One student is already
excited about being chair of our cam-
pus [United Jewish Communities]
campaign next year." ❑

4/7
2000

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