ancy Kister remembers the first Christmas she spent with her husband-to-be and his fam-
ily. As they prepared to say a prayer before a celebratory meal, her husband's mother
paused in horror and looked at Kister. "Oh, I hope this doesn't offend you," she said. "You
are Jewish, aren't you?
"My husband told her I worked for the Jewish Home and Aging Services, but he hadn't
bothered to tell her I wasn't Jewish," explained Kister, a Lutheran.
Her mother-in-law's faux pas is understandable in light of Kister's dedication to the Jewish peo-
ple. For 11 years, she has worked at the West Bloomfield-based JHAS as finance director, iron-
ing out money matters that help the home operate, as well as handling the individual finances of
many residents. She was instrumental in changes that occurred in 1994, when a former nursing
home in the Jewish community, Borman Hall in Detroit, was closed. She previously worked at
Sinai Hospital of Detroit and for a decade as a medical biller for a group of Jewish physicians.
Kister's career among Jewish organi- :differences. What matters are their
zations is not uncommon. More than
I skills and their dedication to serving
100 gentiles currently work in the
1 the public."
local organized Jewish community.
Many have dedicated decades of their
lives not only to maintaining daily
Changing With The Times
activities, but also helping the Jewish
Non-Jews have worked for Detroit's
community grow and move forward.
organized Jewish community for
From a variety of denominational
more than a century. People who
and religious backgrounds, they work
weren't Jewish were hired by the early
in nearly every position, from agency
I synagogues to perform tasks on
director to computer wizard, from
Shabbat and holidays that Jews,
building managers to educators. On
because of religious laws, could not
; the national level, no official tallies
perform. Others helped in roles that
exist about the number of gentiles
did not require Jewish knowledge,
working for Jewish communities, but
such as in accounting positions or
a United Jewish Communities
office work. But by and large, Jews
spokesperson in New York City esti-
dominated the workplace, holding
mated the number to be in the thou-
the vast majority of jobs, from secre-
sands.
taries to executives, custodial workers
"The Jewish Federation has many
to program directors.
wonderful employees who aren't
Judith Levin Cantor, a longtime
Jewish," said Robert Aronson, chief
member of Congregation Shaarey
executive officer of the Jewish
Zedek in Southfield, recalls attending
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit.
services as a little girl, when the syna-
"Their personal beliefs have never
gogue was in Detroit, where an
been an issue because we respect our
African American man helped out on
I Shabbat and holidays. "To me, he was
just a part of the shul," she said.
Federations, congregations and
I agencies all grew, requiring more
skilled workers. The emphasis on
finding the best Jew for the job
changed in the late 1960s and early
1970s to finding the most qualified
person for the job, regardless of reli-
gious background. When federal dol-
1 lars were funneled into programs,
1 anti-discrimination laws followed
them, making it illegal to reserve cer-
tain jobs for Jews.
Since then, non-Jewish workers
have been filling the rosters in Jewish
communal workplaces. Some have
risen to high levels such as Janette
Shallal, executive director of
Southfield-based Kadima, and
Margot Parr, executive director of
I Jewish Home and Aging Services.
For non-Jewish workers, reasons for
taking the jobs are varied. For some,
like archivist Heidi Christein, it is a
chance to work in their profession
with good pay and a prestigious posi-
5/4
2001
15