The Voice Of What? Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations prepare to elect a new head amid questions about whether it still speaks for most American Jews. THE CONFERENCE To become a member of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations an organization must be at least five years old, have democratically elected officers and members of the board, have a professional staff, be committed to the continuity of the Jewish people and have pro- grams and policies that relate to Conference of Presidents issues, such as strengthening the U.S.- Israel relationship and protecting and enhancing the security and dignity of Jews abroad. Following is a list of the conference member organizations: American Friends of Likud STEVEN ROSENBERG Jewish Renaissance Media New York N Zuckerman, who declined to be interviewed until after the May 23 vote on his nomina- don, has played an increasing role in organized Jewry, serving as president of the American- Israel Friendship League and as a back door channel for President Clinton during Middle East Peace negotiations. His U.S. News column has, in recent months, been highly critical of the recent Palestinian intifada (uprising). The four Reform groups have called on him to give up the column, saying the chairman's public statements should reflect a con- sensus of the conference. But he insists he will continue the biweekly column. early half a century ago the presidents of the leading American Jewish groups decided they needed an umbrella organization that could speak up for their con- cerns in a single voice. But now the organization they created the Conference of Presidents of Major American :wish Organizations, is struggling to stay both unified and connected to rank-and-file Jews. Critics say the group — made up of the heads of 54 organizations ranging from massive membership groups like Hadassah and the reli- gious movements to narrowly focused operations such as CAM- ERA or B'nai Zion — is veering Critical Connections increasingly to a conservative and With the second billionaire in Mortimer Zuckerman hawkish stance that does not reflect four years expected to lead the the liberal or centrist views that sur- conference, some critics are ask- veys show are held by the majority ing what connection of the six million Jews in the U.S. Zuckerman might have to the millions of American The critics say the ascension of billionaire Jewish Jews who belong to the organizations that make up businessmen to the top post of chairman has further the conference. Others question the relevance of the underlined the distance between the conference and conference. the people it seems to speak for in Washington, in But, notes Brandeis University Professor Jonathan Jerusalem and in other world capitals. That trend Sarna, the organization is more important for its toward rewarding the wealthy will be continued next ability to give non-Jews an understanding of the week when real estate and media magnate Mortimer American Jewish community. "I don't think the Zuckerman is scheduled to take over as chairman, Presidents' Conference cares that much if the average succeeding cosmetics heir Ronald Lauder. American Jew looks at the conference and says Four Reform organizations — the Union of `That's my leader.'" American Hebrew Congregations, the Association of "I don't think there's ever been a connect," says Reform Zionists of America, the Central Conference Robert Aronson, chief executive officer of the Jewish of American Rabbis and Women of Reform Judaism Federation of Metropolitan Detroit. "The confer- — have taken the lead in opposing Zuckerman, call- ence is not representative of American Jewish life in ing his organized Jewish experience "limited." my view. It's representative of organizations, and I The Canadian-born Zuckerman is publisher of the don't think there's necessarily a connect to each and New York Daily News and U.S. News & World Report. every Jew on the street. Some members of the Presidents' Conference say "That does not mean it doesn't have a valuable that his media expertise and access might help shift role to play. But this is not an organization that can public opinion toward Israel. speak for American Jewry." Robert Lappin, a Massachusetts philanthropist Related editorial: page 35 5/18 2001 22 American-Israel Friendship League American Israel Public Affairs Committee American Gathering! Federation of Jewish Holocaust Survivors Jewish War Veterans of the USA Jewish Women International Joint Distribution Committee Labor Zionist Alliance American Jewish Committee Merra7 USA Zionist Organization of the Conservative Movement American Jewish Congress NA'AMAT USA American ORT Federation National Committee for Labor Israel American Sephardi Federation American Zionist Movement Americans for Peace Now AMIT Anti-Defamation League ARZA World Union North America B'nai B'rith International NCSJ: Advocates on Behalf ()flews in Russia, Ukraine, the Baltic States and Eurasia National Council of Jewish Women National Council of Young Israel Rabbinical Assembly Rabbinical Council of America B'ai Zion Religious Zionists of America Central Conference of American Rabbis Union of American Hebrew Congregations Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting (CAMERA) Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America Development Corporation for Israel Emunah of America Friends of Israel Defense Forces Hadassah, Wornen's Zionist Organization of America Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society Jewish Community Centers Assocadon Jewish Council for Public Affairs Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs Jewish National Fund Jewish Reconstructionist Federation United Israel Appeal United Jewish Communities United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism WIZO USA Women of Reform Judaism Women's American ORT Women's League for Conservative Judaism Workmen's Circle/Jewish Labor Committee World Zionist Executive, USA Zionist Organization of America