Op inion

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Greenberg's View

The Conference Stumbles

nce again, the Conference of Presidents of
Major American Jewish Organizations has
given in to what looks suspiciously like
political bias by turning down the mem-
bership applications of two organizations that
deserve to be accepted.
The rejected organizations, Meretz USA and the
Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association, were
nominally rejected on a variety of grounds, mainly
revolving around the argument that they are too
small to be considered "major" organizations. But
their real failing seems to be excessive liberalism.
One of the newcomers, Meretz USA, had been
recommended for rejection by the conference's
membership committee after a review and
appeals process that has dragged on for
nearly five years. The committee said the
group fails to meet a murky set of stan-
dards for "major" status, including some combina-
tion of membership, budget, national reach and
public impact.
Admittedly, Meretz USA is not a mass movement.
But, as the group_ has argued repeatedly, neither are
some of the other groups already sheltered under
the conference's umbrella. Moreover, it is the
American affiliate of a major Israeli political party;
as such it represents a major Jewish viewpoint. Its
rejection dishonors the Presidents Conference more
than it dishonors Meretz.
As for the Reconstructionist Rabbinical
Association, its application — for associate or non-

0

voting membership —
had actually been recom-
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mended for approval by
VOINEVAAN IS THROWN&
the membership commit-
rAG-i
MI6 mr tam
tee. In being rejected by
the full conference, it
appears to have been
caught up in the anti-lib-
eral wave aimed at
Meretz.
The suggestion that
the Presidents
Conference genuinely
limits its membership to
major groups
might have
stood up to
scrutiny two or
three decades ago, when
it I pter,< IN T
it consisted of organiza-
sAweiPsreolber9-ort. ,-
JC.010/111/146-77,4X44, X6We tra, 7
tions that could claim
either mass membership
Conference plays a legitimate and essential role in
or a powerful grip on the national imagination.
giving voice to American Jewry's solidarity with the
Those days are long gone, however.
Jewish state. If there weren't a conference, it would
Today, thanks to loose admissions procedures in
have to be invented.
the first decades after 1967, the conference has bal-
As now configured, though, this body is sorely in
looned into an ungainly collection of dozens of
need of reinventing. Some clear rules, transparent
groups — large and small, major and minor, power-
governing structures and perhaps a sweeping mem-
ful and laughable. What they share is a political
bership review are in order. That should be at the -
cast, especially on Israel-related matters, that puts
top of the agenda of the next chairman.
the conference as a whole decidedly to the right of
— Reprinted with permission of the Forward
the larger community it claims to represent.
www.forward. corn
We've long taken the position that the Presidents

EDIT ORIAL

Related story: page 14

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Members First

mr

ith major facility improvements to
both buildings and a greater commit-
ment to Jewish programming and
services, the Jewish Community
Center of Metropolitan -Detroit hopes to better
serve members while boosting the membership
roll.
To do that, it will have to stress mem-
ber service — making members and their
guests feel at home no matter who they
are, what the time of day or where in the
buildings.
Over the years, the JCC has fielded complaints
for ending programs without adequately explaining
why, for questionable service in the health club
and for failing to reward member loyalty.
JCC leaders have acknowledged these and other
shortcomings. They now must fulfill their pledge
to work hard to overcome them.
The JCC does many things well, including its
popular fall book fair, fitness classes, speaker line-
up and family events as well as the winter adult
learning program SAJE (Seminars for Adult Jewish
Enrichment).

. As it continues to upgrade, the JCC must look
past its non-profit status and, much as it would if
for-profit, assure members are first — all the time.
The JCC is not a health club. It is not a pre-
school, a swimming pool, an art gallery or an edu-
cational program. It must be all of these things in
order to succeed. And each must be delivered in a
very member-friendly way.
Quality of service is as important as
quality of programming.
If members don't find both in many
areas of the two-campus JCC, why belong? After
all, there are fancier health clubs, other good pre-
schools and a host of pool alternatives.
If the JCC can't achieve a sense of community
among its members, why belong? The collective
whole must be better at the JCC than anywhere
else.
The Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit
and the JCC have invested millions to make it so.
But if these communal dollars only enhance the
bricks and mortar, it is a wasted effort. A static
membership enrollment of 10,000 — below that
of other, similar-sized JCCs — is a red flag. The

EDIT ORIAL

JCC must grow membership, and excite users, to
justify the investment.
For 76 years, the JCC has been the central
address for Detroit Jewry, and rightly so. It touches
more people of all ages, in more ways, than any
other communal organization.
It brings Jews of all religious backgrounds
together every day, in non-confrontational ways, to
learn, mingle or work out. It helps nurture Jewish
identity, sustain Jewish continuity and affirm
Jewish pride.
But as it moves into the final phase of a five-
year, $33 million project to improve facilities and
enrich its Jewish content, the JCC must embrace
the community so the membership roll grows.
Nice as the new facilities and programs may be,
they'll require top-notch service to matter and
attract people.
In reinventing itself for the 21st century, the
JCC must gauge member service with the same
precision it gauges facility upgrades. Such precision
is essential to making "the Center of it all" slogan a
reality.
We're confident the JCC appreciates this.

❑

12/27
2002

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