OTHER VIEWS

The Nobility Of Caregiving

A

s a board member of Jewish
Hospice and Chaplaincy
Network (JHCN) from its
inception, I thought I understood
the important work that is done by
the organization.
Watching the growth of the num-
ber of people served grow from 50
people a day in January 2002 to
more than 160 in June 2004 was
truly rewarding. Knowing that fami-
lies were receiving valuable informa-
tion and help in the last days of
their loved one's life was very satisfy-
ing.
But until I experienced firsthand
the services offered, I did not truly
understand the power of JHCN.
Wanting to take care of someone
who is in his last days is not enough.
Loving someone is not enough.
JHCN was able to empower our

Zina Kramer is a resident
of Bloomfield Hills.

family with knowledge, strategies,
nursing contacts and a sincere con-
cern.
Those services gave our family an
emotional as well as a practical base.
It was from that base and because of
that base that we, as a family, were
able to provide my mother with love
and dignity in her last days after liv-
ing with Alzheimer's for almost five
years. I now understand through
personal experience that Jewish
Hospice and Chaplaincy Network
empowers people to become better
caregivers.
Caregiving
0 is not about economic
status, social station, or political
affiliation. It is about a demonstra-
tion of respect and love. With these
thoughts in mind, I want to thank
the Jewish Hospice and Chaplaincy
Network for placing the tribute to
caregiving in the Jewish News (June
25, page 2) and reminding us all of
the dignity that is added to a per-

son's life through the love
family, friends or paid care-
and care of those that take
givers, the tools to enable
on the role of caregiver.
them to show the patience,
The ad depicting Nancy
the love and the respect that
Reagan gently touching
loved ones deserve.
President Ronald Reagan's
By elevating the impor-
flag-draped coffin reminded
tance of caregiving, both
us all that providing love and
Nancy Reagan and Jewish
care for a person who can no
Hospice and Chaplaincy
ZINA
longer show appreciation for
Network have demonstrated
KRAMER
kindness that is extended is
that end of life issues are not
Community
an ennobling act. Caregivers,
just about pain control, but
Perspective
like Mrs. Reagan, provide a
also about empowering a
loved one with the emotional
family to maintain its
sustenance as well as the physical
strength through the height of emo-
comforts to provide dignity in the
tion.
final stages of life. Mrs. Reagan, at
For those of us in this community
her husband's side for 10 years as
who have found themselves over-
they both struggled with his
whelmed by the sadness, difficulty,
Alzheimer's, put a public face on
and responsibility of end of life
caregiving.
issues, I thank the Jewish Hospice
Through its powerful work with
and Chaplaincy Network for helping
families at the end of life, Jewish
us all become better caregivers and
Hospice and Chaplaincy Network is
for focusing on the importance and
able to provide caregivers, whether
nobility of caregiving.

Project's first "media training for
pro-Israel advocates," held last
month in our nation's capital. The
goal of the meetings was to begin
the process of creating a nationwide
corps of "press ambassadors" to work
to improve Israel's image.
Co-sponsored by the Jewish
Council for Public Affairs, the
umbrella for Jewish community
councils, including Detroit's, and
other organizations, the program
was an intensive three days of pro-
Israel message preparation — focus-
ing on 1) professional polling data
that reveal themes that resonate well
with Americans, 2) skills develop-
ment on media strategy and
approach, 3) research on media out-
lets and their writers, and 4) a "how-
to" on securing media appointments
and building longer-term relation-
ships with media personnel.
Participants were taken through
two major tracks. First, we were
taught the fundamentals of a corn-
munication strategy, and how differ-
ent political, religious, racial and
ethnic groups gather and absorb
information. Then, we got into "the
nuts and bolts," such as how to
write an op-ed, being a guest or
interviewee on television or radio,
how to create a successful media

event, direct mailing, adver-
tising and constructing a
press information kit.
After educating the partici-
pants with recent data on
American attitudes toward
Israel, Mizrahi and other
speakers — including poll-
sters Neil Newhouse, Frank
Luntz and Stan Greenberg —
pushed us along with helpful
techniques and motivating
speeches.

Speak Up For Israel

W

hat can one person do to
help Israel's image in the
news media? Complain to
a newspaper's reader representative?
Write a letter to the editor? Cancel
your subscription? Switch channels?
Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, a well-
known and well-respected media
professional and political operative
in Washington, D.C., has gone one
giant step further: She founded and
is currently president of an organiza-
tion called the Israel Project.
The Israel Project
(wvvw.theisraelproject.org ) goes well
beyond the standard response of
media critics — exposing errors and
seeking corrections. The organiza-
tion describes the media as a "third
party" to the Arab/Israeli conflict,
which affects how nations and their
leaders relate to the actual combat-
ants. To counter that, the goal of the
new project is "winning hearts and
minds for Israel" by building rela-
tionships with media professionals
and utilizing the media as a conduit
for pro-Israel messages.
I was invited to attend the Israel

Allan Gale is associate director of the
Bloomfield Township-based Jewish
Community Council of Metropolitan
Detroit.

7/30
2004

40

with either conflict, contro-
versy, celebrity, compassion
or are startlingly new or a
breakthrough.
Larry Weinberg of the
israe121c.org Web site,
which focuses on "good
news" out of Israel, said sto-
ries that will grab Americans
ALLAN
express either shared values,
GALE
like democracy, or an added
Community
value to American life, like
Perspective
cell phone technology.
Several speakers referred to
K.I.S.S. — Keep It Simple, Stupid.
Hear The Message
Jon Loew of fuelfortruth.org an
The conference focused on the mes-
organization that tries to engage
sage, not the messenger. The overall
young, unaffiliated Jews on the col-
message is of an Israel seeking peace,
lege campuses, has only two require-
security and freedom as a democratic ments on support for Israel —
ally and partner with the U.S. in the
agreeing on its right to exist, and
fight against terror. Our target audi-
within secure borders.
ence: the "persuadables" — the sig-
Laszlo Mizrahi's efforts are head-
nificant percentage of Americans
ing in the direction of a structure
who don't hold strong views on
similar to the American Israel Public
issues, including the Middle East
Affairs Committee (AIPAC). But
conflict.
instead of the 535 members of
A continuing stream of media
Congress, her nationwide network
experts gave us their best, albeit
for making Israel's case will be tar-
quick shots in the fast-moving pro-
geted at the media. There are many
gram. Linda Scherzer, formerly of
in the Jewish community, including
CNN and Israel Television, said
myself, who look forward to assist-
reporters react to stories that are
ing her and the Israel Project in this
timely, have a local angle, and deal
most necessary effort.

