Editor's Notebook

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In Search Of Clarity

and its newer role of news media contact — or would
n the cosmos that is the Jewish Community
Federation's bureaucratic structure prove an obstacle?
Council, the stars are in perfect alignment for a
Federation's Council review found no clear answer: There was
communal check of the purpose and direction of
Detroit Jewry's- public affairs voice. With a new president on some support for a stronger Council emerging under
Federation's wing and some support for keeping distance
board and a search ongoing for a new executive director, the
between
Federation's fund-raising and Council's advocacy.
JCCouncil is ripe for questions that go beyond those asked
Executive
Director David Gad-Harf, who left this week for
in Federation's 2005 review of the agency. Council, support-
a
high-level
post
with the UJA Federation of Northern New
ed by the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, peri-
Jersey,
was
an
articulate
voice of reason during his 17 years
odically reviews its 200 member agencies.
with
the
Jewish
Community
Council. Detroit Federation
The Council's mission is "to safeguard the Jewish communi-
President
Peter
Alter
said
at
Gad-Harf's
farewell, "You have
ty by advancing Jewish interests, promot-
always
stood
for
doing
the
right
thing,
which
has not neces-
ing Jewish values and advocating on behalf
sarily
been
the
easy
thing."
Moments
later,
Gad-Harf
said: "If
of Jews at home and around the world."
you
remember
me
for
one
thing,
I
hope
it
is
that
I
brought
Good enough. But for whom does the
people together, to cooperate for the common good."
Council speak?
We live peacefully amid 150,000 Arabs here in Metro
Even Federation's favorable review of
Detroit in part because of Council's relationship building
the Council concluded that the agency
under Gad-Harf. Council outreach to the City of Detroit,
must "get a better handle on its
where suburban Jewry's roots were nur-
member organizations and
ROBERT A. whom they represent" — and
SKLAR
determine if there's broad repre-
The Jewish Community Council
Editor
sentation or overlapping con-
stituencies.
has a noble and storied tradition
Ultimately, the Council speaks for Federation,
that unfortunately has become
which taps its Annual Campaign for 90 percent of
the Council's $570,000 operating budget. Council
muddled by confusion over who
leadership would venture dangerously if it corn-
it represents and speaks for.
promised Federation's worldview.
The Council serves the news media effectively.
Whenever something with Jewish impact grabs
headlines, it provides pithy comment. Its briefings with the tured for decades, is laudable. The Council has built
bridges of understanding with state lawmakers by taking
secular press effectively argue Israel's case against the ris-
them on organized trips to Israel and by exposing them to
ing tide of global Jew hating.
Jewish
social service and social action causes. A few years
Can the Council be a true consensus builder? We're too
ago,
the
Council did important work organizing opposi-
fractious a community for that. The Council board has a
tion
to
a
state tuition vouchers proposal.
democratic underpinning but sways liberal politically and
Still,
public
debate continues over Gad-Harf's June 10
in religious orientation. This spurs frustration among less-
appearance
at
a
Dearborn mosque to protest alleged U.S.
liberal members, who have a say but are solidly outnum-
military
mistreatment
of the Koran. Speaking against reli-
bered during votes. Can this be reconciled?
gious
desecration
is
noble
and what Jews are supposed to
A telling finding of Federation's Council review states:
repair of the world.
tikkun
olam
—
do as part of
"Council needs to be highly cognizant that consensus
But
Gad-Harf,
representing
Detroit Jewry, should not
among its member organizations is not always reflective of
have
shared
that
Dearborn
podium
with Imam Hassan
the entire Jewish community and that certain positions can
Qazwini
of
the
Islamic
Center
of
America.
According to
create dissent in the community and be problematic for the
press reports, Qazwini over the years has urged the U.S.. to
agency and potentially for Federation."
slice its Israel support, cheered as Jew-hater Louis
Can a liberal-leaning board integrate perspectives from
Farrakhan spoke at his mosque and branded Zionists and
the right and somehow deliver a multi-textured decision?
their "lobby" as wielders of too much U.S. political power.
This question must be asked.
The imam is no friend to Jews.
So must this one: Should the
The Jewish Community Council has a
Council be a department of Federation
noble and storied tradition that has
instead of a qiinsi-autonomous agency,
become muddled by confusion over
freeing perhaps $100,000 or more for
Are you more familiar with the Jewish
who it represents and speaks for. With
higher impact needs? There's precedent
Community Council or the Jewish
new Council leadership, the timing is
in Federation's successful absorption of
Federation?
right for Jewish Detroit, which funds
the Alliance for Jewish Education/
Federation via Campaign donations, to
Is
it
possible
for
the
Council
to
speak
Agency for Jewish Education as a
for a Jewish community as diverse as
look critically at where we want the
department at an immediate saving of
ours?
Council to lead us and how it best can
more than $200,000. Over the years,
get us there so that we maximize the
Council has cut costs and sharpened its Should Federation pre-approve contro-
power and reach of our public affairs
focus some. Would becoming a com-
versial public appearances made by
voice. Candidates for the Council's now-
Council leaders?
munity relations department within
vacant top professional post should be
Federation be a natural next step? If so,
For more on the JCCouncil:
impressed that our community has such
would Council still be able to fulfill its
www.jewishcommunitycouncil.org interest in the agency and its role. DI
historic agenda of inter-group relations

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tIN

7/21

2005

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