Letters
LETTERS
from page 6
Stop War Of Words
It was nice that Editor Robert Sklar
attended former Jewish Community
Council Executive Director David
Gad-Harf's farewell party However,
immediately after Gad-Harf's depar-
ture for New York, Sklar began criticiz-
ing him and the Jewish Community
Council. The timing seems at the least
unfair. (Please note that I am a council
board member; no one on the board or
staff has seen this letter.)
Sklar is upset that a reporter couldn't
attend a recent council board meeting
and suggests that community members
should be able to speak at meetings
("Hear The People," Sept. 15, page 5).
Council members are articulate and
talkative and we barely manage to
cover necessary business in two hours;
if we opened it up to the entire com-
munity, meetings would last until mid-
night. I don't believe that other non-
profit Jewish organizations have open
board meetings. Community input is
provided by 200 organizational mem-
bers of the Council as well as others
within the Jewish and general commu-
nities that submit information or issues
for discussion.
Sklar also questions whether the
Jewish Community Council should
take a stand on an issue when not
everyone in the community may agree
with it. For controversial issues, we
attempt to craft a statement or resolu-
tion based on core elements and values
that we share, avoiding extreme posi-
tions. Diverse viewpoints are consid-
ered, democratic procedures are fol-
lowed and a majority rules. By partici-
pating in coalitions and taking stands
on public issues, we gain credibility in
the larger community, influence public
policy and establish relationships that
help us advocate more effectively for
the Jewish community. It is important
that we are heard.
The Jewish community here and
abroad faces many serious issues, as
does our state and the nation. Isn't it
time to stop this war of words among
ourselves?
Shari Cohen
Bloomfield Township
surfaced are being addressed.
Following its agency review, it was the
view of the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit that the Council
should remain an independent though
nearly fully funded agency. I am sure
the issue of potential cost saving
through using a different model for the
provision of the CRC function of
Metro Detroit was part of that assess-
ment. Nationally, there exist both inde-
pendent agencies and federations where
the CRC is one of the functions of the
Federation. In most large cities, howev-
er, as in Detroit, CRC agencies exist as
an independent entity.
With its broad community represen-
tation, it is difficult for me to reconcile
that additional outside voices are
required during the monthly meetings
of the Council with the requirement
that policy formation and debate as well
as governance requires deliberative dis-
cussion. The need for the development
of a single community voice from the
54 member of the board is sufficient
challenge. The addition of other advo-
cates at such meetings would seem to
me to be at the least disruptive and at
worst destructive to the development to
consensus positions.
I agree, however, that open forums
should continue to inform both the
Council and community leadership to
issues of concern. To fimction efficient-
ly, however, the Council board alone
needs the ability to determine its policy
and governance.
The Jewish Community Council is in
a period of transition. The departure of
David Gad-Harf coupled with the
installation of a new president, Wendy
Wagenheim, creates an opportunity for
the organization to examine its role and
method of operation. Its record of serv-
ice over 68 years and the status of our
community relations suggest that it has
the ability to continue to serve our
community well to assess the manner in
which it functions and to do this in a
timely fashion.
-
This time of transition requires
patience from the community.
Conrad L. Giles, M..D.
vice chair
Jewish Council For Policy Affairs
Bloomfield Hills
Council: On Course
The concerns you have aired in your
Editor's Notebook regarding the form
and substance of the functioning of our
community's Community Relations
Council (CRC), the Jewish Community
Council, are certainly legitimate ("Hear
The People," Sept.15, page 5). It is my
understanding that issues that you have
9/22
2005
8
Courageous Comments
My congratulations and thanks go to
Editor Robert Sklar for his courage in
two areas recently:
His most recent is exposing the
Jewish Community Council flaws in his
"Hear The People" Editor's Notebook
column (Sept. 15, page 5). As a board
member, I appreciate his heads-up to
the community with some details that
require corrective action in a very
important community body that speaks
for the Detroit Jewish community. I
hope the recent debates in the press, by
individuals in the community and in
the boardroom will improve the
Council process and make the board
more representative of the community.
In another area, Mr. Sklar, in his
excellent Editor's Notebook "Snubbing
Detroit Jewry" (Sept. 1, page 5), rightly
blasted Detroit Mayor Kwame
Kilpatrick and the City Council for
"bestowing a Spirit of Detroit Award
and a key to the city on Nation of Islam
leader Louis Farrakhan, who ridicules
the "Nazi-like State of Israel' and
blames America's ills on Jewish-con-
trolled halls of government, business,
finance, entertainment and the press" ).
Mr. Ceeon Quiett's pitiful response
this past edition from the Mayor's
Office completely ignored Mr. Sklar's
point. He stated Mr. Sklar criticized the
Million Man March, which he never
did. Mr. Sklar criticized Rev. Farrakhan
and his co-conspirator Malik Shabazz
with a long list of their anti-Semitic and
anti-Israel preachings. The mayor's
actions lauding Rev. Farrakhan were a
despicable act and he should apologize,
not make excuses.
Ed Kohl
West Bloomfield
An Unfulfilled Charter
World leaders gathering in New York
to mark the 60th anniversary of the
United Nations [see page 38J and dis-
cuss its future must also acknowledge
that the world body, with their
endorsement, has failed to live up to
basic principles enshrined in its char-
ter.
The U.N. Charter states that all
member nations, regardless of size, will
be treated equally. However, in prac-
tice, Israel is treated distinctively dif-
ferently that the other 190 U.N.
members. Israel is continually singled
out for relentless, obsessive, micro-
scopic scrutiny.
Notably, the General Assembly
adopts each year some blatantly anti-
Israel resolutions that hinder rather
than advance the cause of peace. The
Geneva-based Commission on Human
Rights dedicates disproportionate time
and attention to Israel while ignoring
massive violations of human rights in
other parts of the world. Indeed, a
separate agenda item at the commis-
sion is devoted to Israel while other
190 member states are all considered
together under one agenda item.
Other U.N. entities, including the
Division for Palestinian Rights of the
Secretariat, the Committee on the
Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of
the Palestinians and the Special
Committee to Investigate Israeli
Practices Affecting the Human Rights
of the Palestinian. People, daily expend
precious resources to promote the
Palestinian cause to the detriment of
Israel's fair treatment and any possible
progress toward a negotiated two-state
solution.
The American Jewish Committee
applauds the current efforts of the
United States, the U.N. Secretary-
General and others to reform the
U.N. system, but we firmly believe
that there can be no real reform unless
it rectifies the pervasive and corrosive
institutional bias against the State of
Israel. We urge an end to the U.N.'s
long-standing discrimination against
Israel.
Andrew S. Doctoroff
. president
Metropotztan Detroit Chapter
American Jewish Committee
Bloo eld Townshi
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