Something Extra

NOTEBOOK

Pursuing Perfection

N

one of us is perfect. At least that
is what I have always been told.
However, there are some of
our readers who are; and they have made
me aware of how less-than:perfect I have
been when "mistakes" appear in their
announcements. Therefore, I am working
on an invention that would take the
information electronically and eliminate
all possibility for error by removing the .
human element froin my side of the
equation.
It would go something like this:
Caller dialing: 248-555-birth
Devite answering: You have reached
-
our birth notice by phone system. To
begin, and using your touch-tone phone,
please enter the•month of the baby's
birth. January is 01.
C:(punches number)
D:Using your touch-tone phone, enter
the date of the baby's birth.

I have said "aunt or uncle or
C:(punches numbers)
cousin." Our style does not
D:Please speak your notice into
permit the use of these in the
the phone slowly and clearly; the
announcement at this time.
item will be typed from what you
Please start again and make
say. You must spell all names; you
the necessary.omissions.
must indicate all capital letters;
C:(blah, blah, blah)
you must indicate all punctuation.
D:I'm sorry but you have
Be sure that you know the dif- .
used
fractions to indicate sib-
ference between maternal and
Sy Manello
lings'
ages. Our system cannot
paternal. Be sure that you indicate
Editorial
pick
these
up at this time.
all deceased relatives by saying
Assistant
Please start again, rounding
"the late" before each name that is
off all ages to whole numbers.
involved.
C:(blah, blah, blah)
C:(blah, blah,blah)
D:(interrupting) I'm sorry but you
D:I'm sorry but you have used a series
have used a Hebrew name and the
of adjectives indicating the joyous state
spelling does not tally with our database.
.
of the parents. Our style at this time
Please verify the spelling and indicate by
allows only one such sugary description.
saying "verified" after the spelling is
Please reword and start your announce-
complete. Also please indicate the rabbi
ment again.
who gave you this spelling; name his
C:(blah, blah, blah)
synagogue and the year he received ordi-
D:(interrupting) I'm sorry but you

-

Continued Communal Service

operating officer.
Mark Davidoff, a director
Davidoff served as treasurer
with Detroit-based Deloitte
and secretary of the Jewish Fund
& Touche LLP and a former
from its start in 1997 through the
top professional with the
end of tenure at Federation last
Jewish Federation of
February. He also serves on the
Metropolitan Detroit, has
local boards of the Jewish
been appointed to the board
Community Center and the
of directors of the Jewish
National Council for Community
Fund, Detroit Jewry's
and Justice.
grantor to expand health
The Jewish Fund has awarded
and human services in
$30 million in grants for local
Metro Detroit.
Mark Davidoff
health and human services since
He has more than 20
its creation in 1996 from pro-
years of experience in the
ceeds of the sale of Sinai Hospital to the
nonprofitsector. He spent 12 years serving
Detroit Medical Center.
the Jewish Federation and its banking-real
estate arm, the United Jewish Foundation in
- Robert A. Sklar, editor
various positions — from chief financial
officer through executive director and chief

tk

ILEFIIET cha Don't Know

Most Jewish communities around the world light Shabbat candies
18 minutes before sunset. Can you name the city which lights them
40 minutes before sunset?

-Goldfein

Lualesniar :Jamsuy

nation (some of our newer rabbis have
adopted more modern spellings of these
names). Please start the announcement
again.
C:(blah, blab, blab)
D:I'm sorrybut you did not indicate
that the baby was named "in honor of"
(for someone still living) or "in memory
of" (for a deceased relative). Please do so
as you start the announcement again. •
C:(blah, blah, blab)
D:Your announcement now reads
"(repeats information as dictated):" If
this is correct, press #1. If it is wrong in
any way, press #2 and start the
announcement again.
You have indicated that the announce- .
ment is correct. It will be printed exactly
as you have specified and be assured that
with this automated system, nothing can
go wrong ... can go Wrong ... can go
wrong ...

❑

A Gift Of Knowledge

•
fessional Jewish educators.
$5 million anonymous gift to
"The continuity of the Jewish people is
the Jewish Theological
reliant upon the graduates of the
Seminary's William Davidson
Davidson School to edu-
Graduate School of
cate and motivate our
Jewish Education will be
youth to live Jewishly,"
divided equally between
he said. "Jewish philan-
endowed scholarships
thropists are again rec-
and current scholar-
ognizing Jewish educa:
ships.
tion
as a priority. This
The Davidson School,
most
generous gift will
the largest graduate pro-
ensure
that the most -
gram of Jewish educa-
competent,
committed
tion in North America,
and
dedicated
profes-
was conceived in 1994
sional
Jewish
educators
with a $15 million gift
will be available to eduL
from Bloomfield Hills
cate the Jewish people
philanthropist William
during this most critical
Davidson. The New York
time
in Jewi.h. history."
City-based school
Togethefwith
his
opened in 1996. Since
wife,
Karen,
Davidson
William
David
son
•
then, Davidson has
recently made a contri-
donated additional mil-
bution equating to $1.15 million annual-
lions so the school can pursue its mis-
ly to expand the Wexner Graduate
sion of preparing Jewish eduCational
Fellowship Program, whose mission is to
leaders across religious streams, thereby
inspiring the next generation of teachers, recruit and train Jewish professional and
lay leaders through qualifying graduate
students and families, said Sherry
school programs. Beginning next year, 10
Kirschenbaum, JTS media relations
.
students will be selected annually as
director.
Davidson Scholars within the Wexner
Davidson feels that the $5 million gift.
Graduate Fellowship Program.
validates the Davidson School's vitality
as an international center to develop pro-

A

- Robert A. Sklar, editor

December 29 • 2005

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