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The Aronson from page A5
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A6
October 23 • 2008
Park and turning it over to Yeshiva
Beth Yehudah to be used as a girls
school, to the conversion of the
Beth Achim building into Yeshivat
Akiva and the old United Hebrew
Schools building into Yeshivas
Darchei Torah, both in Southfield.
He also helped bolster the
Neighborhood Project, which gave
interest-free loans to home buyers
and for home renovations in Oak
Park/Southfield.
Seizing on a national trend and
trading on Max Fisher's influence,
Bob Aronson beside a photo of his men-
Federation strengthened ties with
tor, Max Fisher, at the Max M. Fisher
Israel through Partnership 2000
Federation Building
and a host of programs spun from
that 14-year alliance, including adult,
ing. While having a foothold in the
teen, family and young leadership
broader Jewish world, especially Israel,
missions. Aronson has helped teach us the new CEO must think Detroit first.
why it's important to have a participa-
That agenda must include a formula
tory, and not just a financial, stake in
that assures community preservation
the State of Israel.
and revitalization. These targets must
In 1992, Aronson validated the need become as appealing as missions to
for Federation to move from Detroit,
Israel and people-to-people partner-
its home since 1926, to Oakland
ships in Israel's Central Galilee.
County, the new heartland of the
Aronson's successor also must learn
Jewish community. About the same
how to connect with our generous, but
time, he oversaw Federation's depar-
aging corps of mega-givers. Seeking
ture from the nursing home business
new sources of big giving will be a
in favor of a better alternative: priva-
foremost challenge.
tization.
Another challenge will be discover-
ing how to re-engage with significant
What Lies Ahead
portions of the Detroit Jewish popula-
In 2006, Aronson challenged us to
tion who no longer feel connected to
think big in two critical areas of
the organized Jewish community at a
Jewish identity building:
time when the number of individual
•Education. Our kids look to the
contributors to Federation's Annual
community to help answer who they
Campaign is declining.
are as Jews. Parents provide the keys
Yet another CEO challenge will be
to this awakening, but classrooms fur- developing an excellent Federation
nish the texture of learning so pivotal
staff that's aligned, top to bottom, with
to exploring and nourishing these reli- the agency's mission. In the process,
gious roots. Day schools, synagogue
the new CEO will have to push down
schools, supplemental schools, day
through the organization the creativ-
camps and lifelong learning are all key ity, ideas and sense of daring that cur-
components of continued transmis-
rently flow largely from the top.
sion of our tradition.
We're luckier than we realize that
•Eldercare. With a median age of
Bob Aronson will be around a while
47 and a declining population, Jewish
longer to give us a fighting chance at a
Detroit will continue to grow older
smooth, seamless transition. No one is
unless there's unanticipated gain in
indispensable, but let's be honest: It'll
20- and 30-somethings moving back
be hard replacing a visionary giant.
here (something Aronson is personally
trying to spark through outreach in
Related Special Report: page A17.
urban hotspots young Detroiters have
migrated to). So the expected result is
an active, but aging community seek-
What attributes should
ing more senior services, especially to
Federation's new CEO
0 :
fulfill housing, mobility, medical and
1— d especially possess?
social needs.
U)
1— ca
As Aronson recalibrates his role
Z z Do we have a strategy
here, his successor must articulate a
0 0 for assuring a new
vision that positions and involves our
a. 0 - generation of big giv-
volunteers at all levels as equal partners
ers?
in the brushstroke of community build-
❑