Opinion
The World Of Kadima
T
o my daughter Hava:
This letter is in response to
the IN article featuring the new
Children and Adolescent Program at
Kadima (March 18, page 11).
Kadima received a three-year grant
from the Detroit Jewish community's
Jewish Fund to enable Kadima to hire
three part-time staff to oversee the pro-
gram and offer therapy and respite care
for children and their families struggling
with mental illness.
This article is such a bright and shining
light for all of us involved in the challenge
to help families who feel overwhelmed
by their children's problems at home and
at school because of bi-polar disorder,
depression or schizophrenia. It is a won-
derful moment for Kadima!
As you well know, I have been active
at Kadima for many years, culminating
in my being president of Kadima from
2007-2009.1 first came to Kadima for
help when you were 17, after six painful
years of watching you struggle
with mental illness, which
began when you were only 11.
These were six very long years
for me — six years of hospitals
and doctors' visits, six years
of looking for other parents
who could help to dispel the
fear, loneliness and guilt that I
was feeling as the mother of a
child who was so unhappy and
so tormented by her mental
illness.
It's hard to believe that it has
been 17 years since I first con-
nected with Kadima. Kadima offered me
a support group back then that saved my
life. I found people there that understood
my pain and my fear and helped me navi-
gate the mental health system.
Because of you, Hava, and the help that
I got from Kadima in the 1990s, I became
a vocal advocate for Kadima expanding
its services to include families with chil-
dren that struggle with a simi-
lar mental-health nightmare
and to service those children
directly.
Hava, I want to recognize the
role that you played in under-
scoring the need for Kadima's
Children and Adolescent
Program. As a young adult, you
were so open and honest about
your mental-health struggles
as a child and adolescent
— speaking at Kadima parlor
meetings and at the Kadima
annual dinner the year that I
was installed as president. You were so
strong and so brave in spreading the word
that families struggling with the monster
of mental illness — which had taken over
the lives of their children and, therefore,
the lives of the entire family — needed
Kadima's help!
I just want to thank you for your cour-
age and for giving me the passion for
wanting to work toward making a differ-
ence in the lives of families with children
with mental illness.
As you now go on your way to obtain-
ing your master's degree at Oakland
University in public administration with
the goal of working one day at a mental-
health nonprofit agency to help families
impacted by mental illness,
I just wanted to take a few minutes
out of my busy day to publicly thank
you for the impact that I think you have
had, along with many other hard-work-
ing volunteers, on the new Children and
Adolescent Division of Kadima. I'm so
proud of you and Kadima for all of your
admirable achievements!
I love you. ❑
Gail Katz of West Bloomfield is immediate past
president of Kadima, a Jewish mental-health
service agency based in Southfield.
White House Overkill
L
et us acknowledge that Israel's
announcement during a visit by
Vice President Joseph Biden that
it would build new settlements was a
mistake.
It was ill timed, to say the least, poor
strategy and hardly served Israel's politi-
cal interests. The decision, if it had to be
made, could have been delayed to cre-
ate some distance between the visit and
announcement.
While an error in political judgment
— note the use of the words "error" and
"mistake" — the action hardly warranted
the political hysteria and histrionics that
emanated from the White House.
"Insult;' "slap in the face "back-
stabbed!' Israel, the critics said, has
caused the most serious crisis between
the U.S. and Israel since the days of
George Bush 41.
When Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu
publicly acknowledged the error and indi-
cated he had no knowledge that the new
settlements would be announced, White
House Aide David Axelrod called the
explanation "contrived."
Talk about an insult. Here is an aide to
the president, in effect, calling the leader
of another country — a close ally no less
— a liar. Not even the president would
make that kind of statement publicly.
38
April 1 0 2010
Friends don't treat friends
like that, they wailed from the
White House. True, but friends
don't berate friends or take
them to the woodshed so pub-
licly when they make errors in
judgment.
President Obama could
have expressed his "outrage"
privately to Netanyahu, which
not only would have been the
proper political etiquette, but
also would have been more
effective.
A private, firm call would
have sent a much more meaningful mes-
sage. Imagine the president stating pub-
licly that he had "no comment" or, under-
stated, said he was "concerned" by Israel's
action, but then "leaked" the fact that he
expressed his dismay and anger privately
to Netanyahu.
More to the point: Does anyone believe
that 1,600 new units are the real impedi-
ments to peace? Does anyone really
believe that the overall settlement issue
is the roadblock to peace in the Middle
East?
While we're at it, what is more seri-
ous: the building of these settlements
or the continued periodic rocket attacks
from Gaza, or the continued defamation
of Jews by Palestinians and
Arab leaders, clergy and their
news media, which continues
to plant the seeds of hatred
for generations to come? What
about the smuggling of weap-
ons through tunnels and other
means from Egypt into Gaza?
What about the continued mil-
itary buildup of Israel's most
vociferous enemies?
(Of course, while the Obama
administration will deny it, its
public condemnation of Israel
caused — or at least —con-
tributed to the violence that erupted
after the U.S. censure. The Palestinians
certainly believed that they received a
free pass to react violently given the U.S.
anger.)
The good news in this episode, if there
is any: The Israeli government is not
composed of political neophytes. While
it surely wished the brouhaha had been
avoided, it recognizes political overkill
when it sees it.
It feels like the Obama administration
protesteth too much. So what is really
behind its belief that it had been betrayed
and insulted to its core?
First, it gave Obama an opportunity to
shore up his credentials with the Arab
political community. The message: See,
I am different from previous American
presidents. I will not be pushed around
by Israel.
Second, the "crisis" gives Obama some
political cover to be tough on Israel in his
future policies. Each "anti-Israeli" policy
will now be interpreted as a response to
the political slight inflicted on the U.S.
Thus, the mistake Israel made was not
only to "insult" a visiting dignitary (the
No. 2 man in the U.S. no less), and thereby
the entire U.S. political establishment, but
to give Obama, who has never been popu-
lar in Israel, more political freedom to
"punish" Israel with offensive policies.
Regrettably, Netanyahu's political ener-
gies will have to be devoted to consoling
a political partner who considers himself
"wounded and hurt" rather than devote
his time to more meaningful issues.
And he can be confident that Obama
will play the role of the slighted lover who
exploits the situation for all it's worth.
Ultimately, Israel will pay a dear price for
an unfortunate mistake in timing.
But, as they say, timing is everything.
❑
Berl Falbaum is a Farmington Hills public rela-
tions executive, author and a former political
reporter. He teaches journalism part-time at
Wayne State University, Detroit.