EDITORIAL BOARD:
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•Chief Operating Officer: F. Kevin Browett
•Interim Editor: Alan Hitsky
•Contributing Editor: Robert Sklar
Points Of View
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Guest Column
Editorial
The Veto's
Aftermath
L
or most people in the
working world, paid vaca-
tion time is sacred. For
me, even as a student, days off
were always anticipated. In col-
lege, however, free time took a new
definition: it meant time I gave to
an organization or greater purpose
for free.
I've been to destina-
tions that are far-off
(Israel, four times),
exotic (Buenos Aires)
and domestic (Las
Vegas in March). The
common theme: I
travel to continue my
quest to be a young
Jewish leader.
As my travels have
officially occurred
over a decade now,
beginning with the flagship
Birthright experience in 1999, and
most recently representing Detroit
for Jewish Federations of North
America at an international young
leadership think-tank in London,
I have had incredible experiences
in discovering and learning what
young leadership is about.
The difficult part has been to
answer two should-be-simple
questions: "What is young leader-
ship?" and "Is young Jewish lead-
ership different?"
More complicated is deciding at
what point do I become a "grown-
up" leader?
Sparks Echo
I don't need to make the case to a
Detroit Jewish News reader about
how incredible our Detroit Jewish
community is. It has invested in
me to ensure that "I get it." I am
a torchbearer — a person who
28
March 10 - 2011
needs to carry a flame that previ-
ously burned brightly in our own
community's rich history. That
I "get" — the responsibility to
assure there are history-rooted
sparks in our future.
But where does all this fit into
young leadership? Was I "young"
in college as I worked to help build
a new Hillel at Michigan
State University? As a
31-year-old who sees the
new faces in this impres-
sive building in East
Lansing today, I can tell
you confidently: I was
really young back then.
In 11 years, countless
flights and nearly 90 per-
cent of my vacation time
later, there does seem to
be a common thread to
the term "young." When you are
young, there are always people to
learn from and be inspired by. You
are open to more and determined
to be heard.
The change begins when you
realize someone wants to listen
to you; this begins the transition
from being a "young" leader to
being one in the "grown up" world.
You become the person others are
interested in learning from.
For me, leadership or volunteer
service will always be part of my
life and routine.
I take Jewish leadership seri-
ously; almost like my education or
career path.
I have no shame in admitting I
hope to go as far as I can within a
system that has invested in me in
so many ways — a system I can
give back to financially and with
my time.
That's just who I am.
Varied Leadership
So the next phase from young lead-
ership is "now" leadership — under-
standing that in order to lead, you
must comprehend the expectation of
who might aspire to take your place.
There are leaders who give
money, leaders who give time and
leaders who do so in other ways.
Many people confuse leadership,
especially that associated with high
positions, as high cost. In many
cases, this is true; but often, it's not
because the positions come with a
mandatory giving levelit's because
by the time that you step up, you
have discovered that the impact
you will make won't be solely
defined by your writing a check.
I give my time and money to
Jewish organizations. I relish
being a "now" leader. I praise the
younger leaders following me; and
I am confident they will find their
successors as well.
Jewish leadership conferences
are not all work; and the enthusi-
asm and life buzz I return with are
evident that it's not all work to lead.
Make no mistake: Our Jewish
community in Metro Detroit
doesn't need to dwell on the suc-
cess of our future. It is secure
with lots of young, capable people
ready to take the lead. Ll
Rachel Wright of Birmingham is a
rockin' Detroiter who isn't afraid to yell
from the rooftops her passion for her
hometown. She co-chairs the Young
Adult Division Campaign of Federation
and is a blogger for CommunityNext.
She serves on the National Young
Leadership Cabinet for Jewish
Federations of North America. She
works in the healthcare field. Contact
her at: wrightrachm@gmail.com .
audably, the United States vetoed a
United Nations Security Council resolution
condemning Israel on its settlements in east
Jerusalem and the West Bank. The veto reaffirmed
U.S. trust in Israel's commitment to advancing
peace in the war-torn region.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu got it right
in assessing the veto: "I believe that the U.S. decision
makes it clear that the only way to peace is direct nego-
tiations and not through the actions of international
bodies, which are designed to bypass direct negotia-
tions."
The lame resolution termed the settlements "illegal"
(as if the U.N. is in an unbiased position to determine
that). The Feb. 18 veto came bravely in the face of 14
other members of the council supporting the resolution.
In response to the veto, the Palestinians declared a
day of rage to protest what they characterized as the
true face of America as well as the extent to which
America's role in the Middle East peace process dam-
aged Palestinian interests.
More troubling, however, was what followed: a barrage
of anti-American propaganda by the Palestinians, espe-
cially Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas,
the guy Israel, America's closest Mideast ally, is supposed
to negotiate with. The P.A. governs the West Bank.
The Palestinians have every right to criticize U.S. for-
eign policy; but if America represents everything wrong
with the Western world, why does Abbas readily accept
$60 million annually from the U.S.? Surely, he thinks the
money must be tainted. He must know the U.S. Congress
at some point will grow weary of the abuse and question
why it's giving to an ungrateful, arrogant administration
in Ramallah.
Supporting the P.A. doesn't mean we can dictate
Palestinian policy. But we should at least pause before
the next U.S. allocation vote. States AI-Hayat Al-Jadida,
the P.A.'s official newspaper: "President Obama attaches
no importance to values, morality, the principles of
human rights or international law. All that matters to
him is his own interest and the interests of his country.
He forgets that the world is changing and is no longer a
hostage to American interests."
The newspaper went on to extol the common Arab
refrain: "America is the head of the snake."
Punishing the Palestinian people, who desperately
need our financial help, is wrong. We're thick-skinned
enough as a country to overlook the name-calling. But
the rant is baseless given that President Obama has
set aside political differences to give the P.A. millions of
U.S. dollars. Much of the Palestinian infrastructure has
benefited from our good will: schools, hospitals, univer-
sities, water systems, road development, even sports
programs.
Since emerging in 1993, the P.A. has gotten more
financial aid from the U.S. than from any other nation –
upwards of $2 billion.
No wonder Israeli-Palestinian relations are so perplex-
ing! Li