”

“

A GUT-BUSTING HIT!

continued from page 18

AGES.

PHOTOS BY MATTHEW MURPHY

A COMEDY FOR THE AGES. ALL

FISHER THEATRE • FEB. 12–24

BroadwayInDetroit.com, ticketmaster.com, 800-982-2787 & box office 313-872-1000

Groups (10+): Groups@BroadwayInDetroit.com or 313-871-1132 •

20

December 6 • 2018

jn

7:30PM Feb. 17

jews in the d

T’chiyah. Previously both were lay-led.
Gurewitz said leading a small con-
gregation is not necessarily easier. “In
a larger institution, much of the work
is done by the professional staff while
in a smaller one more of the work
is done by volunteers.” Her position
became more challenging four years
ago when T’chiyah established Detroit
Jews for Justice, which added to her
responsibilities.
Raines, 54, hadn’t served as an offi-
cer before she accepted the presidency
of the Downtown Synagogue. But she
had the business expe-
rience that many of the
younger board mem-
bers lacked.
Her presidency puts
to good use the skills
she developed as vice
Jodee Fishman president of programs
Raines
for the Erb Family
Foundation, she said.
Most of the other female presidents
rose through the ranks of their con-
gregations’ boards and executive com-
mittees. King, for example, served 12
years in various executive committee
positions before becoming president.
The number of women now on
congregation executive commit-
tees will undoubtedly lead to more
female presidents. Several congre-
gations, including Adat Shalom and
Congregation Shir Tikvah in Troy,
have female vice presidents who will
likely become the next president. At
Shaarey Zedek, where there were no
female officers for many years, four of
the six current executive board mem-
bers are women.
Detroit’s experience echoes national
trends. Alissa Pinck, senior director of
marketing and communication for the
Jewish Theological Seminary of the
Conservative movement, said more
than a third of Conservative congre-
gations in their database are led by
women. The actual percentage may be
higher because she didn’t count presi-
dents with unisex names.
Amy Asin, vice president of
strengthening congregations for the
Union for Reform Judaism, said while
the URJ doesn’t record the gender of
congregation presidents, they estimate
that just under half are women.
Female clergy and professionals
help make the women presidents
comfortable in their positions. Both
the rabbi and the executive director
at the Downtown Synagogue are
women. At Temple Israel, three of the

six rabbis and the education director
(also a rabbi) are women. That helps
foster a sense within the congregation
that women can be anything and do
anything, King said.
“The fact that so many Reform
and Conservative congregations have
female rabbis makes being a female
president not an issue,” said Gurewitz,
an attorney who lives in Detroit.
“Gender-based distinctions seem to
be something we’ve moved past.”
Weiner said a congregation pres-
ident’s employment status may be
more important than sex. She stepped
back from her full-time position as
librarian at Lawrence
Technological
University before agree-
ing to serve as presi-
dent and works only
12 to 15 hours a week.
Even so, her presiden-
Gretchen
tial duties are taking
Weiner
much more time and
energy than she had expected. “I can’t
imagine how anyone could do it while
still working full time,” she said.
Raines admits it’s a challenge. “They
say that if you want to get something
done, ask a busy person,” she said. In
addition to her full-time job, which
requires attendance at many evening
events, she is vice president of the
Palmer Woods Association.
Nadis, a physician who works part
time, said she chose to make time in
her busy life to serve her congrega-
tion. “The shul is one
of my high priorities,
and I’m happy to make
it work,” she said. “I
have found that my
training and experi-
ence as a pediatrician
Beth Nadis
is coming in handy in
many ways.”
Nadis remembers her husband
Ronn’s tenure as Beth Ahm’s president
when their children — twin daughters
now 30 and a son now 26 — were
young. “Now that was tough,” she
said.
Several of the female presidents
said they are happy to serve as role
models.
“My kids have been really proud
of me for stepping out of my comfort
level and growing,” Modell said.
King agreed. “I love the fact that
our future young Jewish leaders can
see that it’s routine for women to be in
leadership positions.” ■