4 | MARCH 31 • 2022 

essay
The Surprising Power of Diplomacy
S

everal years ago, I joined 
the board of the Jewish 
Community Relations 
Council/American Jewish 
Committee (JCRC/AJC). Much 
of the organi-
zation’s mission 
spoke to me then 
and continues 
to do so, maybe 
even more, now 
as I have joined 
the executive 
committee. 
 Part of the mission of the 
nonprofit is to represent the 
Metropolitan Detroit Jewish 
community, Israel and Jews 
throughout the world to the 
general community, and to 
establish collaborative relation-
ships with other ethnic, racial 
and religious groups. In addi-
tion, JCRC/AJC educates and 
advocates on important issues, 
seeking consensus with a com-
mitment to Jewish values.
One of the important ways 
we embrace this mission 
is through our Diplomatic 
Committee, which I have been 
blessed to co-chair for the last 
two years alongside my able 
partner Howard Brown, who 
has been engaged in this work 
for going on two decades. 
Through our team’s efforts, 
we meet with consuls general 
and honorary consuls gen-
eral representing an array of 
countries with offices in the 
Midwest. The goal of this 
outreach, which we do in con-
junction with the American 
Jewish Committee, is to build 
long-term relationships and 
mutual understanding and sup-
port through which actions or 
changes are more likely to occur. 
Via meetings and events, our 
lay leaders promote dialogue 

and communicate concerns 
about critical issues related to 
Israel and world Jewry.
Said Howard Brown, 
“Diplomatic work is very 
important and meaningful to 
me. It is not every day you get 
to meet with a local consul 
general to discuss important 
policies and issues facing us like 
the NO HATE Act, COVID-
19, locally and in their coun-
tries, local and world events, 
our beloved Israel, the United 
Nations and community rela-
tions near and far.
”
Prior to the pandemic, we 
would meet with the local indi-
viduals in person. Obviously, 
things have changed in the last 
two years, and many of our 
meetings have had to move to 
Zoom, which has been a bit of 
a blessing in that we have had 
the opportunity to meet with a 
greater number of diplomats. 
However, there is something 
special that is lost by not meeting 
in person and that something 
can best be illustrated by this:
Last fall, several JCRC/AJC 
lay leaders and staff were having 

lunch with the Consul General 
of Japan outside at the Soul 
Cafe in West Bloomfield. It was 
the first time during the pan-
demic that we held a meeting 
in person — and it made all the 
difference. 
Before lunch was served, 
Friendship Circle Rabbi Benny 
Greenwald came to me, qui-
etly asking if he could have a 
private word with the Consul 
General. I was surprised that he 
could tell that is who we were 
meeting with and, therefore, 
must have had a questioning 
expression on my face. The 
rabbi persisted, holding up his 
phone, clearly wanting to share 
something that was on there. I 
agreed quietly and introduced 
the rabbi to the Consul General, 
who was sitting next to me. 
After introductions, Rabbi 
Greenwald then showed all 
present a picture of his grand-
father, sharing that Chiune 
Sugihara, a Japanese diplomat 
for the Japanese Empire in 
Lithuania during World War 
II, saved his grandfather’s life 
during the war. In fact, he 

helped thousands of Jews flee 
Europe by issuing transit visas 
so they could travel through 
Japanese territory. In doing so, 
he risked his job, as well as his 
life and that of his family. In 
1985, Israel honored him as 
one of the Righteous Among 
the Nations, the only Japanese 
national to hold that honor. 
The Consul General was 
visibly moved by this revelation, 
and we could see how import-
ant a moment this was for both 
him and the rabbi. Frankly, it 
was a very emotional moment 
for us all. 
Said Rabbi Greenwald, 
“Seeing the Consul General 
brought to the forefront of my 
mind, and my heart, the power 
one individual can have. My 
grandfather was a Chabad 
yeshivah student. On the out-
side, there was no connection 
between him and the Japanese 
diplomat. However, with God’s 
help, Mr. Sugihara’s self-sacrifice 
brought me here today, and for 
that I’m forever grateful. It was 
powerful for me to be able to 
express gratitude to the Consul 
General.
”
Thanks to this one man who 
let his conscience guide him, it 
has been estimated as many as 
100,000 people alive today are 
the descendants of the recipi-
ents of Sugihara visas. 
As, hopefully, the pandem-
ic continues to lift, I grow 
eager to see how many more 
experiences like this that the 
Diplomatic Committee will 
have the blessing to witness. 

Carol Ogusky is an executive commit-

tee member of the Jewish Community 

Relations Council/American Jewish 

Committee. She also is a past presi-

dent of Hadassah Greater Detroit and 

sits on several other local boards. 

Carol 
Ogusky

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JCRC/AJC’s Diplomatic Committee with Rabbi Benny Greenwald 
(standing, third from left) next to the Consul General of Japan (seated) 
at the Soul Cafe last fall

JCRC/AJC

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