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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