|
|
April 9, 2004/Nisan 18 5764, Vol. 56, No. 29
How to make a difference
Phoenix delegation takes part in national 'Washington 14' conference
LEISAH NAMM
Managing Editor
Phoenix delegates await a meeting with Sen. John McCain in a Senate meeting room. Front row, from left are Barbra Schwartz, Jonathan Kaufman, Deborah Hertz, Beth Belfer and Ron Woldoff.
Photo by Leisah Namm
|
A microcosm of American Jewish life emerged at the United Jewish Communities Washington 14 conference, March 21-23 in Washington, D.C.
The conference - three days of sessions, workshops, and events focusing on the theme "We Can Make a Difference" - offered a wide range of programming, seeming to reflect the number of choices Jewish young adults have today when it comes to participating in Jewish life. Seminar topics ranged from domestic and international issues to Jewish culture and spirituality. Although each of the 1,800 attendees from cities across North America - including 27 from the Phoenix area - showed some form of commitment just by being there, in a sense even the unaffiliated were represented by conference participants who took breaks from the conference, opting to nap or sightsee rather than attend a session.
Prominent political figures such as Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and political humorist Al Franken spoke at plenary sessions, where participants sat in city clusters, identified by large signs or identifying symbols, such as the Florida constituency's large plastic flamingos.
Smaller workshops represented various stages of life for the 20s-30s age group. "No Bad Dates, Just Good Material," with "Sex and the City" executive producer and writer Cindy Chupack, drew a roomful of singles, while "Jewish Day School: Do You Know Where Your Children Are?" attracted parents.
The spiritual side of Judaism was represented in workshops such as "Gossip, Lies and Lessons: The Power of Words" by author Lori Palatnik and "Jewish Eye for the Unaffiliated Guy (or Gal)," which presented techniques to start a spiritual makeover.
Jewish culture workshops included "Jewish Expressions in Popular Culture" and "Interfaith Marriage in the Jewish Community: The Moral Imperative of Creating a Welcoming Community."
Of course, Israel and the Middle East were hot topics, and workshops addressing these issues included "Modern Middle East for Dummies: History, Politics, Religion and Culture" and "Shaping Israel's Image in the Media."
Set in Washington D.C., the conference naturally covered today's political climate. One plenary, "Decision 2004: Our American Political Outlook," featured a heated panel discussion between Paul Begala, co-host of CNN's "Crossfire" and Kate O'Beirne, Washington editor of National Review.
"The only thing they agreed on was that the bottom line for this election will be 'Time for a Change' vs. 'Stay the Course,'" says Brad Cohen of Phoenix. "It will be interesting to see whether they're right or not."
The main evening program, "Never Say Dayenu: Pesach and the Federation Story," featured speeches from UJC officials about the organization's work. To illustrate their points, a multimedia presentation told the stories of people who have benefited from UJC programs. They included an Israeli young woman whose mother and sister were killed by terrorists and an American woman with three sons who received aid from UJC's social services. The impact of their stories increased when, after a short film about their experiences, the lights went on and the respective person was standing at the podium.
"The stories of those that are helped by UJC, both overseas and nationally, are always inspiring," says Hannah Goldberg of Scottsdale, campaign co-chairwoman of the 2004 executive board of the Young Leadership Division (YLD) of the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix and member of the UJC National Young Leadership Cabinet. "It is also empowering to see proof that the work that we do truly does 'make a difference.'"
Today's most popular bachelor, Adam Mesh, of "Average Joe" fame, lightened the mood at the end of the emotional plenary, then ended his presentation with a pledge to become more active in his local federation.
For many, the highlight of the conference was the opportunity to lobby their congressmen on Capitol Hill. Participants representing a number of cities across the United States arrived in buses in front of Capitol Hill to lobby on four issues: preventing cuts in Medicaid, protecting Jewish and other high-risk nonprofit organizations from terrorist attacks, supporting Israel's security fence, and urging the Bush administration and international community to take measures to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
Members of the Phoenix delegation met with staff members of the congressmen from their own districts and then reunited and merged with Tucson delegates to meet with Sen. John McCain and a representative from Sen. Jon Kyl's office.
"Meeting with McCain was amazing and exhibited the fact that our voices do matter and that we can effect change," says Steven Schwarz, YLD co-founder and president, who has attended the past two Washington conferences.
In addition to responding to the UJC lobbying points, McCain spoke to Arizona delegates about the harsh competition between the presidential candidates, saying he's never seen candidates bash each other to this degree so early in the election process. He also expressed support for America's presence in Iraq, saying he was "overall optimistic" that Iraq will someday have an "imperfect democracy." The United States has been in other countries for many years, he said, and he expects the same will be true for Iraq.
In conjunction with the conference's "We Can Make a Difference" theme, a Community Action room was set up in the hotel. Attendees sponsored Passover seders for families in Argentina, the former Soviet Union, Cuba, Poland or Israel; and took part in a letter-writing campaign to members of Congress and U.S. or Israeli soldiers.
Attendees also had the opportunity to list themselves in a bone marrow registry through the Gift of Life, an organization that facilitates bone marrow transplants for patients by increasing the representation of Jewish people in the bone marrow donor pool. Los Angeles schoolteacher Elyse Allen, who joined the registry at the Washington 13 conference in 2002, was recognized at one evening plenary for giving a portion of her bone marrow to a 7-year-old boy with leukemia, thus saving his life, after finding out she was his only known match.
In addition to Clinton and Franken, other prominent speakers included Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) and radio talk show host Dennis Prager.
The conference also presented speakers who, while not as well known, made differences in their own communities.
For instance, in the session "Leadership in These Times of Peril," Rachel Fish, a 2003 graduate of Harvard Divinity School, spoke about her experience with the university after she discovered that the school had accepted a $2.5 million endowment from Sheik Zayed, the ruler of the United Arab Emirates. Fish explained that Zayed funds the Zayed Center, a think tank that disseminates anti-Semitism and anti-Americanism throughout the Islamic world. She protested to the university and, in the end, the university denied the gift.
In another session, "Community Building: Picking Up the Pieces in Argentina," one woman described a program she started in her synagogue to help families in Argentina. The program arranges for congregants to "adopt" an individual or family in Argentina, helping them financially cope with the aftermath of the country's economic crash.
After lights in the meeting halls dimmed, the conference's social side emerged. Several cities hosted suite parties, advertising their party on flyers posted in the elevators. Crowds of young adults filled each elevator as they visited the different party floors throughout the evening and early morning.
Mike Schoor, a UJC Washington conference veteran, says the social aspect offered an opportunity to reconnect with people he met at past conferences and to strengthen relationships with fellow Phoenicians.
"I thought the Phoenix group bonded better on this trip than we had in past years," Schoor says. "I thought that was illustrated by so many of them coming to Super Sunday," the local federation's day devoted to fund raising.
For many Phoenix attendees, Washington 14 was their first UJC national conference.
It "seemed like an excellent opportunity to learn more about Judaism, how it fits into the world today, what changes are happening, and how I can affect these changes," says Ron Woldoff, a first-time attendee from Phoenix. "The conference helped me put things into political perspective, and I can view my current involvement in the scope of the bigger picture and the future."
Some participants who are already active in the Valley's Jewish community called the conference a "motivational boost."
"Each time I attend a UJC Washington conference, I become even more energized and empowered to make a difference in our local Jewish community," says Jennifer Schwarz, an active volunteer and three-time attendee of the conference.
For some young adults, the $500 registration fee, in addition to airfare and hotel fees, may have been a deciding factor whether or not to attend. A stipend offered by the local federation, funded by donations from YLD members, allowed several local young adults the opportunity to attend the conference.
"I sincerely hope that our community can find a way to make it financially easier for our young leaders to attend the next Washington conference two years from now, and regional conference next year," says Goldberg. "I am absolutely certain that any help received will be returned to our community countless times over in dedication, energy and enthusiasm."
Contact the writer at leisah_namm@jewishaz.com.
What is UJC?
United Jewish Communities (UJC) represents 156 Jewish federations, including the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix, and 400 independent communities across North America. Through the UJA Federation Campaign, UJC provides life-saving and life-enhancing humanitarian assistance to those in need, according to its Web site. It also translates Jewish values into social action on behalf of millions of Jews in hundreds of communities in North America, in towns and villages throughout Israel, in the former Soviet Union, and 60 countries around the word. Approximately 33 percent of dollars raised by the Phoenix federation is allocated to overseas agencies via UJC, says Shirley Norris, federation spokeswoman.
|
|
