But, we will be watching and working within UJC with a focus on whether this leadership can itself change. When this Blog is publicly characterized by them as being "replete with errors" (trust that we may be bad Spell Checkers but we are excellent Fact Checkers) and not only the Posts dismissed but your Comments as well, with extensive time spent on tracking us down -- with these "facts" in hand, it's our cynicism about this leadership's ability to look at itself and change that is rewarded, not our hopes for introspection and change. And, if change at the top of UJC doesn't take place, and soon, we will fill this Post with our observations once again. Some of the topics we have teed up:
- Abuse of Power 1 -- The Boca Bond Issue
- Abuse of Power 2 -- Blowing Off a Mega-Donor/ The Internet Campaign that Wasn't
- The Megalomania of the "Big Idea"
- Where Have All the Leaders Gone...and Why
- No Task Ever Finished
You who have taken the time to write us with your insights and support have given us hope that the dream of an organization that can inspire our communities to the highest achievement can be realized; and that we can recapture the passion that brought us into Jewish communal life in the first place. Please help us.
Now we're going to kick back, plug in our headsets and listen to some tracks of The Stooges, and work on our spelling.
Shavua tov and l'hitraot,
The Boys/Girls of UJC
3 comments:
With all due respect to y'all, now is not the time for a time out. This is not to say I am advocating for petulant and gratuitous "dirt" etc (nor am I suggesting that petulance and gratuitous dirt have characterized your writing to-date).
We have major issues to address in the Jewish world. The challenges within UJC that you have identified are symbolic of challenges facing the federations system in individual communities. Indeed, as Rabbi Kula remarked at the end of the PBS Jewish Americans series, we have to define ourselves now that we are no longer defined by the outside world.
If we are to face this challenge as a community, UJC (or some umbrella group) and the federation system are the place for it. Yes, recent years have seen the emergence of very successful groups such as AIPAC and ADL. Take nothing away from them, but they are specialty organizations. They do not claim to have a role in shaping the Jewish community of the future.
We need to rise to this challenge and your voice can contribute if only you'll permit it to be heard.
Don't stop now.
I know it's hard for "mommy" et al that they can't control the discussion with just a phone call to JTA or the Jewish Week. But glasnost such as this blog is the only hope for the system to right itself.
As a Federation professional in the field, I think your blog is serving a valuable purpose. After 5 years raising money at 2 different federations, I have yet to find receive ANY value from UJC. Their consultants too often have nothing valuable to add to my questions; they refuse to convene phone conferences for field professionals to weigh in on important national issues; and, as you've pointed out, the money we send to UJC seems to enter a blackhole.
Keep up the good work.
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