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THE GOODNESS OF THE
EARTH
THE WORLD JEWISH NEWS AGENCY SELECTS THE MET COUNCIL
"CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR"
The Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty is a divine blessing!
 Photo:
Met Council CEO William E. Rapfogel
greeting President Bush as he disembarks Air Force One.
Most people do not expect “Jewish
poverty” to be an issue in America. Why, most Jews are
well-educated, highly employable, and generally good citizens who
pay their taxes and send their children to school and feed them
well, right? Wrong. And they are always close families, so the
elderly is always well cared for, right? Wrong.
There are thousands of poverty stricken
Jews in America. In New York alone, there are 145,000 Jews below
poverty level. And are in dire need, but they have to be earning
less than $16,050 for a family of four to even qualify for
government aid – and the government has been systematically cutting
their programs. In addition, poverty stricken Jews are invisible. No
one knows about them, they are not concentrated in specific
neighborhoods. They are spread all over the city. They are young,
they are old, they are people who had been devastated by health
issues, or divorce, or of the loss of their jobs. Many are refugees
from other countries. Some are single, many are married with
children, some are widowed and completely alone. And they are too
proud to ask for help, they starve and freeze in their apartments,
and eventually are evicted because they cannot pay the rent. A Jew
living on the street? Homeless? You bet. And that includes children
and the very frail elderly. Often they would rather die than ask for
help.
Met Council CEO William E.
Rapfogel (r) joined with Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Councilman
Simcha Felder in delivering 100 Shaloch Manot to seniors at
Brookdale Senior Center in Brooklyn.
Who is to help, anyway? The government,
federal or local, is not doing much, as we all know. Local
congregations are not doing anything at all in many cases.
Therefore, thirty years ago, an amazing organization stepped into
the gap and has been creating miracles ever since. The miracle
makers work for The Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, or as
they are now called by everyone, The Met Council. It is a hub of
services that range from housing to job training and placement, and
they are very strong on crisis intervention. They help the elderly,
the mentally disabled, and victims of domestic violence. They have
saved thousands from eviction or from having their utilities cut
off. Children are given an opportunity to go to camp. Health
services are provided. It is a very large and thriving organization.
But the people who work for this big organization have not forgotten
the individual in their service of the community. A person in need,
when he or she either contacts them or more often, is found by them,
is treated with respect and understanding. The social worker will
ask you to bring your outstanding bills, and then will pay all the
creditors and give you a breathing space. They would even send
furniture if you lost your belongings to flood, fire, or simply lack
of funds. Beds, tables, chairs. Simple and basic needs are met, and
in this manner, one by one, lives are saved. This kind of help, one
on one and with dignity preserved, is not a common commodity in this
day and age
Photo, from L to R: Met Council
CEO William E. Rapfogel; President Joseph C. Shenker; Speaker
Sheldon Silver; Met Council's Man of the Year, Mayor Michael
Bloomberg; Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton; and Met Council Chair
Merryl H. Tisch.
One of the most
effective services the Met Council is providing on the top of its
heart-felt charity and full support for the poor and the needy Is
the CAREER COUNSELING, GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT under the care of
Luba Fredericks. This career counselor is a true blessing.
Articulate, knowledgeable, patient, caring, sharp and fully
committed to serving the community. You meet with her and
immediately you feel her sincerity and willingness to help you, to
counsel you, to advise you, to orient you and put you back on your
feet. And of course, all these services are provided free of charge.
Ms. Fredericks does not find you a job. She is not a headhunter or a
recruiter. She is a career counselor with years of experience in the
field. Besides listening to you and comforting you, she analyses
your situation, goes over your resume if you have one, otherwise she
will help you in creating a most effective one. Fredericks also
offers lectures and seminars on career goals, development and coping
with the needs and strategies of job hunting. This woman is a true
gem, a treasure. Aviva Rabbani, a social worker at The Met is
to be thanked too, for her goodness and assistance in processing
your application for financial support and paying the bills of your
utilities, basic living expenses and rent of your apartment. She is
an angel.
The Met Council is beyond praise.
Unquestionably, the Met Council is one of the world's most honorable,
effective, charitable and magnificently humanitarian organizations. To
fully understand its activities, it is well worth it to go on their
extremely interesting website:
http://metcouncil.brinkster.net/index2.html
where they have detailed information about their services, suggestions
for further reading and publications, and opportunities to volunteer
or for employment. Prepare to be amazed. In a society that has
forgotten how to care, this organization is miraculous indeed.
THE MET'S MISSION
 "Met
Council is a not-for-profit organization representing and
coordinating the efforts of grass roots Jewish Community Councils
and citywide and national Jewish organizations. It is the primary
advocate for the needs of poor Jews, reaching out to the isolated
Jewish poor and elderly, and increasing public recognition of the
extent and nature of poverty among Jews through legislative and
social advocacy. Dedicated to the alleviation of social, economic,
housing, and related problems of the Jewish poor, working poor,
elderly and recent immigrants in the New York City area, Met Council
delivers needed services to thousands every day. Our most important
task is to ensure that the hungry are fed, that the weak and frail
are cared for, that the homeless are sheltered, and that those who
are able to work are helped to find employment. Met Council
establishes linkages between Jewish groups, non-Jewish groups and
government agencies. It helps stabilize and preserve neighborhoods
with substantial Jewish population by assessing needs and bringing
resources to those areas. The sacred mission of Met Council has not
changed since its founding three decades ago. Anyone who needs our
help will find us there for them."
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Humanitarian Aid
Foundation’s Second Round of Grants Assist Jewish
Community Council of Greater Coney Island's
"Holocaust Survivors Support Systems"
Programs
HAF Grants Fund Jewish
Community Council of Greater Coney Island's "Holocaust Survivor
Support Systems" programs to
Provide Direct Aid to War Victims
Holocaust Survivor Support Systems.
Brooklyn, New York —Although
more than 60 years have passed, for elderly war victims the wounds of
World War II live on in the struggles of their everyday existences.
The Humanitarian Aid Foundation (HAF),
an
organization with a mission to provide assistance to victims of
atrocities, today announced grants to Jewish
Community Council of Greater Coney Island's (JCCGCI) "Holocaust
Survivors Support Systems" division to provide much needed
aid to the dwindling number of indigent Holocaust survivors who
reside throughout the communities of
southern Brooklyn. To date, HAF has given out 17 grants around
the country.
JCCGCI is one of seven family
and community service agencies that have recently been presented with
an HAF award ranging from $10-$25,000 per city. HAF funds will
support several of the JCCGCI
programs specifically designed to support Holocaust survivors,
including homecare (housekeeping, shopping and laundry assistance -
209 survivors assisted last year with 13,248 homecare hours),
transportation (to medical and essential non-medical appointments and
services - 1,326 survivors assisted last year with 16,974 trips), case
management (1,122 survivors assisted last year), homebound visitation
(see:
www.connect2ny.org - 136 survivors
assisted last year with 1,310 hours of volunteer visits),
home-delivered meals and weekend meals (525 survivors assisted last
year with 19,890 meals) and a Café Europa program
(known as "Club2600" which assisted 278 survivors last year).
The 2006 HAF awards cover costs for critical support
services such as in-home and community based services to make the last
years of the survivors’ lives as comfortable as possible. “The
liberation of the camps helped end a nightmare for a people and
allowed all of humanity to dream again of a better world,” U.S.
Senator Joseph Lieberman
(D-CT) said.
“My late mother-in-law was among the survivors of the camps and I know
we must never forget the horror of the Holocaust and the heroism of
the survivors, many of whom still struggle.”
According to
Stuart Eizenstat, vice chair of HAF, former deputy secretary of the
U.S. Treasury Department and principle negotiator for the Holocaust
restitution program in the Clinton Administration, “As
a result of age and infirmity, the number of Jewish victims who
survived the holocaust is declining. Time is running out to offer
assistance to the approximately 120,000 living survivors in the United
States.”
Among fellow award recipients are Guardians of the Sick, Brooklyn,
NY; SelfHelp Community Services, New York, NY; Jewish Family &
Children’s Service, Pittsburgh, PA; Jewish Family & Children’s Service
of North Jersey, Wayne, NJ;
Jewish
Family and Children's Services of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin
and Sonoma Counties,
San Francisco, CA; and Jewish Family Service, Albuquerque, NM.
This
adds to grants given in 2005 to organizations in Palm Beach County,
Miami, Broward County and South Palm Beach County, FL; Portland, OR;
Detroit, MI; and Chicago, IL. Eizenstat describes HAF as filling a
vital gap: “The HAF awards are precisely what I had hoped for.
These
important awards supplement the delivery of critical services, such as
in-home care and social outreach for isolated survivors.”
Rabbi
Moshe Wiener, Executive Director of JCCGCI, expressed his profound
gratitude to HAF. "Despite the generous support of the Conference on
Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, Inc. and the International
Commission on Holocaust Era Insurance Claims (ICHEIC), the number of
Holocaust survivors pleading for our assistance and the intensity of
services they require far exceed available resources. HAF's grant is
critical to the health and welfare of many survivors we would not have
been able to assist without their funding".
According to
Gideon Taylor, executive vice president of the Conference on Jewish
Material Claims Against Germany, Inc.,
"The needs are great and
grants like these, which supplement the existing programs, are most
important in the critical effort to allow survivors to live out the
remainder of their lives with a measure of dignity."
The HAF
awards were targeted to areas of the country where larger populations
of elderly World War II victims tend to reside.
National survey data
attest to Nazi victims’
increased social and economic vulnerability:
Ø
25 percent live
alone, a circumstance that risks social isolation and contributes to
health-related problems;
Ø
25 percent fall
below the federal poverty threshold, compared to just 5 percent of non
victims; and
Ø
27 percent
describe their health as poor, compare to just 8
percent of non victims.
Never forget their suffering.
Eizenstat
noted that for younger generations of Americans, it is vital that
survivors’ stories be retold. “While older Americans are familiar with
the horrors of
Auschwitz and other camps,
educating younger generations of Americans about the war-related
atrocities of the past reinforces why charitable contributions to
victims of war by corporations, individuals, private organizations,
and foundations are still vital today.”
One particular Holocaust
survivor who has benefited from an HAF grant is Mrs. F. After being
imprisoned in four concentration camps and finally liberated from
Bergen Belsen in 1944, she moved to the United States where she raised
a family. Mrs. F is a cancer survivor and also has had open heart
surgery, which has left her frail and weak. She had been unable to
tend to her apartment, shop or go to her many doctors’ appointments
alone. With the assistance of HAF and the Jewish Community Council of
Greater Coney Island, Mrs. F now has access to a homecare aide who
cleans, shops and escorts her to her many appointments. The goal is to
keep her as independent as possible and living in her own home.
The role of HAF .
Launched in 2002 by leaders of the business and diplomatic
communities, HAF has focused its initial program of work on providing
support to Holocaust survivors and American prisoners of war who were
held hostage and forced into slave labor in Japanese mines, factories,
or other forms of hard labor with little food and no medical
treatment. With an ambitious, but achievable, goal to reach as many
survivors as possible, HAF is now working with more 20 pilot sites
across the country.
“HAF is unique as it is was
brought to life by some of our nation’s most committed leaders in the
humanitarian aid community, and was designed in a way that would
quickly address those in our society with significant and immediate
needs,” stated Niel Golightly, HAF board member and
director of
sustainable business strategies
at Ford Motor Company.
More information is available online at
www.humanitarianaidfoundation.org
and www.jccgci.org;
www.connect2ny.org
The Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney
Island is a private not-for-profit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.
We were founded in 1973 to provide a wide-spectrum of social services
to the low-income residents of southern Brooklyn (regardless of race
and religion), and to foster neighborhood stabilization. Our current
mission dedicates our resources to these goals and to the provision of
supportive services designed at improving the quality of life of the
frail elderly, vocationally disadvantaged poor, underprivileged
immigrants and educationally at-risk youth of our City and to provide
technical assistance to enhance the programmatic, administrative and
fiscal capacity of other not-for-profit organizations.
JCCGCI can be contacted at 718-449-5000.
Kotler-Berkowitz, L, Blass, L., and Neuman, D. (2003, December). Nazi
Victims Now Residing in the United States: Findings from the National
Jewish Population Survey 2000–01. New York: United Jewish Communities.
Retrieved August 19, 2005, from
http://www.claimscon.org/forms/allocations/Nazi_victims_report.pdf
MAYOR MICHAEL R.
BLOOMBERG HOSTS JEWISH HERITAGE EVENT AT GRACIE MANSION
Mayor Bloomberg appears with Jewish rock band Blue Fringe, who
provided the entertainment for the Annual Jewish Heritage Reception at
Gracie Mansion. Blue Fringe will appear at the New York Jewish Music
and Heritage Festival, which will take place from September 10th-17th.
The festival is expected to attract 25,000 New Yorkers at venues
across the city. Photo credits: Kristen Artz.
Mayor
Michael R. Bloomberg hosted the City’s Annual Jewish Heritage
Reception at Gracie Mansion on Tuesday, June 6, 2006. The event marks
the start of Jewish Heritage New York 2006, a month-long celebration
that honors the history, culture, and contributions of New York’s vast
and diverse Jewish community and is sponsored by the Jewish Community
Relations Council of New York (JCRC) and the Sephardic Community
Federation. Other attendees included Israeli Consul General Arye
Mekel, U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Mayor’s Community
Assistance Unit Commissioner Jonathan Greenspun, and JCRC President
Matthew Maryles and Executive Director Michael Miller. During
the speaking program, Mayor Bloomberg said, “New York City’s immigrant
history is a major part of its success and the City’s diverse Jewish
communities have been a big part of that history. From the arts and
entertainment, to politics and business, to science and philosophy,
our vibrant Jewish communities have helped shape every aspect of
public life.”- By J. Falk.
HEROES OF THE JEWISH
PEOPLE
Sousa Mendes, with God
against Men
Holocaust Savior, Sousa Mendes, to be commemorated on the anniversary
of his death
Press Release by
Adriana Karagozian
 Photo: Souza
Mendes.
New York Schools
will visit the Museum of Jewish Heritage today in memory of Aristides
de Sousa Mendes. School buses are scheduled to arrive at 2:30pm and
the commemoration guided visit is to begin at 3pm at the Rescuer’s
Gallery of the Museum, located at 36 Battery Place. The event, aimed
at recognizing the anniversary of Sousa Mendes’ death, was organized
by John Crisostomo, Vice President of the International Raoul
Wallenberg Foundation and is available to the patrons of the museum.
In 1940, Aristides de Sousa Mendes was in
charge of the Portuguese Consulate in Bordeaux, France. He was known
for his courageous efforts during the Holocaust. As a diplomat, Sousa
Mendes risked his life forging visas to allow refugee entry into
Portugal, saving thousands from deportation to concentration camps.
He also housed many refugees in an underground railroad of sorts
during the Nazi takeover of Western Europe. His outstanding
humanitarianism was sorely overlooked by his country and was shunned
by his successor, Premier Antonio de Oliveira Salazar, for his blatant
disregard for Portugal’s political stance during the Second World War.
Aristides de Sousa Mendes with
his family
Front Row: Carlos, Sebastião,
Teresinha, Pedro Nuno
Back Row: Clotilde, Joana,
Angelina, Luís Filipe, Aristides, Geraldo, Isabel.
Aristides de Sousa
Mendes was born July 9th of 1885, in the village of Cabanas
de Viriato in the Northern Province of Beira Alta, Portugal. He was
the son of Jose de Sousa Mendes, a high court judge, and Maria
Angelina de Abranches. He married his cousin, Angelina, just before
entering the Foreign Elegance in 1910, and together they gave birth to
14 children. In 1929, he was promoted to Consul-General, and as such,
he only used his power for benevolence. After the war, the
Consul-General was stripped of his title for taking action against the
ideals of his successor and became extremely impoverished. He could
not find work and by order of Salazar, no one was allowed to show him
charity of any kind. Sousa Mendes and his family were destined to
starve for their compassion, and on April 3rd, 1954, Sousa
Mendes died.
The International
Raoul Wallenberg Foundation would like to keep the memory of Sousa
Mendes and his awe-inspiring courage alive by honoring the anniversary
of his death. The Foundation’s mission is to “develop
educational programs and public awareness campaigns based on the
values of solidarity and civic courage, ethical cornerstones of the
Saviors of the Holocaust.” Their goal is to keep a strong idea of the
Holocaust aware so that overt ill-patriotism will not repeat itself in
the future. Ideally, the Foundation would like to create a universal
appreciation for cultural humanity. Beyond their eager efforts to
commemorate Sousa Mendes, the Foundation also has various other events
going on throughout the month that are open to the public. On
Wednesday, April 26th, the Foundation will pay homage to
the Saviors of Portuguese speaking countries organized together with
the Consulates of Portugal and Brazil.
To see
more about this or other events that the Foundation is supporting,
please visit
the website at
www.raoulwallenberg.net or
contact the Foundation at
irwf@irwf.org.
 JEWISH
COPENHAGEN
WALKING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF JEWISH
CULTURE AND HISTORY IN DENMARK
Jewish Copenhagen was
established by authorized tour guide, Charlotte Thalmay, (Photo above)
who has worked as a professional guide since 1996. And it is staffed
with guides who have a Jewish background, a background in tourism and
a wealth of knowledge about both Danish and Jewish history and life.
 A
UNIQUE JEWISH WALKING TOUR
Photo: The Round Tower with
Jewish inscriptions.
On a unique walking tour around
Copenhagen, Charlotte will tell you the story of Danish Jewry from
when the first Jews arrived in 1622 to the present time. Although
never large in numbers, the Jews in Denmark have nevertheless had a
substantial and important influence on Danish culture and history. The
sights on Charlotte's tours include the Copenhagen landmark, The Round
Tower with its golden Hebrew inscriptions; the statue of the world
famous Danish Jewish Nobel Prize winner, Niels Bohr; and the
Trinitatis church wherein the Torah scrolls from the Copenhagen
Synagogue were hidden during the Second World War and thus were saved
from destruction. Charlotte
created a
special tour where she will take you to the little fishing village of
Dragor, and you encounter the fishing boat, Elisabeth, which took part
in the miraculous rescue of 7,000 Danish Jews in October 1943.
Photo: The
Copenhagen Synagogue was built in 1833 inspired by the architectural
style of Ancient Greece. As you enter the building, you will sense the
vibrant Jewish community which accommodates both orthodox and more
traditional ways of living. Due to security measures, the Copenhagen
Synagogue is closed outside service hours. Charlotte can arrange
a special visit for a token price to cover the charge for a security
guard.
Charlotte
Thalmay is a captivating story-teller. While guiding you toward Jewish
sites and offering you glimpses at the beauty of Danish sceneries,
Charlotte will tell you the
personal story of the rescue of her own family and the miraculous
rescue of 7,000 Danish Jews during The Second World War. Brave
fishermen helped more than 95 % of the Jewish population in Denmark to
safety in Sweden in a heroic act the world had never seen before. Many
Jews escaped from Dragor on small boats including the fishing boat
Elisabeth, which brought Charlotte Thalmays father and grandmother to
safety in Sweden on a cold and dark night in October 1943.
 Photo:
On fishing boats like
Elisabeth 511, hundreds of Jews escaped to Sweden in October
1943 via the Dragor harbour.
Today Dragor is a charming village
with old half-timbered houses, cozy cafes and restaurants. Only 10
miles from the centre of Copenhagen, the visit to Dragor will not
only evoke the past, but also give you an interesting and unique
look into the lives in small Danish villages. During your tour of
Dragor, Charlotte will invite you to a cozy coffee break in one of
the little village’s many lovely cafes. And of course, more
delightful Jewish story-telling will continue...
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Metropolitan Council on Jewish
Poverty.
30th
Annual Legislative Breakfast
Metropolitan
Council on Jewish Poverty Honored
Presented With
Senior Services Achievement Award For Health Promotion/Wellness
Programs
Met Council’s Home
Attendant Training Program (HATP) and Director of Health Care
Services Joyce Traina, RN, were selected for the 2006 Senior
Services Achievement Award in the category of Health
Promotion/Wellness Programs by the NYS Coalition for the Aging. A
check for $250 was allotted to each of the awardees. The check was
graciously passed on to Met Council as a donation. This award lends
itself to Met Council’s dedication and commitment to New York’s
aging population. Congratulations to all of our staff on this well
deserved honor.
The Metropolitan Council on Jewish
Poverty is the voice of the Jewish poor and the first line of
defense for our community’s needy. We fight poverty through
comprehensive social services and treat every individual with
dignity and respect. Our grassroots Jewish Community Councils
network strengthens families and neighborhoods throughout New York
City.
A GREAT LEADER: RABBI MOSHE
WIENER, CHOSEN "MAN OF THE YEAR"
What makes a religious leader a great person? Is a holy man one who
sits on a distant hill, meditating, ignoring the world? Is he a man
who leads his people in an isolated monastery or other religious
community, engaging in constant prayer for the good of all mankind?
Is he the one who
is
ready to sacrifice lives, including his own, for his deity?
Read
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Oprah's show helps nab sex offender
FARGO, North Dakota- The same week
Oprah Winfrey began devoting time on her show to tracking down sex
offenders, she has a collar to show for it. William C. Davis, 33, of
Wadesville, Ind., was arrested in Fargo, two days after the
talk-show host broadcast his face and offered $100,000 for
information leading to his capture. Jean Rosenthal of Moorhead,
Minn., recognized Davis as "Mark," a neighbour of her friend Karie
Miller. She called Miller on Wednesday, and the 29-year-old Fargo
deli worker discovered the man's identity on a website. "His picture
came up and I started shaking so bad, I couldn't hold my coffee,"
Miller told the Forum of Fargo in Friday editions. Davis, who was on
the FBI's Most Wanted Fugitives list, was one of several fugitive
sex offenders shown on Winfrey's program Tuesday. The reward,
offered by her production company, applies to fugitives presented on
the show and on
www.oprah.com.
Davis faces felony charges of
molesting three Indiana boys last year and failing to register as a
sex offender. He was convicted of child molestation in 1992. Davis,
arrested by FBI agents, was in jail, awaiting an extradition hearing
to return to Indiana. Miller was in shock after learning of her
neighbour's background. She had helped care for him since he broke
his leg in a car accident a few weeks ago. "I've been cooking for
him; I've been doing his laundry," she said.
JEWISH
EDUCATION NOW!
By Rabbi Adam Winston
We were thrilled and delighted with a recent article in the
Jerusalem Post on Jewish Education "If You Build It…"[March 22,
2006] by Jonathan Tobin - editor of the Jewish Exponent in
Philadelphia. In Jewish tradition we have a saying "Finding the
problem is half the answer". Mr. Tobin points out a key issue: That
even when funding issues can be lessened - there still remains the
barrier of parents not wanting their child to be "too Jewish" so
they can be part of the "American Melting Pot". If this is a central
problem - we already have the solution. It works. It is
affordable. It has been tested.
Some one-third of parents of children in the Orthodox day school
system are not Orthodox! These parents are often top
professionals, financially successful and certainly consider
themselves part of any mainstream segment of America that you would
care to sample. They certainly feel comfortable having their child
attend an Orthodox Day school - or they wouldn't be paying the
tuition for them to do so. They do not feel "threatened" by "excess"
Judaism for if they did they would simply withdraw their child from
the school. They are drawn to the Jewish Day Schools for their
higher levels of academic achievement, enhanced culture of learning,
the building of a proud, positive Jewish identify and a better
student-teacher rapport. The kids actually like learning
in Jewish Day schools. In fact, a landmark study [1] on
non-religious High School students attending Orthodox Day Schools
found that 94% of these students were happy to have studied there!
This is a tremendous statistic. High school students are often not
happy about very much, least of all school. Yet a full 94%
non-Orthodox students actually said they were happy to study in an
Orthodox school! This is indeed fortunate, since the Orthodox, with
over 675-day schools, are the only ones with infrastructure,
teachers and support staff needed to build the required 300 new
Jewish Day Schools. The Reform have 19 schools, the Conservatives 57
[2].
Non-Orthodox parents recognize that Jewish Day Schools give their
children a general academic education far superior to common
schools. Jewish Day Schools far out-perform regular schools on
National Standardized test scores - you can verify this with your
local Day School. This is not surprising. In the
Jewish Day School there is a vastly superior educational
environment. Without the drugs and violence that are a
standard feature of regular schools, the children are actually able
to focus on their studies, so of course they will learn much better.
Traditional Jewish studies, which provides them with their Jewish
identity, also sharpens their minds in a way that nothing else can.
Much of the basis for the world's systems of law, philosophy,
ethics, analysis and research techniques can be traced back to their
roots in Jewish sources. Why would parents want to deprive
their children of the best education possible? Furthermore, by
giving them a firm grounding in personal values and ethics, they are
preparing them for a lifetime of personal success and satisfaction.
A Jewish Day School is geared towards giving each student what he or
she needs to succeed. In addition to having access to a higher
socio-economic level as a result of receiving a superior education,
they will also acquire the skills to be happy in life. Building
interpersonal skills, self-confidence and a strong sense of self
worth are part and parcel of a Jewish Day School Education.
When we sent our manual to Jewish Day Schools on "Public Relations
Tips for Principals and Activists" , we highlighted these points as
an excellent way to enlighten parents who still had their kids stuck
in regular schools. We are also trying to help Jewish organizations
who may wish to promote Day School education. Unfortunately,
most efforts at Day School promotion have been counter-productive.
Instead of helping parents realize that a Day School is the best
thing possible for their child, they tend to convey an underlying
message of "Look, Jewish education is basically horrible, but
someone has to do it if we want to survive…so how about you?"
Still, parents who are able to use their own judgment keep signing
up their kids for Jewish Day Schools. These independent parents are
actually the key to success. All that we now need to do, is to
introduce satisfied Jewish Day School parents to their unaware
counterparts on the American scene. Ads, video shorts,
testimonials are the best marketing tool we have. When you
combine this with the higher academic level, the lack of drugs and
violence as found in the regular public and even the best private
schools and the fact that the kids are happy to study in Jewish Day
Schools - it is a winning combination! A little
professional marketing with the right messages is all that it takes.
On the financial end, as more Federations join the effort to save
the next Generation by devoting a "Fifth for The Future" towards Day
School education - a mere 20% of revenue - we will be able to reach
the needed level of 300 new schools. Of course, this will entail
working together. Orthodox and non-Orthodox. The
Orthodox have already demonstrated that they really do care about
the fate of their secular brethren by attending to the needs of tens
of thousands of non-Orthodox students. One of the
leaders of the Reform movement told me that: "He has no objection to
children of the Reform attending Orthodox Day Schools" . So
there is hope. Working together, we can finally give all our
children the best education possible.
Rabbi Adam Winston - Director of PROJECT: LIGHT UNTO THE
NATIONS . An international effort dedicated to preparing every
Jewish child to fulfill their role as a Light Unto The Nations by
receiving a Jewish Day School Education. They can be
contacted at Project: Light Unto The Nations POB 27312
Jerusalem Israel.
[1] The Effectiveness of Preparatory
Tracks in Jewish Day Schools. Marvin Schick. Avi Chai.Mar 2002.
[2] Census of Jewish Day Schools in the United States 2003-04.
Marvin Schick. Avi
Chai. Jan 2005.
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