PERFECT CHOICE AND OTHER MATTERS

~ In light of recent statements, the Jewish Agency for Israel announced today that Sarah Palin has been named the Diaspora Co-Chair of its Aliyah Committee succeeding Jay Sarver. "She seems to have a lot of creative ideas," a Jewish Agency spokesperson said. Leaders of Nefesh B'Nefesh announced: "If Palin really accepts this position, we're going out of business."

~ In Israel, as the joke (but not by much) goes "every person a Prime Minister." Certainly every leader in the Netanyahu Cabinet believes that their opinion about anything, the more outrageous the better, will get them a mention in the press. So it was not surprising to read the following headline in israel.jpost.com a couple of weeks ago: Livnat: US administration is 'horrible.' Limor Livnat is the Sports and Culture Minister. When the PM disputed the attack, Livnat "backed down;" she "wasn't sure which words she had chosen." Oy yoy yoy.

~ From the "When I am wrong, I am really wrong" Department. Immediately after the first meeting convened by Kathy, Jerry and Michael with JAFI and JDC leaders, I wrote a Post (September 24, 2009) -- "A GOOD START" -- AN UPDATE." Therein I wrote: "From all I have learned about this morning's meeting...among UJC's leaders, representatives of JAFI and JDC, today was not a 'good start'...it was a great start. There was a sense that UJC, JAFI and JDC have begun a process of rededicating themselves to the great unifying partnership among the Federations of North America, the Joint and Agency.." Ehhhh, wrong. The Joint, by its coordinated communications strategy rejecting its own agreement with JAFI immediately post-GA demonstrated how wrongfully optimistic I was. JFNA leaders continue to deserve plaudits for their efforts to "bring us together." It ain't easy.

~ Then there are those who can't accept an apology. You may recall that on December 1 I Posted an apology for an earlier Post when I found that the facts that I had in hand on Dues payment and non-payment were contradicted by The Jewish Federations of North America's records. This caused some lay leader(s) at JFNA within minutes to circulate both the offending Post (which I had deleted from this Blog) and the apology as if these were some form of "evidence" that, when it came to mischief, I was a recidivist unworthy of...something. Whomever it was or they were, it/they sent these to other lay and pro leaders, some in my federation and others around the country, and to at least...at the least...one federation CEO. (I assume that the senders identified themselves rather than in the "anonymous" manner some correspond with the Blog.)

What can I say? Having placed 365 Posts on this Blog over two years, I made an error for which I apologized. I promised from the first Posts forward that if I erred on these pages and was corrected, an apology would be forthcoming. I think that's a better record than those who have been circulating that Apology have over the time of their leadership, don't you? (Oh, and to the sender[s] -- thanks for increasing my circulation!!)

Rwexler