Monday, June 25, 2012

HOPE

An Anonymous Commentator wrote the following in response to a recent Post:


"Woody Guthrie once pointed out that signs that say "no trespassing" say nothing from the other side. New people are now coming inside - engage them, empower them, speak out and assume they intend the best till proven otherwise. They come from communities where volunteer leaders matter."

She or he expresses the hope that I not only feel but that I have felt on three prior occasions -- on each of those (once when the immediate past Board Chair and his then Chair of the Executive promised that they would cease the personal and false attacks, but they just couldn't restrain themselves and, then, when the current Board and Executive Chair took office, but, like the scorpion of the treasured fable, "just their nature," and, finally, I placed the Blog on hiatus last year with the promise, once again, that the misrepresentations would stop; but, of course, they didn't.


You may recall that before she took office, the Board Chair received a White Paper drafted by Norm Goldstein of D.C., Rich Bernstein of Miami and your Blogger. At the time she told me that she would use that Paper in discussion with "her" leadership before she took office. I can sadly state that, while she may have done so, not one of the questions raised in the White Paper has been addressed, let alone answered. There has been neither Vision nor Mission nor purpose. In his tribute to his Chair (apparently in response to a Post on these pages with regard to the Chair's acceptance of a Hillel honor), CEO Jerry could recite but five accomplishments (including TribeFestivus and the rebranding of JFNA of all things) over the six years of her leadership. I would add -- she runs a good meeting.


As an expression of my hope that the ship will be turned by the new Chairs in positive directions, this Blog will go on hiatus upon their taking office. I may focus on other things. I wish them, as I have wished their predecessors, kal ha'kavod and best of luck.


Rwexler

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

A change of tone and focus - perhaps. A hiatus - maybe not. The good guys need public allies and independent friends on the outside to keep them focused and keep the larger federation world informed. Be positive, be supportive but don't be silent.

Anonymous said...

I agree. Besides the GPT should just start to heat up by that time. It would be a shame for you to be out of action at the climax!!!