Comments on UJ Thee and Me: A MODEL?

The second anonymous is correct about the control ...

2009-10-20T11:40:50.745-05:00

The second anonymous is correct about the control issue but the funny thing was that it was a standoff -- Federations were exasporated by UJA behaviors, UJA couldn't control Federation allocations and the dwindling share going overseas. And the final irony was that given time, and a few sensible conversations, JAFI and JDC, the owners of UJA, might have seen the writing on the wall and reformed the UJA apparatus without the meddling. However by the late 90's a bunch of execs (having reinvented themselves as Presidents and CEO's)were itching to destroy a franchise and a brand without a compelling product to replace it.

And thank you Paul for sharing a nostalgic moment bud sadly I fear history and memory have ceased to be a Jewish virtue and we are leaving the next generations as orphans.

Davidele

Davidele's comment brings back a GA highlight that...

2009-10-20T10:52:14.256-05:00

Davidele's comment brings back a GA highlight that I do not think anyone will ever forget.

Before Havdalah: Yitz Greenberg & Label Fein in dialogue.

After Havdalah: Golda....

Davidele has been around a long time as have I. We...

2009-10-20T10:30:40.991-05:00

Davidele has been around a long time as have I. We don't even need to go back as far as 1989 but much closer to 1997. The last GA before the merger in Indianapolis was spectacular. The quarterlies the year or two before were incredibly meaningful. The only thing missing from his description is "control". Federations did not feel they "controlled" UJA to the same level they controlled CJF. In the desire for control they won the battle but lost the war.

Davidele - sometimes change is not good. In this c...

2009-10-20T10:29:04.896-05:00

Davidele - sometimes change is not good. In this case it was a disaster from the begining.

So think back to the days when two supposedly "ine...

2009-10-20T08:46:42.034-05:00

So think back to the days when two supposedly "inefficient" archaic organizations served the system. UJA provided speakers, missions, a playground for major donors, stats and outside solicitors and trainers, non federated campaigns, and a young leadership cabinet who's members were sometimes a pain in the you know where to their local communities. CJF gave frameworks for professional and lay networking, one major and two minor conferences a year (remember quarterlies?), personnel assistance and, for communities that needed and asked, some old fashioned handholding, TLC and sound consultations from seasoned pro's who had actually "been there". They even gave out an award, The Shroder, that communities coveted and which focused on Federation accomplishments and successes. Within the system our lay people enjoyed an uparalelled status in the non profit world and we built and nurtured our professional leadership from within our ranks. Israel was not an unspoken word. The havdalah ceremony at the GA was an emotional moment of solidarity and pride usually followed by a prime minister, secretary of state or governor. The combined budgets was about the same as UJC now. Of course we can't and might not want to go back but the starting point for rebuilding might be closer to 1989 than it is to 2009.

davidele