Your Feedback & Our Response

Hello Fellow Community Members:

First, an apology for the wide interval between updates. There's a lot going on in our lives - as there is in yours, we're sure. Second, we've been receiving information via email and snail-mail - and we want to thank everyone who has contributed. It helps to get direction and confirmation so please send us what you wish (though we are in no way encouraging you to breach any confidence or trust). We will be publishing this information in the days ahead.

You are welcome to email us at wjlevin@mac.com or send material via snail mail to:
FederationWatch
#506 - 592 Sheppard Ave. West
Toronto, ON M3H 6A7

In this note, we want to comment on some of the feedback that we have been receiving. There are three groups of responses.
1. Most of it has been very encouraging. They have either direct experience with the UJA and affiliated institutions or are close enough to those that have direct experience and, as a result of these experiences, share our concerns,
2. Many people do not understand the issues. They appreciate the pro-Israel work of the UJA (as do we), but are unaware of the UJA's lack of governance in the UJA itself, and their poor record regarding Jewish Education, Advocacy and other initiatives.
3) Some are not happy at all with what we're doing, even though many in this group agree with our concerns. Their fear is that we (the Jewish community) will be a Shunda for the Goyim (embarrassing ourselves in front of the broader community).

We'd like to speak to this.

First, nothing is more embarrassing than when our leaders make us look like fools in the eyes of government and among other communities. We tend to have a self-image of being highly respected. But we are not always - and certainly not as often as we'd like to think. For example, during the height of the Day School Funding initiative in 1999, 2000, I (Wayne) had several conversations with senior government employees and leaders among other communities regarding their confusion over who is authorized to represent the Jewish community. The UJA alone funds several "representative" organizations (CJC, CIJA, CPAC), then add to that some parent groups who, like the UJA, asserted representative authority and the B'nai Brith who also champions Jewish causes without bothering to consult with the constituency for whom they claim to represent.

Second, and perhaps more embarrassing, are these organizations' failure after failure to achieve any success in these vital initiatives. Currently, a group of parents are taking the government of Ontario to court over their failure to support special needs kids in Faith-based schools. This, despite the fact that the government actually budgets for this need! The CJC blew it when this funding was made available 10 years or so ago. Is the UJA or CJC supporting these parents? No. More on this later.

Third, is the conduct of the UJA and affiliated organizations. Few know that the CJC mishandled a faith-based school funding initiative during the first Harris mandate by prematurely announcing that they had achieved a "breakthrough." Years would go by before the shortly-lived EETC (Equity in Education Tax Credit) came into being and that too was poorly managed by the CJC.

There are plenty of examples outside of Jewish Education. Before the last provincial election the McGuinty Government established a $30 million slush fund for various community initiatives. The UJA got half of it for their "Fantasy Land" up north. The UJA can get money like that out of the government, which is not funded out of a recurring budget, but can't manage to win the money that is budgeted to support special needs kids - leaving affected parents to fend for themselves.

Some have suggested that we look like we have an "axe to grind." Frankly, we are not entirely sure what that often used expression means. Looking here suggests it means we have ulterior motives. What could be more ulterior then transforming governance in the Jewish community? That's what we're after.

Besides, we'll bet that just before every calamity we Jews have experienced, there were those who advocated alternatives that were dismissed because they appeared to have "axe to grind."

We ask that you focus on the substance of the issues we raise and the evidence we present. We always ask that you contact the UJA yourselves and discuss the issues with them - and at the same time, while talking with them, we ask that you insist on public forums.

Coming up next, some insights concerning the demise of the Mercaz/BJE.

Wayne J. Levin & Yossi Adler
PS - please pass this around.