The older we get, the more cynicism grows. Talking about future dreams and coming together in a room with hundreds of people, sensing a palpable idealism, this is the stuff of youth. An annual youth conference would be the venue for that.
But that was precisely the atmosphere sustained throughout last week’s JNF national conference in Denver. Yes, there was the vibrant group of what JNF calls “The Futures,” the post-college twenty- somethings of today, the leaders of tomorrow. But mostly, there were a lot of adults. And they kept invoking phrases like Herzl’s “If you will it, it is no dream” over and over again.
The JNF conference addressed the “what” (to do), the “how” (to execute) in helping Israel, and also emphasized the “why” (bring the Jews into a strong, independent, safe, democratic state they call home to strengthen them against anti-Semitism). They emphasized the philosophy, the heart and soul, behind all the fundraising and work.
This organization, JNF is led by Russell Robinson as precisely and brilliantly as a conductor leading a symphony. More than a century since Herzl, these are his true philosophic disciples.
I can’t put my finger on exactly what it was about this conference, but it really did feel what people call “heimish.” There was a warm atmosphere; leaders were approachable and they seemed to have fun helping build Israel. Yes, there was an atmosphere of idealism and inspiration, and also of the closeness of family.
I walked away from this JNF conference thinking its tagline should be, “Smiling your way though helping build Israel.” With all the content, there were a lot of smiles and laughter.
The concluding breakfast last Monday morning, when local JNF leader Stan Kamlet was honored for his 16 years of astonishingly hard work, sealed the conference with the characteristic kibbitzing that seemed to have been going on one way or another for three days. Unlike the usual acceptance speech most of us have come to expect, Stan and Gene Kay, his JNF partner, rehearsed a little table talk style skit that was simply adorable and entertaining. I wasn’t sure which comedy duo they reminded me more of, Abbott and Costello or Oscar and Felix of “The Odd Couple.”
Perhaps JNF is a case of trickle-down leadership. Ronald Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress and the dignified father figure of JNF, seemed to be on his toes cracking one joke after another. With his tall stature, salt and pepper hair and white hanky in the breast pocket of his navy suit, he was genial and softspoken, but full of quips. In what can only be stated as his understated manner, this mover and shaker didn’t miss a beat.
The dinner was emceed by the one and only Russell Robinson. Also there were Lauder, outgoing JNF president Stanley M. Chesley, incoming president Jeff Levine and Stephen Muss. Now, Muss is the Floridian founder Alexander Muss High School in Israel, which just merged with JNF; decked out in his jogging outfit and with ski polls (“I’m looking for the snow”); the man whose powerful words as a recent great-grandparent ended the evening:
“More than raising money [this, from a man who onstage donated $5 million to JNF, plus an offer to match any donation of $500,000], more than anything is to make sure to bring Jewish child or grandchild to the Jewish people.” Then, with an Uncle Sam-like finger pointing at the audience — actually, it felt like he was pointing straight at you — he finished with “do it!”
At a session Lauder led, Muss encouraged the youth to get involved in JNF and, looking at Lauder, said, “because you and I are not going to be here in 25 years . . . , ” Lauder interrupted, “speak for yourself!” or words to that effect. Everyone laughed and was about to applause, but Lauder said, “hold the applause. I am speaking at the dinner later and can use the applause there.”
After one seminar, when many conference-goers were lining up to meet with the distinguished Lauder, they thanked him for his inspiration and leadership of the Jewish people until, in the spirit of the conference, someone stepped forward and said: “I just wanted to know if I can have a discount on cosmetics.”
In his keynote speech at the dinner, Lauder started out by saying that if he is dabbing his eyes it is not because he is emotional, but he has hay fever!
He said he just wanted to clarify that because once, as he was speaking, the tears were streaming down his face; the host immediately rose to his feet and said in all his years he had never witnessed such an emotional speaker. On the spot he asked Lauder to join his board.
Lauder quipped, “I didn’t join the board, but I took two claritin.”
Of course, he then went on to deliver a speech that was inspiring and, in fact, tear-inducing, perhaps not in himself, but certainly in some of his audience.
Echoing MLK’s “I have a dream,” Lauder repeated “I wish” to the same effect. He said to the audience:
“As nice as it is to see all of you, honestly I wish it were not necessary — that after 60 years of the Jewish state as well as the Holocaust, our problems would be solved . . .
“I wish we could walk to shul without any fear.
“I wish there were no anti-Semitism.
“I wish the great experiment of the State of Israel would be recognized for the strong democracy that it is . . . ”
He spoke of Herzl, how one man with one dream, one vision, changed the course of Jews’ lives everywhere. How he changed the course of history.
Lauder said that ultimately Herzl was a realist who didn’t believe the drivel in the press at the time. He knew the Jews were in danger. He took seriously the threats of those around him. Lauder said that he sees the disproportionate, almost insane hatred against Israel today. With a touch of awe in his voice he proceeded with “How do Israelis react to all of this? By going on with their lives, going on with their families. People shoot at them and they couldn’t care less, they just go on. That this Israel. And this is JNF’s partner.”
Lauder called Israel a miracle, saying he doesn’t use that word often, but in the case of Israel it is just right.
Yet, he emphasized that JNF is the heir to Herzl’s philosophy of realism, acknowledging that when someone threatens you, he means what he says.
So, miracle and realism — both — are woven in the modern Israeli narrative.
“JNF exists because we are realists in a world that has always been and still is hostile to Jews.
“You have my pledge we’ll deal with the world as is, not as we wish it were.
“History will judge us by what we do, just as it judged another generation before WW II.”
Israel, said Lauder, has become the fashionable new target for anti-Semitism. “Today it’s cloaked as anti-Israelism. JNF is here to strengthen our bond with Israel.”
In what felt very personal, Lauder concluded his remarks by paraphrasing Joseph Epstein:
“We do not choose to be born, we do not choose our parents . . . we do not choose our enemies . . . we do not choose our historical epoch, or the country of our birth . . . but within all this realm of choicelessness we do choose how we shall live. We decide. We choose. In the end, forming our own destiny.”
It wasn’t always so that Lauder was a staunch advocate for Israel or the Jewish people. At “The Futures” session, he shared his story:
“I was a typical New York assimilated Jew. When I thought Israel, I thought of ‘something over there.’ I knew nothing of Jewish organizations, other than that they raised money and sent it to Israel.
“All that changed when I became the American ambassador to Austria in 1986. Before that I was at the Pentagon, and NATO. When I came to Vienna as ambassador, Kurt Waldheim was running for president of Austria. It was my job to tell him that he was on the US Watch List, that he couldn’t come to the US, due to his Nazi background, which he had lied about.
“For this I was attacked as a Jew.
“And nothing can make one Jewish like being attacked as a Jew.
“Before that, I was an ambassador who happened to be Jewish.
“Meanwhile, Ivan, an old Austrian Jew, who was ill, was urging me, the American ambassador, to become president of Austria’s Jewish community. I resisted. I’m an American, thinking to myself.
“This was around June. In August, Ivan’s wife came to me and said that Ivan died and his last words were: ‘Tell Ron Lauder to become head of the Jewish community in Austria.’ Then he died.
“I asked his wife, ‘are you sure you heard correctly?’
“A short while later, to sort through the situation the Jews of Austria now found themselves in, there was a meeting of the Austrian Jewish community in a small room. About 40 people showed up. For two hours I listened to a bunch of hogwash. Finally I said something. This is what you should do: x, y, z.
“When I was done the young secretary said: ‘All those in favor of Ronald Lauder for president of the Austrian Jewish community, raise your hand.’ Forty hands went up.
“Now, how do I, the American ambassador, tell the Secretary of State George Schultz that I am now head of the Jewish community?
“This was unprecedented.
“I figured I’d better call the president first, so I called President Reagan and told him I’ve been elected head of the Austrian Jewish community, to which he responded: ‘Great! I was once president of the Actors Guild!’
“Then I called George Schultz and he said: ‘What’d you get yourself into?’
“But it was the best thing that ever happened to me.
“I began seeing different people, different schools, children who remind me of why I am doing this, children learning what it is to be Jewish.
“JNF gave me the chance and it is the best thing I have ever done.
“I had thought JNF was for planting trees, and nothing else. After the World Jewish Congress [of which Lauder is president], it is the best organization.”
“The World Jewish Congress is made up of Jews from countries from all over the world — and they agree on nothing [laughter]. But WJC keeps us together. It’s a dangerous world, especially for Jews.
“So, become involved. Everyone can help.There is always something you can do. It will change your life, like it did mine.
“It won’t help you in business. Maybe you won’t be popular. It may make you poorer. But we need your help. The most valuable thing you have is your time. You can make more money. But you can’t make more time. Use it wisely.”
Copyright © 2013 by the Intermountain Jewish News
