Federation reviews year’s challenges

By PAUL HAIST

article created on: 2009-01-29T00:00:00

The centerpiece of the June 10 annual meeting of the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland in the Mittleman Jewish Community Center ballroom was the presentation by JFGP Board Member Josh Blank of highlights from the federation’s Community Population Study (See story at left).

The multi-faceted survey that is the foundation of the study was completed earlier this year. Now, that information is being analyzed and distilled in order that its findings may be clearly understood.

Blank heads the federation committee that has overseen the study process.

Before Blank was welcomed to the lectern, other leaders reflected on the fiscal year that was then coming to an end.

JFGP President Gersham Goldstein reviewed federation’s continuing commitment to and support of local Jewish agencies and institutions, the work of the federation’s Community Relations Committee at the Oregon Legislature in support of religious freedom in the workplace, all of the work it supports both directly and through the United Jewish Communities in Israel and elsewhere abroad.

Goldstein thanked past federation leadership who he said “have served honorably and well.” He singled out immediate past president Bob Philip, Campaign Chair Sharon Weil, Women’s Philanthropy Chair Barbara Cohen and CRC Chair Rich Meyer.

Goldstein led a moment of silence for Stephen Tyrone Johns, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum security guard who died that day, June 10, after being shot at the museum.

JFGP Executive Vice President Charles R. Schiffman reported on federation activities in the current challenging economic environment, noting that the annual campaign achievement had been kept “to within 12 percent of the preceding year’s achievement.”

He noted that in response the economic downturn the federation had reduced its budget by nearly a quarter million dollars.

Of that move he said, “It cost some very fine people their jobs, and it temporarily set back our ability to do some things that we ought to be doing for the community. Nevertheless, it will make substantial additional funds available for serious human-service needs.”

He credited the federation’s Allocations Committee, charged with distributing much of the Annual Campaign revenue, for conducting an allocation process amid rising need and diminished resources “that was universally looked upon as one of the fairest and best ever.”

Schiffman acknowledged continuing challenges.

“We still have a long way to go in areas of campaign development, to raise and stabilize our campaign achievement and increase the number of donors that we reach.”

He pointed to other challenges on the federation agenda including enhancing the federation’s ability “to meet the needs of those who have been hurt by the economy,” making the Jewish Review “fully financially self-supporting,” “to raise and stabilize our campaign achievement and increase the number of donors” and “to implement supplemental giving for specially identified programs that match the specific interests of the capable donor.”

Schiffman thanked Goldstein, Philip and the federation staff.

“Our senior executive staff—Laurie Rogoway, Jen Feldman, Bob Horenstein and Josh Stein—continue to make us one of the most outstanding and productive intermediate sized federations in the country.”

In an aside on world affairs, Schiffman spoke of the danger to the Jewish people posed by Iranian President Mahmoud Amedinejad, whom he likened to Adolf Hitler. He called on all present to contact their congressional representatives “to say that we must do what is necessary to keep Iran from developing nuclear weapons.”

He noted that the CRC is working with the Oregon Legislature regarding state divestment from corporations that deal with Iran’s energy sector.

In an announcement that was a surprise to many, Schiffman revealed that he has asked the federation lay leadership to work with him “to begin looking towards my retirement as executive vice president.”

He said consultation already has taken place with the UJC and that a search is being instituted to find candidates to succeed him in the post he has held for 22 years.

In official business, JFGP Nominating Committee Chair N. Dickson Davis moved to nominate a short slate of candidates for the federation’s Governing Board.

Jeff Nudelman was re-nominated for a three-year term. Barbara Cohen, David Copley Forman and Chuck Tauman were nominated for three-year terms. All were approved by board vote.