Update's Reader of the Year; Conversing with the Canadian Government
Update, a project of The Birmingham Jewish Federation, goes to nearly 7500 readers six days a week and Saturday night. We now get close to 500,000 clicks a year along with lots of feedback.
However, there is one reader, in particular, who has captured our hearts. She's someone who lives in another part of the country who has been involved in Jewish life and gives generously to Jewish causes. She loves Israel as well. Through a friend, she was added to Update several years ago and has since developed a special place in her heart for the "can-do" spirit of our small Birmingham Jewish community. She often sends us delightful and encouraging emails. They are welcome and appreciated, and our BJF staff has dubbed her "Update's Reader of the Year." Sure, she has a lot of competition for the honor because there are plenty of other folks out there -- in Birmingham, nationally, Israel, elsewhere -- who are faithful readers, and who also provide us with wonderful feedback. But this lady's special. She writes with warmth and passion, "gets us," and especially appreciates what we do, how hard we try and our levels of achievement given the fact that we're a community of just over 5000 Jews. A few days ago, another one of her gracious and upbeat emails arrived. She had just read the Update piece headlined "Birmingham, You Rock!" (see below link) which highlighted our commitment to reaching out to people -- especially young people -- and connecting with them. "I love it," she wrote, referring to the Update. "Truer words could not be said. These are not empty words, but words that have true meaning. I love how you always connect people to people and people to The BJF, always pointing out that The BJF makes and allows things to happen." And then she added something that made us feel especially good (and maybe even helped tip the Reader of the Year vote in her favor!). "A dollar goes a long way in Birmingham," she wrote. "Am forwarding a check to you to use wherever it is needed. I know that although small, it will be leveraged by everything The BJF touches. Love you guys!"
CONVERSING WITH THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT
The BJF's Joyce Spielberger likes to talk about "living the mission." It's a phrase we've adopted at our Federation to capture the passion that animates our work and the energy that flows through our organization. And, as we live the mission, Israel is never far from our minds.
We ask ourselves, "What else can we do to help Israel?" Supporting the Jewish state is critical to our mission and everyday in so many ways we look for opportunities to advance this goal. Sometimes it's just small things, but often these small gestures and initiatives have an impact. Watching the G-8 Summit last May, it was clear that one world leader who was willing, unhesitatingly, to stand up for Israel and help the Jewish state get a fair hearing was Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper. So we emailed him to thank him. It took all of three minutes. "The Birmingham Jewish Federation thanks Prime Minister Harper and commends him for his continued efforts to see that Israel gets fair treatment in the international arena," we wrote. "If more leaders were willing to do that, and not continually focus on one-sided declarations that distort the conflict and pressure Israel unfairly, it`s likely much more progress would have been made by now toward resolving the conflict," we added. A few days ago this came back from Salpie Stepanian, Assistant to the Prime Minister: "We appreciated receiving your positive input regarding our Government's support for the State of Israel. Please know that your thoughtful words of encouragement are appreciated." This nice response was gratifying and validated another belief that permeates The BJF. We believe that in this remarkable era of technological advancement, we can continue to expand our impact without increasing our costs. Opportunities abound to do so, and we plan to continue to embrace them as we "live the mission."
Above photo is of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, at left, meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
BJF IMPACTS IN ARGENTINA
Through the funding The Birmingham Jewish Federation Annual Campaign provides to the Joint Distribution Committee, we touch and enrich the lives of Jews throughout the world, including those in Argentina. Thus, it's especially gratifying to note that NPR is running a great story today on the Jews of Argentina. Here's an excerpt:
In the 1890s, Russian Jews fleeing anti-Semitic violence and discrimination arrived by the thousands to a remote corner of the Argentine Pampas. They founded hamlets similar to the shtetls they left behind. They spoke Yiddish, built synagogues and traditional Jewish schools -- and became farmers and gauchos, the mythical Argentine cowboys. Now, only a dwindling number of their descendants remain, but they're intent on saving the Jewish culture that flourished for decades. In Entre Rios province, the center of Argentina's rural Jewish communities, there are still gauchos, Hebrew lessons and sacred scrolls to be found.
Click for more on the work of the Federation-funded JDC in Argentina.
Photo is of Abraham Kreiserman, president of the Jewish community of Villa Clara, showing a portion of a Torah scroll at Beth Iacob Synagogue in Villa Clara. (Silvina Frydlewsky/for NPR)
