The election of Ron Lauder as President of the World Jewish Congress was not unexpected.Ron,is a warm friendly charitable individual who has a deep feeling for Jewish survial, and a respect for traditional Torah learning.I got to know him while at the Presidents Conference.I never thought of him as a hands-on leader,which is what the WJC needs after their scandels.
His comment that the WJC needs more young people like Matthew Bronfman is a little amusing.That Bronfman, a billionaire,the son of a billionaire, is joining hands with Lauder also a billionaire, does not speak to the needs of a revitalized WJC.Of course financially they will do well.They need to attract AMCHA- individuals who have to work for a living and are the overwhelming majority of our people.
What is needed now,is tranparency in cleaning up the mess and proving that in this day of the Jewish Agency,the religious streams as well as the State of Israel,there is a need for the WJC.
This they should do before they restart their fund raising campaigns.
One area that always requires more growth, is increased Jewish education for adults and youth.
Lauder understands this and his Foundation has excelled.Perhaps this should be the next WJC challenge.We do not need more organizations fighting
ant-semitism.Assimilation and inter-marriage will destroy us,and are our true most threatening enemies.
Yad Veshem,Weisenthal,ADL,AJC(Congress and Committee) etc. can fight over who is the most potent force against anti-semitism. This is classical organizational excess and redundancy.
We take our attention away from the key problem-Jewish ignorance.
I wish Lauder well,and hope that he can bring the WJC back to respectability and success.
