Michigan
Jewish Conference
|
Michigan
|
|
|
From the Director Recently I was invited to speak to a group of “political activists”. I was surprised to find that I was unfamiliar with most of the people in the room. In my advocacy role with the Conference, I tend to eventually meet and work with other people advocating on the same issues. Interestingly, these people were all deeply involved with Jewish advocacy but only on the national level. This meeting made me aware of the distinction made by many Jews on the importance of national advocacy versus state advocacy. Perhaps this distinction has been created by our deep concern for Israel. Yet, many of those politicians making public policy decisions today at the state level will be the same people who will influence decisions on the national level in the future. We need to develop relationships with these people while they are more accessible at the state level. This has become increasingly important since issues that have been kept at bay for years, such as religion in the public domain, are surfacing with increased frequency and increased support at the state level. Furthermore, the Jewish community receives a portion of its human service funding from the state. There is considerable competition for this funding and we want to ensure that Jewish agencies continue to receive this money. Thus, the Jewish community cannot afford to disregard or minimize the importance of advocacy on the state level. I need all of you to help me reach out to the Jewish community to encourage more active advocacy at the state level. Consider inviting public officials to participate in Jewish holidays or activities. Please let your communities know that the MJC has an advocacy e-mail list to which their names can be added simply by contacting our office. I would also be happy to work with you to develop an advocacy program, or even to provide a brief presentation on the important role of state advocacy. While I can lobby on behalf of the Jewish community, politicians often are more responsive to their constituents than the “hired gun”. The louder our voice in Lansing, the more effective we will be. I hope you are all having a healthy and relaxing summer! Susan R. Herman, Director
|
|
Send mail to mjc5@prodigy.net with
questions or comments about this web site.
|
