After publishing an article and editorial about the Bernard Madoff scam — an unraveling catastrophe for Jewish philanthropy in our community and globally — I heard from a reader who urged the Jewish World to take a look beyond the scandal du jour.
The respondent agreed that our hearts should go out to those defrauded by Madoff, but she wondered where is the compassion for those who have experienced financial ruin in the general maelstrom of the economic mess triggered by the collapse of Wall Street banks and financial institutions. The U.S. government is quick to shore up the “too big to fail” institutions with hundreds of billions of dollars; but the unemployed and underemployed (including our AJW reader) are struggling to stay afloat financially. The mortgage meltdown and financial solvency crisis have led to the stock market collapse, which has left folks’ 401k accounts in tatters.
“We have been unable to meet our monthly obligations for four years without dipping into our savings,” our AJW reader writes. “And now, it is unclear how we are going to pay next month’s bills. And the labor statistics stand as evidence that we are far from alone.”
Our AJW reader, who has a Ph.D. and decades of professional work experience, has found a job for $12.50 an hour. She feels that the Jewish social service agencies and synagogues in the community do not have adequate resources for someone in her position. She adds that most churches have job support groups and job placement offices, but she resents having to attend a meeting where congregants pray “in the name of Jesus” for divine assistance.
Perhaps synagogues are hearing more stories like that of our reader, because the recent issue of HaEtone, the newsletter of Bet Shalom Congregation in Minnetonka, leads off with a column by Rabbi Norman Cohen titled “Facing the Crisis, Financial and More.” The rabbi notes that the “URJ (Union for Reform Judaism) is encouraging congregations to respond helpfully to members who are having financial difficulty.”
Rabbi Cohen writes, regarding those who are casting about for a port in their personal storm: “We know that this is not just about finances. Tension and uncertainty invade other areas of our life, and even the disruption of an everyday routine can be traumatic. We know how difficult and discouraging it can be not to have a place to go every day.”
Bet Shalom is inviting its congregants to use the synagogue “as your base to explore the marketplace.” The rabbi mentions that there’s WiFi in the building, cell phones work well, there are tables in the social hall and “classrooms for privacy,” and fresh coffee and hot water for tea are always available.
Also, we will be writing more in the future about the JVS program ParnossahWorksMinnesota.org (that’s the Web site), which provides a window of access for job seekers. JVS, a division of Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Minneapolis, will contact individuals who request help online (or by phone at 952-591-0227). This local Web site allows a person to gain access to job resources in the privacy of their home, and to receive individual attention from an experienced job counselor. There is also a function for employers to list job openings (such as the American Jewish World, which is looking for advertising sales help).
It looks like 2009 will be a tough year on the economy and jobs front. We want to hear your stories about managing through this economic downturn, which many are comparing to the Great Depression. We sincerely hope that we do not reach that nadir of decline, and that we experience better times and soon.
– Mordecai Specktor
editor@ajwnews.com
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