Modern Midrash:
The AJCOP Online Journal

Shalom colleagues!!

We are pleased to report that the inaugural issue of our new online professional journal Modern Midrash is a real hit! Colleagues have written back with some gratifying remarks. A small sample of comments received:

Thanks for providing this new service and for your creativity in its format.

Wonderful! Thank you

Great addition……….congratulations

Thanks to all of you who have written in.

In this second issue, we continue the dialogue on the crucial subject of job loss. Richard Marker shares a very personal, insightful account. Once again, we invite your feedback.

Next is a call for papers. The next issue of Modern Midrash will be devoted to professional ethics. We are especially interested in receiving actual case histories of ethical dilemmas you have faced or are currently dealing with. Please submit your actual articles, cases or other suggestions.

We are very excited about this journal and it will rely on your active participation. “Keep those cards and letters coming!”

Kol tuv,

Danny Allen, President
Lou Solomon, Executive Director
Marlene P. Solomon, Associate Director
Eric Levine, Editor, Editorial Board Chair
Howard L. Ross, Web Design and Technical Support

Mission

    Modern Midrash is the online journal of AJCOP, the professional association for the advancement of community organization practice, affiliated with the Jewish Communal Service Association. AJCOP is dedicated to the development, enhancement and strengthening of the professional practice of Jewish community service.
    Modern Midrash is devoted to fostering community, dialogue and learning among AJCOP colleagues. The journal will explore issues related to the continuity, well being and survival of the Jewish people; the welfare of the Jewish community, its organizations and individuals; Jewish identity; Jewish ethics, morals, culture, history, tradition and religious values; the special relationship between Israel and the Jewish Diaspora; the theory and practice of community organization; professional training and continuing education; the application of the values that mark our field, such as tzedek/tzedakah/chesed, limud, and tikkun olam (justice, philanthropy, compassion, learning, and social action); Jewish social issues; and communal policy. The Journal will be especially attuned to discussions of the ethical and values issues that are embedded in Jewish community organization practice. Periodically, the Journal will also include book reviews, news of the profession and resources for practitioners.

Writers' Guidelines
    Modern Midrash welcomes essays and articles on a continuing basis from all professionally trained or experienced individuals engaged in community organization practice within and on behalf of the Jewish community, including individuals who are employed by local, regional, national and overseas Jewish community organizations, agencies and institutions, academicians engaged in the field, Jewish students preparing to enter the field and retired professionals.
    As an Online "dialogical” journal, we aim to present individual articles along with commentary. Articles should be limited to essay format and length. Essays should be related to specific practice areas, communal concerns, ethical dilemmas, and career issues, and should be 500-1000 words. Modern Midrash encourages and will publish reader responses of up to 250 words.
    Only essays not submitted elsewhere for publication will be considered. Authors agree not to submit elsewhere an essay accepted by Modern Midrash. Notification of acceptance, need for revision, or rejection will be made in eight weeks. At the start, the journal will be published 4-6 times a year, and depending on the volume of exchange, we may be able to increase its frequency in the months and years to come. Essays and responses will be reviewed by the editor and editorial board. Essays should be written in English and submitted via e-mail as an attached Word document. Footnotes should not be used. Accepted articles and responses become the property of Modern Midrash and may not be published elsewhere without permission. Articles are edited for grammar and style. Articles and/or reponses should be submitted on the form at the bottom of this page or email to AJCOP@bellsouth.net.

Modern Midrash: The AJCOP Online Journal

Volume I Number 2 February 2005

And then I lost the watch (2004)

Richard Marker

I loved that watch – an engagement gift from my then soon to be and now beloved wife. It was my kind of watch – sterling, pocket, and contemporary.    A loose clasp, a hole in a pocket, and a rainy evening conspired. Alas, Georg Jensen no longer makes it so it must reside in memory; its replacement is utilitarian but hardly as elegant – or meaningful.

It was that kind of year, 2 years ago.   For 35 years, I had numerous employers and a career of some distinction. Until the last, in each case I had left for new opportunities of my own choosing. Two years ago, I joined the millions of Americans who became statistics as corporate hubris, greed, or foolishness led to the elimination of otherwise fine and secure careers. The circumstances which impacted my change have been well documented in the business, and gossip, pages ad nauseam.   There were thousands of jobs and billions of dollars lost.   My position was but a footnote.

Thus, at age 57, I was, for the first time, involuntarily unemployed. It was an interesting time. I learned a lot about colleagues, coworkers, and fellow travelers.

There were those whose magnanimity and generosity of spirit were beyond compare.   Some who have reputations as hard and harsh proved to be exemplary. Their kindness and thoughtfulness will forever be cherished.

Then there were those whose natural instinct was to treat me as someone in mourning – to express sympathy in tone and affect. They meant well but their focus was more on how sorry they were than on recognizing that I had begun the next stage of my life. I was never in mourning; I was already moving ahead even as they were responding to the past.

And, truth be told, there were those few, colleagues and fellow travelers of long standing, who somehow never could return a phone call even though I wanted nothing except continued collegiality from them. Perhaps my own apparent misfortune made them feel vulnerable, but they were the biggest surprises of all. For these few, I was a leper to be avoided at all costs. Even if those costs were mine. Happily this is the shortest list.

The 2 years have been kinder than I imagined they would be. I am among the fortunate who had choices relatively soon. It was my choice to strike out on my own to develop an independent direction. I have been gratified how many are interested in contracting for my advice and accumulated experience, and perhaps wisdom; many organizations have sought me as a speaker; new opportunities continue to emerge when I least expect them.

There are surely trade offs. As an independent self employed professional, income is less consistent than a salary guarantees. Some of the fringes I have lost were over the top – the 1st class travel, the private gym, etc. I did fine before I had them and am fine now. Others are harder – health benefits, office support, pension, paid vacations require much more work and challenge. On balance, I am delighted with where I am today. I am not “between” anything, but where I wish to be. Life teaches one never to say “never”, but I would be quite comfortable if this were to be my last career – one which lasts a long time.

In looking back over what is now more than 37 years, I have had a wonderful run. If there are regrets, it is the opportunities I didn’t pursue, not the ones I did. These last 2 years have taught me much about myself, my resilience, my marriage, and my skills. I wouldn’t have planned it to be this way, but it has turned out to be quite fine.

But, sometimes, I do miss that watch.

Richard A. Marker provides advisory services to individual philanthropists, families, and foundations, and teaches Grantsmanship at NYU. His emphasis is strategic philanthropy and planning and has specialized in advising numerous venture philanthropists and venture philanthropy projects.

Modern Midrash:
The AJCOP Online Journal

Shalom colleagues!!
    AJCOP is pleased to announce the launching of an online professional journal for its members, entitled Modern Midrash: The AJCOP Online Journal.
    The goal of the Journal is to foster community, dialogue and learning among AJCOP colleagues. Our world today is so fast paced and colleagues across the geographic and organizational spectrum often do not have opportunity to engage one another in thoughtful discussion about the issues that confront us and our communities.
    Electronic communication is quickly becoming the norm and is an efficient means of keeping in touch with each other. The online format of this journal will enable AJCOP members to read concise and cogent “think pieces” on a range of salient communal, professional and personal concerns. The "dialogical" nature will present point and counterpoint as well as offer opportunity for readers to post their commentary.
    The journal will explore fundamental and concrete issues related to professional practice in Jewish community organization. The journal will be particularly concerned with ethics and values and how they inform and shape our organizations and the sacred work we do.
    In this inaugural issue, we encounter a difficult professional and personal matter: what happens when we lose our jobs. The author and dialogical partner encounter one another on the myriad personal, professional, emotional, spiritual, and communal implications of losing or changing positions. We invite your feedback.
    The leadership of AJCOP is very excited about this new opportunity for discourse and mutual learning. We hope you share our enthusiasm and will be an active participant. As this new venture evolves, let us know how we can continually improve and tailor it to the needs and interests of our community of colleagues.

Kol tuv,

Danny Allen, President
Lou Solomon, Executive Director
Marlene P. Solomon, Associate Director
Eric Levine, Editor, Editorial Board Chair
Howard L. Ross, Web Design and Technical Support

    Modern Midrash is the online journal of AJCOP, the professional association for the advancement of community organization practice, affiliated with the Jewish Communal Service Association. AJCOP is dedicated to the development, enhancement and strengthening of the professional practice of Jewish community service.
    Modern Midrash is devoted to fostering community, dialogue and learning among AJCOP colleagues. The journal will explore issues related to the continuity, well being and survival of the Jewish people; the welfare of the Jewish community, its organizations and individuals; Jewish identity; Jewish ethics, morals, culture, history, tradition and religious values; the special relationship between Israel and the Jewish Diaspora; the theory and practice of community organization; professional training and continuing education; the application of the values that mark our field, such as tzedek/tzedakah/chesed, limud, and tikkun olam (justice, philanthropy, compassion, learning, and social action); Jewish social issues; and communal policy. The Journal will be especially attuned to discussions of the ethical and values issues that are embedded in Jewish community organization practice. Periodically, the Journal will also include book reviews, news of the profession and resources for practitioners.

Writers' Guidelines
    Modern Midrash welcomes essays and articles on a continuing basis from all professionally trained or experienced individuals engaged in community organization practice within and on behalf of the Jewish community, including individuals who are employed by local, regional, national and overseas Jewish community organizations, agencies and institutions, academicians engaged in the field, Jewish students preparing to enter the field and retired professionals.
    As an Online "dialogical” journal, we aim to present individual articles along with commentary. Articles should be limited to essay format and length. Essays should be related to specific practice areas, communal concerns, ethical dilemmas, and career issues, and should be 500-1000 words. Modern Midrash encourages and will publish reader responses of up to 250 words.
    Only essays not submitted elsewhere for publication will be considered. Authors agree not to submit elsewhere an essay accepted by Modern Midrash. Notification of acceptance, need for revision, or rejection will be made in eight weeks. At the start, the journal will be published 4-6 times a year, and depending on the volume of exchange, we may be able to increase its frequency in the months and years to come. Essays and responses will be reviewed by the editor and editorial board. Essays should be written in English and submitted via e-mail as an attached Word document. Footnotes should not be used. Accepted articles and responses become the property of Modern Midrash and may not be published elsewhere without permission. Articles are edited for grammar and style. Articles and/or reponses should be submitted on the form at the bottom of this page or email to AJCOP@bellsouth.net.

Modern Midrash: The AJCOP Online Journal

Volume I Number 1 January 11, 2005

An Experience You’ll Never Forget
by Ken Glickman

We don’t realize how important our job is to us emotionally and spiritually until we don’t have it any more. It’s the reason for getting up in the morning. It’s the glue that holds our day together. After losing his job, one person told me that he felt like he was on the outside looking in.
    If we leave our job voluntarily the feelings are slightly different. We may feel empowered, unshackled from a deadening job and looking for the career that will finally reward us and challenge us.
    But if we are fired or laid-off, we are faced with feelings of failure, greatly diminished self-esteem, and self doubt. We begin to question the validity of any success we experienced and we have feelings of guilt towards our family.
    Amazingly, though, after this trauma has occurred, we recover quickly. If you have seen someone undergoing surgery, with a physician operating on the open body with the patient seemingly dead, it is always miraculous when you see the person grocery shopping a few short weeks later, looking great. The body repairs.
    And in the case of a job trauma, as well, we repair quite quickly. Often times we get better than we were before. But it takes hard work.
    We must get busy. We must create a schedule to be active throughout the day. Wake up early, have an exercise regimen, and have a list of tasks to accomplish. Also, we should live by the adage, “Know Thyself.”
    Through a series of activities and interviews, we should spend much time analyzing what our accomplishments were, why we were good at our job, what part of the job did we enjoy doing the best, and which job did we enjoy the most. We usually forget the good stuff and often languish too much on the bad. We must learn to celebrate our triumphs.
    Talk to previous colleagues to enlist their help. They may give information about career achievements that you totally forget about. To restore your self-esteem, fill your brain with all of the skills, attributes and success stories that will be the material you will use in interviews.
    When you eventually meet with a future employer, remember that your job disaster is far more important to you than it is to him or her. Learn to tell the story of your lay-off in a positive, self-confident and concise story. You’ll be surprised to hear that it’s happened to almost everybody. It’s really no big thing in an interview.
    Within a few months, you’ll be re-employed, often in a job better than your last one, with an organization that really wants you. But you’ll never be the same. You’ll be stronger, more cynical, more positive about yourself, and less nervous about any career upheavals that may happen in the future.

Ken Glickman is an executive recruiter and is Sr. Vice President for the firm, Harvey Hohauser & Associates in Michigan. Also he is a freelance writer, with a regularly appearing column called CareerSmart in the Lansing State Journal. Ken’s 25 years of experience in the human resource consulting field include outplacement, executive consulting, career counseling and executive recruitment. He can be reached at glickman@hohauser.com or (517) 349-7007.

Commentary
Anonymous

    While self esteem may be greatly diminished when fired or laid-off, the greatest disappointment is finding out that some of your friendships were actually only illusions. All too often we assume that colleagues are friends only to discover that when you no longer have the right position or title to be of use to them you are no longer useful at all. When I once changed positions and could not provide access for a senior colleague not only was I ignored, I didn't even get so much as a Shabbat Shalom while sitting in the same section of the shul where we both davened.
    The loss of those who one has presumed were your friends is a bitter pill. The years of shared experience, either in a personal or professional relationship, can be devastating. Perhaps it is hard to know what to say to the now unemployed friend? Perhaps it is tiresome to always have to be confronted with what may seem like the same conversation? Yet, what is true friendship than being able to be there for the bad times as well as the good times.
    It could be that a friend feels that you were in the wrong and thus should have lost your position. Even under such circumstances a real friend will be a friend and any mistake should only remain a mistake. The awkwardness of such moments can be overcome by real friends.
    An old Jewish text puts it (colloquially translated) this way:
    When you wish to hang out with someone, hang out only with your friend that will extol you; if you honor him he will respect you, and when you need his help it will be offered freely. When you are in trouble your friend will bear it with you and no harm will come to you through him.

Refu'at Hanefesh
by Marcia Bronstein

    The room was steamy and warm and the water was beckoning. Okay, I whispered to my self and took a deep breath, I finally made it here.
    Looking around the room, I was overcome by a flood of emotion recalling the other three times in my life I considered coming to the Mikvah. Over 20 years ago as a new bride I wanted to immerse in the Mikvah. Unsure of the procedure and put off with the responses by the person answering my questions, I didn’t make it. My grandmother Rose explained to me that it wasn’t an obligation I would fulfill monthly and she didn’t think I should go. To her the Mikvah was part of the old country, the Orthodox way that our Conservative family didn’t follow. The next time I considered Mikvah was after the birth of my son but the realities of being a first time mother and then deciding who I would ask to accompany me was too great and I didn’t go. Finally, I did have a fleeting thought of visiting the Mikvah after the birth of my daughter but the reality of caring for a newborn and a toddler prohibited me from exercising that thought. So, when I learned that my executive position at work was not going to be funded for the upcoming year and that I had two weeks to wrap up my projects and leave, I decided that now was the time. I would visit the Mikvah. Picking up the phone, placing the call and setting the date felt natural and comfortable and I decided to go it alone. To do it for me and to be completely open to receive the blessings left by others who, like me, were seeking to move from darkness to light by marking their life event with this ritual.
    The morning of the appointment was chaotic. Getting up early I followed the check list in preparation for the immersion. Then after packing two school lunches and driving my daughter to school, I stopped to do an errand, and then went home to pick up the Mikvah bag that I packed the night before. Once ready to leave, I couldn’t find the car keys, then the phone rang and then the main thoroughfare was congested by road repairs.    Instead of arriving 15 minutes early as planned, I arrived 15 minutes later than the scheduled appointment. I did question whether or not I was just a bit ambivalent about this long anticipated visit but then brushed it off. I wanted to do this for a long time and now I was about to make it happen.
    Breathing deeply I answered the Mikvah directors question. What did I expect? Initially, my thoughts were to connect to a ritual that was designed for our foremothers long ago; To participate in the ancient rite and to gain a sense of emotional and physical cleansing. Today in addition, I wanted to acknowledge that G-d has plans for each of us, although we may not know what is in store for us, or even understand why things happen in certain sequences, there is a plan and when one door closes, a window opens. I was here to acknowledge that I was not afraid of change. Each step is one on the path towards G-d’s plan. I was beginning a new journey and embracing it.
    On the evening of the last day at work, I met with a group of friends who have for the past 12 years, formed a network of support. We started as colleagues, all working for Jewish Communal Agencies and all struggling to balance personal and professional issues. Over the years, we formed a solid friendship that is sacred and meaningful. Monthly meetings, which at times were so difficult to keep, were given priority status. A friend opened the meeting with a dvar torah that focused on the third day/Tuesday. I had received the news about my position on a Tuesday and my last day in the office was on Tuesday. It seems that Tuesday has a special meaning in the Torah. G-d created the world in six days, on the third day however, the Tuesday, He proclaimed as He did each day that it was good. But unlike the other days, he proclaimed that it was good two times on Tuesday. So there is something special about the day. What did this mean to me? Not to see my situation merely as an ending; a termination of something but, as a beginning. A good beginning.
    Sitting on the step of the Mikvah dangling my legs in the warm water and reading some of the spiritual selections that the Mikvah director prepared for me, I was touched by the story of Reb Zuzsia. On his deathbed he sobbed and his students asked why. Zuzia explained that in heaven if he is asked why he wasn’t more like Moses or like Abraham he would have an answer. But is he was asked why wasn’t he more like Zuzsia, he didn’t have an answer and was worried that maybe he had missed something important in life. Being yourself, becoming yourself, your potential, growing, learning, being….That is what life is about. Being open to possibilities, that is what the Mikvah is all about.
    “Are your ready?” I was asked, and with an affirmative answer, I began my dissent into the warm water. With each of my three immersions, I thought of the three times I wanted to but didn’t. With each dunk I was able to embrace that memory and know that I had reached a new stage. I felt buoyed by the warm water and uplifted by the ritual. After reciting the Shecheyanu, I left the Mikvah. A calm and wholeness surrounded me. It was a new beginning. And it was good.

Marcia Bronstein has recently joined the management team of the Jewish Community Centers of Greater Philadelphia in revenue enhancement.

Modern Midrash: The AJCOP Online Journal

Mission

Modern Midrash: The AJCOP Online Journal

Mission

Modern Midrash:
The AJCOP Online Journal

Modern Midrash:
The AJCOP Online Journal