Repairing the Jewish community’s roof

JEWISH Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) president Nina Bassat wants to equip the roof body with the financial resources it needs to interact more effectively with its 60 constituent organisations and the 65,000-strong Victorian Jewish ­population.

Bassat said the list of JCCV’s achievements over the past year is impressive, and choosing several projects to promote during the 2012 appeal was challenging because all projects vied for attention. The challenge, she said, was to create a set of focal points rather than overwhelm Victoria’s Jewish ­community.

“We have an enormously high standing outside this community, with community groups, other religious bodies, with government and police – we have a lot of doors open to us,” said Bassat. “We must maintain that, there’s no question.

“But where I feel we’ve perhaps let ourselves down a bit is that we haven’t been relevant enough to our own affiliates. I really think that’s something we’ve got to focus on.”

The JCCV has developed a strong network of community professionals, said Bassat. “We’ve had various leadership courses and workshops where we really value-add to our affiliates and we don’t charge for this obviously,” she told The AJN. “Dollars are getting very tight and all communal organisations have to operate more efficiently.”

The JCCV is also providing leadership development training for lay leaders and volunteers, and ran a ­successful forum with University of Melbourne Professor Leon Mann earlier this year, with another event scheduled for November.

JCCV is partnering with Jewish Care to set up a volunteer centre to “capture the youth” and channel energies that might otherwise be lost to the community, she said, as well as providing the optimal niches for other demographics as well.

“The average 18-year-old doesn’t want to sort clothes for National Council of Jewish Women; however, the 70-year-old who’s finished a high powered job and is bored out of her wits may want to do that. So we’re trying to catch both ends of the spectrum.”

In the past year, the JCCV has run programs in schools about the dangers of alcohol abuse; commemorated the Holocaust with its annual Yom Hashoah ceremony; supported Jewish students against anti-Semitism; educated politicians about Jews and Israel; fostered ties with other faiths and ethnic groups at its multifaith Chanukah party; organised a volunteer fair for students returning from Israel programs; reached out to unaffiliated members of the community, including Melbourne’s Indian Jewish community; tackled the issue of discrimination against those identifying as gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender; and lobbied against the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign – just some of its activities.

The roof body has also fought for the preservation of shechitah (kosher slaughter); collaborated with police to ensure community security; voiced support for Israel at Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut events; recognised Jewish volunteers with its annual Jewish Community Awards; and engaged the community in forums on topics including protecting children from sexual abuse.

With that exhaustive list, Bassat hopes this year’s JCCV appeal will draw a new record of more than $100,000 from the community.

Bassat said she was aware of the JCCV’s perception as a roof body in a community where the ties might be closer to grassroots synagogues, community organisations and schools, but it was important for Victorian Jews to realise that as an umbrella organisation, the JCCV has a critical role to fill in keeping the community cohesive.

PETER KOHN