Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site ucf-cs.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!unc!mcnc!duke!ucf-cs!yiri From: yiri@ucf-cs.UUCP (Yirmiyahu BenDavid) Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish Subject: Solutions or Illusions? Message-ID: <1551@ucf-cs.UUCP> Date: Sun, 7-Oct-84 09:48:30 EDT Article-I.D.: ucf-cs.1551 Posted: Sun Oct 7 09:48:30 1984 Date-Received: Wed, 10-Oct-84 02:52:12 EDT Organization: UCF, Orlando, FL Lines: 56 In response to the last article by Bill Peter. Yes, in your last paragraph you have indeed struck upon the point I was attempting to make. We can try blaming everything in the universe for these ills but I see nothing else which will have constructive results except accepting the blame ourselves. We are the only ones who can change them. Regarding suggestions, discussion is a beginning (feeble and oft-tried as it is). Perhaps the suggestions of one being placed before many and being processed through the minds of others and enhanced thereby, and further processed in this way - eventually something workable may come out. Think tank tactics. At least one prerequisite is that we apply ourselves to that issue. Throw out some ideas. Don't be afraid of 'flames'. One of the most obvious suggestions I can think of is for those of us who are generally concerned to accept the blame that WE haven't changed things. YOU (each reader) take some direct action to change things for the better - and not just one action either! You must continue as long as there is breath in your lungs. I'm certainly NOT advocating contri- buting to some campaign to do it for you either (emphatically not - YOU must DO something). That is not to say that organ- ized efforts should not be supported, they should - but not in place of direct personal action. What kinds of direct personal action are there? How many of you bothered to communicate to the Jewish mother on net.kids, without condemnation or any holier-than-thou cavalierness, that you were concerned, that you cared, that you were sympathetic, that you were willing to be a friend and help if you could? I can tell you that she has not been over- whelmed by caring, concerned Jews!!! This is what you can do on a personal basis, not just for this woman, but for the other families like hers in YOUR community. We managed to turn them off because of our callous attitude and it is us who must change that, but this means that YOU and I must be PERSONALLY and ACTIVELY INVOLVED. You cannont simply send your rabbi to do the job for you. If you do not do this then I tell you that I regard YOU as part of the problem rather than part of the solution. It is caring and loving INDIVIDUAL Jews who will or will not make the difference, not any Jewish organization. Organizations are good for accomplishing many things, but dealing with individuals on a personal level requires an individual representing them- self, not some organization they stand for. You can argue for social service and counselling organizations ad infinitum but I will continue to maintain that, no matter how dedicated the organization worker, and no matter his/her supposed ex- pertise, they cannot have the impact of a caring and loving individual acting out of his/her own caring and love. Well, feeble as it may be, that is at least a start.