Page 6-The Canadian Jewish News. Thursday, February 11, 1993
Canada
M-T
CJN Exclusive
Gabe Nachman
Gahc Nachman. a panncr-in-chari>c at Coopers and Lyhrand accountancy firm, joined B'nai Brith's Foresidale Heights Lod^c some dozen ' Years ai;:o because he wanted to play baseball. Hlml began as a recreational oultei has become a deep commitment to the or\^anr<iuon's i;o(ds ami activities. His election as I iiriihy national president last June is his la,,. rcoinplish-meni in a volunteer career which has im htdcd virtually every position in his lodi^eas well us several national positions. Nachman .spoke with CJN reporter Frances Kraft recently at his Toronto office.
CJN: W7?rt/ are your priorities. as president of Bhai Brith Canada'.' .
noi alone and it's not a monopoly, whatever you say you know could be challenged; It's important that noone feels they have enough pwwer and enough representation that they speak for the whole community.
The other side of it is that B'nai Brith Canada is pan of B'nai Brith International, and we have . access to information and co-operation. Which can be vop. important in dealing with advocacy work on problems like anti-Semitism. If there is anti-Semitism that originates in another country and starts to impact Canada, we can go to that.com-; munity through B'nai Brith and get enough information that we can react quickly here.
Ottawa and talk to a politician about things that are imp<inant to the Jewish community and Israel, they know that you're not just a lobbyist, but that you're fully integrated into the Canadian community, and not just the Jewish community because much of the stuff is not Jewish-oriented. Much of it is community oriented. This is a serious organization that has the interest of this community at hean. is prepared to work for it. and represents a significant segment of the community.
It takes a while to understand what B'nai Brith is. Many people don't see B'nai Brith in its totality.
It's interesting, some people think that every employee in the B'nai Brith office should be Jewish. I would say most aren't Jewish. When someone can do the job, we hire them. It's that simple.
CJN: Hliat type of issues come up in B'nai Brith's Muslim-Jewish dialogues? '
Nachman: In dialogues with Muslims and other minority groups, each group has the same issues. Racism and intermarriage are discussion points. The kind of things that are important to us are important to them too.
CJN:Tc> what extent are the lodges involved in such dialogues'.'
Nachman: Ihave a number of priorities. One is administrative. Most charitable organizations arc not run in the same efficient manner as a business. A charity isn't expected to make profit, but we want it to run efficientl). which means, things like upgrading computer systems [a new system . has just been.installed] and service to members of the kxJges. the League for Human Rights and the Institute for International .Affairs.
The other priority 1 have is fighting racism in this community. There's a lot of anti-Semitism . in Canada. It's just not acceptable, so we've got to fight it. and in that context my objective is giving support-to those working in the League for Human Rights.
.1 also take part in the lobbying that.other B'nai . Brith agencies, such as the institute for International Affairs, do. One of the important roles 1 feel I serve when I go with them and speak tgx,. B'nai Brith is to show that B'nai Brith's wholc-heaned support is behind what we're doing. That is important, because then politicians know they're not .speaking just to an individual but to representatives of an organization.
■ CJN: At one point B 'nai Brith ivas over S2 million in,debt. How is the organization holding up financially'.' . •
Nachman: Most of the debt is a.mortgage on our •building, and our equity is way. way in excess of that.
CJN: How has B'nai Brith been affected hy the recession'.' ... r . .
Nachman: The recession obviously affects us. The level of donations go down, and that's no different than any other charity. But you know, it's not affected that much. On an annual,basis, it's about break-even. In 1991 (1992 hasn't been audited yet) we were son of break-even, and that to me was admirable in that kind of an economy.
CJN: How have budget cuts to Hillel ami BBYO affectedB'nai Brith's relationships with .student.s. and to what extent docs B'nai Brith support student.s now'.' , .
Nachman: Our commitment to students was and always will be very strong. Our commitment, of . course, is dependent on, how much money we havei I'd like to suppon'them 100 percent, but if you don't have the money to support 100 percent ; then you support in the way you can.
There was a strong perception in the community that we stopped supporting BBVO. Although ; we aren't registered as the sponsor of BBYO as in the past, they are in pur building. We don't charge them anything. We. pay many of their expenses including their employees who are still on the B'nai Brith payroll. .
We also take co-op students who go to school part of the year and work part of the year as part of their school program. Much of that,is done through grants. The experience that we're able to give them jn the areas that they're working is fantastic.
CJN: Wliere does B 'nai Brith fit into the larger Jewish community'' "
Nachman: It's what I would call in business terms a major player. I think that because we represent so many members, it's a voice that can't -be ignored.
I thirik the community is large enough that there doesn't necessarily have to be one voice. There can be different voices.
I spmetimes wish there wouldn't be as much criticism of each other, but in a sense it's good, because if you're alone and you run a monopoly, you can say whatever you wantr-If you are
CX\: How would you describe the relationship, between B 'nai Brith Canada and Canadian Jewish Congress?
Nachman: That relationship varies depending on who you talk to and when you talk to them. I personally have a good working relationship with Ir\'ing Abella. the president of Congress. I've had lots of meetings with him and others in Congress, and it's always been in a co-operative sense. We don't always agree, and we don't have to agree, but the perception in the community, because we disagree sometimes, is that we're fighting each other. I think the: differences of opinion are, healthy. I've been at meetings where we concliide by saying we agree to disagree, but we pan friends. We're not enemies.
The differences of views aren't quite as drastic as is perceived. We agree and we work together in many instances. The Canada-Israel Committee is an example. We might have different \ iews on where the Green Line should be. but \ve agree on the basic principle that'we're there to support Israel and-Israel is the homeland of the Jewish people. Noone is going to work against that.
CJN: .^re there other misconceptions about B 'nai Brith which you'd like to correct?
Nachman: B'nai Brith serves a number of pur-prases, and some of our members who are in^ volved in one aspect, such as CVS (community volunteer services) or advocacy, think that that's -all we should do. „
These ser\'ices are more linked than people realize. CVS adds credibility to an organization. It demonstrates that we're noTthere just to shoot off our mouths and talk to politicians, but it adds value to the community. So when you do go to
CJN: How is B 'nai Brith addressing the issues of assimilation and intermarriage?
Nachman: We've concluded that education at a young age is one of the only ways to preserve Jewishness,. We have people who go to schools, both public and Jewish schools, to speak on things like anti-Semitism, the Holocaust, and the Jewish way of life..
I don't necessarily agree that assimilation Will be the downfall of the Jewish people. It's widespread, obviously. Our multi-cultural society is highly supported by government and B'nai Brith, and 1 think that as long as that occurs and as long as the different cultures here live together well, but also identify with a culture, the assimilation problem is not going to be as serious as it has been in the United States, bur nonetheless it's serious.
CJN: Wlxat is B'nai Brith's stand on intermar-ried members?
Nachman:, At our last iriternatiortal'cotivention there was discussion on whether non-Jewish children or spouses of B'nai Brith members should be admitted. That's,not resolved. It's an issue in the United States because of the level of intermarriage. In Canada. Europe and Australia, it's not as big an issue, although ir is an issue.
You must be Jewish to join B'nai Brith, It's important that a group doesn't openly restrict a .social organization, but B'nai Brith is a religious organization. - —
There are lots of noni^Jew'ish people involved in B'nai Brith, but they're not members The League for Human Rights has lots of non-Jewish' members. They don't belong to B'nai Brith, but ■ they work in the League, because the League promotes multi-culturalism. As soon as you say multi-cultural ism,' not everyone can be Jewish.
Nachman: Board membership on the League for' Human Rights is split about 50-50 between kxjge members and non-members. If you have one person in a particular lodge who's interested in miilti-, culturalism and works on the league, that comes back to the lodge and the lodge is directed that way too.
The other kind of participation is if the league organizes a demonstration..there's.a lot of lodge participation, because we have a common cau.se!
CJS: Wliat do.you see as the major issues j'ac-ing world Jewry?
Nachman: In my mind the, important things are the pre.sen'ation of Israel, the preservation of our -religion, the prevention of another HokKau.sr and the elimination of anti-Semitic activity.
Israel must at all costs continue to exist and continue to be the homeland of the Jewish people. . because I don't want to see another.; Holocaust.
I don't want to see another holocaust affecting any people. The world has taken a big stride toward world peace in recent years, but we can't tolerate things like Bosnia. (B'nai Brith Canada sent inedicine and. five tons of clothing to Bosnia.)
..CJN: /.V the distance between :the regions in Canada a problem in terms ()f your job?
Nachman; The big difference is that I've got to travel to meet people, but we live in an age of electronics where these distances are nothing. Telephones are quick. Fax niachincs are quick. W'c have conventions..
Sure, comniunication isn't as gocxi.as it would '. be with somebody across the road, but that's what a national.organization js.
CJN: Was there any fallout or dissen.sioii result-■.ing from the referendum?
Nachman:.If there was. nobody talked about it. We took a posifion in B'nai Brith. We were strongly in favor of a yes vote. That position was , taken in consultationvvith B'nai Brith leaders across Canada.
There's always disagreement on aspects, but the bottom line was that everybody was in favor of a yes vote.
CJN: H0Wrdo you combine the'demands of the B 'nai Brith presidency with the demands of your career and the needs of your fatnily? (Nachman is married with two children, age 12 and 15.)
Nachman: I have the support of my firm that . while I am president of.B'nai Brith my clients continue to get proper ser\'ice. Some days I spend 14 hours on B'nai Brith work, otherdays it's an hour or two.
I look at it as having two full-time jobs. biit. the satisfacnon is worth it. That to me is the bottom line.
My wife is supportive and my kids are understanding. If I was out just working, they wouldn't , accept that, but when you say you're out work-' ing for the benefit of society; they accept that,
CJN: Are you optimistic about the fiiture of the Jewish community in Canada? -
Nachman: Yes, I'm very optimistic. I think that in the Jewish community we have riiany strong leaders: We have very intelligent;people,.We have industrious people who are prepared to work. There are people who are ver}' concerned , about the issues offainily. I think we're educating pur children well. Our Jewish schools are strong. So Lthink we're in a strong position, but _we've got to. fight the elements that would like to see our destruction.