Impressions of a first-timer at the UJC GA

Tucsonans Matt Lehrer, Lori Riegel, Stuart Mellan and Craig Sumberg at the Grand Ole Opray in Nashville Tenn.

LORI RIEGEL
Special to the AJP
Three days of walking around with a smile from ear to ear ... electric excitement ... the thrill of hearing Hebrew conversations in elevators and corridors ... all of these impressions come to mind when I think about attending my first General Assembly of United Jewish Communities from Nov. 11-13, in Nashville, Tenn., where 3,500 participants gathered for the annual meeting of North American Jewish federations.
The fun began at the Nashville airport, where, standing in line for the hotel shuttle, I could easily identify groups who were headed for the GA. I met a pleasant couple who traveled all the way from Argentina to attend the GA, along with a National Young Leadership Award winner from Wisconsin. Feeling comfortable enough to chat with perfect strangers reminded me that I was really among my larger Jewish family.
The excitement of the opening plenary made the travel to Nashville well worth it. The session began with 273 Hillel students marching in carrying their schools’ flags and banners. I went a little crazy, and was probably quite loud, when I saw two students from the University of Arizona carrying red and blue signs.
The list of celebrity and notable speakers throughout the conference was impressive. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing Bruce Pearl, the basketball coach from the University of Tennessee, deliver his interpretation of the GA’s theme, “One People, One Destiny.” Pearl suggested that we as Jewish communities “focus on the process, not the end goal.” He also spoke about young leaders’ drive and ambition, advising that it’s acceptable “to expect a lot from yourself and others.”
At the opening plenary, Howard Dean, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, delivered an inspiring message. He described his 2004 presidential campaign as an example of the “power of the collective,” in which 25- to 30-year-olds created a grassroots movement using the Internet.
A younger influence was definitely present throughout the GA, not only in the representation of young leaders from various federations, but also in the “millennial” activities most of us participated in, such as constant text-messaging. But texting was not limited to the millennial generation. Our Tucson delegation, which included JFSA President and CEO Stuart Mellan, Campaign Director Craig Sumberg and Jewish Community Foundation Associate Executive Director Matt Lehrer, texted each other throughout the conference. Texting was an instant tool for finding people, figuring out which sessions to attend and saving each other seats at the plenary sessions.
Esther Kustanowitz, senior editor of PresenTense Magazine and creator of the My Urban Kvetch blog, brought the power of social networking and technology to our attention when she spoke at the “Next Generation” plenary. She described a “grassroots uprising” of young people seeking each other out using technology. Kustanowitz advised federations to increase their technological literacy to keep emerging young leaders active and inspired. Throughout the “Next Generation” session, a giant screen displayed each speaker’s Facebook page. Kustanowitz explained that Facebook is the “new iteration of Jewish geography ... you can get involved in things you never would have known about.” In fact, as I made my preparations for attending the GA, I found a link on the UJC homepage asking “Young(ish) and Going to the GA?” that prompted attendees under 45 to visit the GA Facebook page.
During the closing plenary, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also conveyed a message of hope and collective action. Rice maintained that eventually peace in the Middle East will happen, and emphasized the United States’ continuing support of our “democratic ally,” Israel. She fondly recalled her own experience with the Jewish community, when she helped translate for Russian Jewish immigrant children who had arrived in the United States during Operation Exodus in the late 1980s.
The central element that stayed with me throughout the GA and beyond was the incredible feeling of being part of something so much larger than just one Jewish community, but rather the collective power of all of us working together to make a difference. I also enjoyed getting to know our Tucson delegation outside of our usual roles. Experiencing the GA together motivated me to learn more about both JFSA’s Campaign and the difference one individual can make through our Jewish Community Foundation. On a side note, Craig, Matt and I are still texting.
Lori Riegel is an AJP account executive.