Female Presidents of a Jewish Organization Reflect on Inclusivity

As many in the United States celebrate the nation’s first female vice president, we have been lifted by a spirit of diversity, democracy and inclusiveness. Those same sentiments recently emerged within the Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts, an organization that, for nearly a century, has been supporting communities locally, nationally, and worldwide. I recently interviewed eight former female presidents — Donna Feldman, Susan Firestone, Betsy Gaberman, Suze Goldman, Sue Kline, Ronda Parish, Ann Pava and Diane Troderman — who led the organization at various times between 1987-2019. These interviews culminated in a major community-wide virtual program, in which each president was in the spotlight for a few minutes to discuss her accomplishments.

Here are just some of their insights.

Bridging the Divide

Former president Susan Firestone discussed the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), or the Iran deal, a topic on which board members held disparate views. As she reflected on their divergent opinions, Firestone evoked Reconstructionist Rabbi David Teutsch, who maintains that in order for a given group to reach a decision fairly, each of its members must be given an opportunity to voice their own opinion.

Firestone adopted Teutsch’s view on this matter and allowed even the most heated conversations to unfold fully to reconcile the various points of view. She emphasized that the interactive process by which the decision was made was what mattered most among committee members when reaching a suitable decision.

Like Firestone, former president Ann Pava was sensitive to potential divisiveness among community stakeholders and board members. A community member once referred to Pava as a “master of resolving the issues,” and that her primary objective was to ensure that all voices were heard.

When I asked Pava about her ability to mediate polarized views within the community, she expressed her preference to think about what unifies people and not about what polarizes them. Pava’s approach to unification requires strengthening the ties between the lay leaders and paid professionals working to achieve organizational success. She believes that mediating among the views of current and old board members is crucial. Although new leaders are here to look to the future and to share their innovate ideas, she emphasized that we must “trust the guidance of those who came before us.”

Inclusivity

Suze Goldman, whose term ran from 2015-2017, promoted inclusivity among various portals into Jewish interest groups. She stressed the importance of seeking to “integrate” people into the Jewish community by identifying the sometimes “non-traditional” ways in which they relate to Judaism. For example, she noted that some people feel connected to Judaism primarily through film and that their only “Jewish” community engagement is in conjunction with the annual Pioneer Valley Jewish Film Festival.

Goldman added that her meaningful effort to foster inclusivity took her to various Jewish agencies and synagogues throughout the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts. In some areas, she met Jews who had yet to become actively involved with the work of the Jewish community and to occupy seats on Federation boards and committees. In this respect, Goldman sought to maximize Jewish inclusivity within a much greater regional sphere.

The five other women presidents also shared their own stories that relate to the power of inclusivity. Some of these included the delicate question of negotiating with key Palestinian leaders about water rights in Jerusalem; achieving a sense of community around the time of the Six-Day War; advocating for feminism when considering the work of Hillary Rodham Clinton and Ruth Bader Ginsburg; leaving the protective walls of one’s own Jewish community to visit and support Jewish communities around the globe; and bringing together representatives of regional institutions of higher education that held divergent views about Israel.

It is quite clear that during their presidencies, a top priority for each woman was bringing to the fore a very multifaceted spirit of inclusivity. Their insights are more relevant than ever, especially as the Jewish community seeks to foster inclusivity virtually. May we carry their lessons with us, bringing our community ever closer.

Lara R. Curtis is a founder of the University of Massachusetts Amherst Institute for Holocaust, Genocide, and Memory Studies (IHGMS), adjunct faculty at Springfield College and author of “Writing Resistance and the Question of Gender: Charlotte Delbo, Noor Inayat Khan, and Germaine Tillion.”