CJP's Barry Shrage: His Passion Doesn't Quit
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MARCH 30, 2017 – 3 NISAN, 5777 JEWISHVOL 41, NO 17 JOURNAL JEWISHJOURNAL.ORG CJP’s Barry Shrage: His Passion Doesn’t Quit In last week’s edition of the Journal (March 23), we broke the news that Barry Shrage had announced his intention to step down as CEO and president of Combined Jewish Philanthropies in the summer of 2018. In an interview last week to explain the decision, the first question we asked Barry had to do with his plans for retirement – what were the unfulfilled possibilities that he wanted to explore after being released from his responsibilities running Boston’s hugely successful federation? continued on page 2 WHAT’S NEXT ON YOUR TO-DO LIST? Get the financing you need to tackle your next project with a HOME EQUITY LINE OF CREDIT. Remodel the kitchen Repair the roof Shop for the holidays % Go on vacation Finish the basement APR* Consolidate credit cards 3.25 Call 877-MY-METRO or visit metrocu.org. 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Email [email protected]. 2 THE JEWISH JOURNAL MA – JEWISHJOURNAL.ORG – MARCH 30, 2017 COMMUNITY NEWS CJP’s Barry Shrage: The un-retirement from page 1 Barry’s first answer ran on for about commitment to these forms of Jewish five minutes, making Shrage sound education, and in particular, they left not one bit like someone prepared to follow-up entirely to the Birthright sit around in his bathrobe taking all Foundation. Following up and engaging morning to read the paper. Here is some people who’ve been to Israel is a local of that answer, with nary a pause taken community responsibility, this can’t be for a breath, proving that despite his managed from a national headquarters retirement plans, Barry’s passion still someplace. But what I always wonder burns strong. is, why can’t every local federation, every local dayschool, every local Jewish Journal: What is your fantasy organization, they’re all interested in the about retirement? next generation. The next generation Barry Shrage: To be able to do some is flooding out of Israel and into our of the things that I want to do and care local communities, and we need to keep deeply about. Being president and CEO offering them opportunity of deepening of CJP is a very very very full-time job their engagement with Jewish life. We’ve – I love doing it and have always loved done this very successfully on campus doing it, but at some point you start with IACT, and now it’s time for many thinking about “what does the next step foundations, for many federations, to look like? What are the things that you ask where are we this year, where are we could do if you weren’t acting primarily going? And I think that by creating space as the CEO of CJP.” as part of CJP but also in conjunction There are issues that, as some might Barry Shrage spoke at a pro-Israel rally in Boston in 2015. with other organizations, perhaps with be aware, I’ve been obsessed with most an academic institution, we can really of my adult life – issues of Jewish iden- equivalent in our interest in Western In addition, in North America we turn this around. tity, issues of inclusion, issues of adult civilization, in Shakespeare, in great have 35 or 40,000 young adults coming learning, follow up for birthright – all music and great art, which is the fruit back each year, maybe for the first time, JJ: So there’s not a stamp collection of those things are primary concerns of of western civilization. with a strong interest waiting? mine. We’ve done great work, not me The truth is that we in their Jewish Shrage: No offense to anyone, but I but me with our community have that and we have At some point you start learning, they can do not play golf, I do not play bridge. My When we started ME’AH and when more in our Jewish lit- thinking about “what does be engaged in their reading interest, my intellectual interest, we began our strong push for adult erary inheritance and intensive forms of my passion is all about Jewish life and learning, we found that everything we have a responsibil- the next step look like? Jewish involvement. the Jewish future and the connection improved – there were more kids going ity to pass that on to What are the things that That’s why we between that and the wider world that to day school, there was a greater inter- our kids but you have you could do if you weren’t created the IACT we’re in conversation with as a Jewish est in day school, there was a greater to see the beauty in program, that’s why people. One of the points of my tenure interest in strengthening afternoon it first. ME’AH was acting primarily as the we work so closely at CJP has been the notion that our par- school education. This is all because incredibly important in CEO of CJP.” with young adults. ticularity, our engagement with the next once adults see the beauty of Jewish doing that, and we’re But there could be/ generation around Jewish ideas is essen- learning – the reality is that most adults working with Hebrew should be a national tial, but that is not in any conflict with in our community had pretty poor College and others to revitalize it, and interest in this, there should be national our universal commitment to making a Jewish education – they see that the we believe that there could be a national foundations that would also want better world for all of our citizens, for all beauty of Jewish learning is at least the interest in this strategy. to join together to strengthen the Americans and for the world. Will you open the door? This Passover, your generosity will allow us to create a warm and welcoming community where help is available to all who are struggling — and to all who need hope. cjp.org/gift The Jewish Journal MA is a nonprofit newspaper supported by generous readers, committed advertisers and organizations. PREPARE FOR PASSOVER THE JEWISH JOURNAL MA – JEWISHJOURNAL.ORG – MARCH 30, 2017 3 ‘Passover Cowboy’ and other books for Passover A DIFFERENT KIND PENNY SCHWARTZ memoir described how his family, along with Special to the Journal other Russian Jewish families, resettled in OF PASSOVER the South American country in the early Linda Leopold-Strauss rom the plains of Argentina to the hal- 1900s. illustrated by lowed, magical halls of Harry Potter’s Now, in “The Passover Cowboy,” illustrat- Jeremy Tugeau Hogwarts, a new crop of children’s ed by Gina Capaldi (Apples & Honey Press), Kar-Ben; ages 4-9 F $17.99 hardcover; books for Passover transports children to Diamond Goldin has written an original unexpected places for the eight day Festival story inspired by that memoir that is set in $7.99 paperback of Freedom that begins this year with the the rural Argentinian countryside. his is a touching, Diamond Goldin enjoys exposing kids first seder, on Monday evening, April 10. Tintergenerational Among the engaging and informative to the diverse cultures of Jewish life from story where a young girl books and new family haggadahs is a new around the world, she told the Journal. From named Jessica is deter- tale penned by Western Massachusetts a young age, the writer and long time Jewish mined to figure out a way for her ill grandpa to still lead the family’s writer Barbara Diamond Goldin (“The educator was interested in Jewish life in Passover seder. The story will hit home for many kids with aging Best Hanukkah Ever,” “Cakes and Miracles: South America because she had an aunt who relatives as Jessica helps carry on a family tradition in a creative A Purim Tale,”) one of the country’s most had emigrated there from Eastern Europe. new way. Jeremy Tugeau’s expressive illustrations capture Jessica’s acclaimed writers of Jewish children’s books In “Passover Cowboy,” readers discover that emotions of joy, disappointment and the love and admiration she and the recipient of the Sydney Taylor Body- the Argentinian people also fought for their shares her with grandfather. of-Work award from the Association of independence, reflecting Passover’s theme of THE PASSOVER Jewish Libraries. the Israelite’s quest for freedom from slavery. Nearly twenty years ago, while working on “I liked making that connection,” said COWBOY “Journeys with Elijah (1999),” an award win- Diamond Goldin, now the director at the Barbara Diamond ning collection of folk tales from around the Edwards Public Library in Southampton. Goldin world based on the Prophet Elijah, Diamond Here’s a brief description of “Passover illustrated by Gina Capaldi Goldin came across the diary of a Jewish Cowboy” and these other terrific reads for Apples and immigrant who grew up in Argentina.