Kenneth Hart Green, "Freedom from Dependency," Canadian Jewish News, May 3, 2012: 32.

Page 32 T cjnews.com › May 3 , 2012 CJN ROUNDTABLE THE CANADIAN JEWISH NEWS In difficult economic times, how can we best help the needy? sue three policies. find the financial means First, create incentives Jobs are priority to maintain, support and for universities to direct more funds toward depart- ments that are of greater Maintain programs expand priority programs – be it for seniors living below the poverty line use to Canada’s economy. (including Holocaust sur- Due to constraints in the allotted Second, increase accessibility to post- space, allow me simply to set the stage secondary education while noting that During difficult economic times, vivors among us), new immigrants, for some of the government action that the principal barriers to university edu- we have no choice but to maintain, children and young adults with spe- will be required in the years ahead. and even expand, our programs to cial needs, expanded education cation are largely social and not fiscal. assist the needy and most subsidies and many other The latest recession and the result- Third, and perhaps most impor- vulnerable people in our worthy and necessary en- ing spike in unemployment tantly, remove barriers to community. deavours. temporarily hid from Ca- labour and capital mobility We cannot use the ex- Toronto’s Jewish com- nadians the true challenge within and between prov- cuse that the economy is munity has a well-deserved of the future: we’re going to inces – this is both a social experiencing a downturn reputation for being a com- have a labour shortage over and fiscal issue. or difficult times, because passionate and caring com- the decades ahead. As the During the last recession, it is during these times that munity, and it has been, and baby boomer generation be- we had to bail out the auto the needs of this group in continues to be a model gins to retire, our population industry largely because its our community become community for fundraising. as a whole will continue to employees weren’t capable even greater. We must ensure that our age. Twenty years from now, of working in different jobs. Every so often, a com- vulnerable and needy are the ratio of available work- We won’t be able to afford munity, like any enterprise, Lou able to live Jewishly, and ers to retirees will fall from 5 that again, due to skyrocket- must look inward to audit Greenbaum with dignity. to 1 to 2 to 1. This represents ing costs of government ser- Zach Paikin its communal organiza- Lou Greenbaum is a prin- a challenge, but also a tre- vices – especially health care tions and agencies to look cipal with the Vogue Develop- mendous opportunity, if we – as a result of the upcoming emerge from the resulting for ways to enhance efficiencies and ment Group and serves on a number of demographic shift discussed restructuring of the global economy on above and the need to direct funds to- streamline operations, in order to community boards and organizations. solid ground. ward combating and preparing for en- Although it may seem counter-in- vironmental and geopolitical change. tuitive, this labour shortage could be Zach Paikin is a Liberal col- An Occasional Feature coupled with stable unemployment, umnist and political com- due to the fact that many potential mentator and contributes workers won’t have skills that are in research on interna- demand. Helping the most needy gain tional affairs to sever- independence (e.g., a job) must be a al Washington-based Champion caring government priority. I’d urge Canada’s think-tanks and in- different levels of government to pur- stitutes. As a mandated of Greater Toronto generously pro- children’s aid soci- vides direct financial assistance ety, Jewish Family funding through which JF&CS is & Child (JF&CS) is able to address and reduce the im- very much aware of pact of poverty on individuals and Freedom from dependency the dramatic risks families. What makes JF&CS unique associated with to- is that we wrap a comprehensive ar- day’s economic chal- ray of counselling, mental health, lenges. Our community employment and advocacy services is by no means immune around clients who receive monthly Jewish tradition calls on all Jews to tasks for us. And yet our tra- to child abuse and neglect, or emergency financial assistance. help those in need, a requirement that dition says we are not allowed violence against women and sig- And we ensure that our decision- is even more pressing in difficult eco- to leave it for “them,” for someone else, nificant mental health problems. We making and practices are informed nomic periods. to handle it. Jews, whether in the most recognize that economic by the best available sci- The goal, however, is not only to help generous or the most destitute societies, hardship is predictive of entific evidence. people get through their immediate dif- have always maintained their own ways and related to a host of Let us be mindful of ficulties, but to do so in a way that helps of helping those in need, both through difficulties. Indeed, acute key imperatives that serve them eventually acquire self-sufficiency. individual efforts and volunteer orga- financial stress often repre- us well in tough times and In this way, the dignity of the receiver nizations. Perhaps sharing one’s time sents a tipping point, send- increase the resilience of is preserved. Hence, as has and expertise, or even one’s ing individuals and fam- our community. First, as often been noted, our word business acumen, in helping ilies into crisis. Sadly, tough a community we must for charity, tzedakah, is best others find work may be just economic times also pre- invest in services that are translated as righteousness, as important as monetary dict funding constraints, effective and provide a which is an essential condi- donations. as government and other strong safety net. Second, tion of a decent common life The Jewish way, as Mai- funders tighten their own individuals and families together. Giving to others monides insisted, is to do budgets. It is thus impera- suffering the impact of should not entail humiliat- what has to be done to alle- Richard tive that we skilfully apply poverty must be treated ing the receiver, but raising viate human suffering. But Cummings limited resources to solving with dignity. Third, those him up and providing a way even as the immediate need problems effectively. of us who are able to re- to help him participate in the must be filled, it must also be How do we respond to spond generously to these life of society, as the medieval done so as to help the person individuals and families in need challenges must do so. Jewish thinker Maimonides who receives it to achieve Kenneth with compassion, concern and com- More than ever, we must cham- taught in his eight levels of self-sufficiency and freedom Hart Green petence? JF&CS’ work with needy pion a caring and connected com- charity. from economic dependency. individuals and families allows us to munity. Much has changed in our Kenneth Hart Green teach- intervene in this complex and often Richard Cummings is executive modern era of big public and private es in the department for the study of reli- tragic cycle of risk. UJA Federation director of Jewish Family & Child. agencies, which often perform these gion at the University of Toronto.