Federation changes by-laws to include non-Jews

By DEAN SHAPIRO, Special to the CCJN

With no comments from the floor and only one “nay” vote, the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans, at a special meeting on Monday, March 16, amended its charter’s by-laws to open up membership to former spouses or former domestic partners of Jews who may not actually be practicing Jews themselves.

Jewish Federation president Morton Katz, left, and executive director Michael Weil, center, listen to a dvar Torah by Rabbi Ed Paul Cohn on inclusivity. Following the talk, the changes to Federation’s by-laws to include non-Jews as members of boards passed. (Photo by Dean Shapiro)

The vote came exactly six months after the issue first came to the floor during a contentious Annual Meeting in September 2014. Concerns were voiced at that time that opening up membership in this manner could possibly weaken and undermine the structure and intent of the Foundation itself. No action was taken at that meeting and, instead, it was deferred initially to a meeting in December, where discussion was postponed to a later date in 2015.

On January 22, following substantial input from concerned Federation members, the Federation’s Board of Trustees voted to approve the wording changes that defined “domestic partnerships.” Then they approved wording that would allow former domestic partners and former spouses to become Federation members, even if they are non-practicing Jews, provided that they meet the other membership requirements of supporting the Federation’s mission and making regular financial contributions.

At the start of the March 16 meeting, Rabbi Edward Paul Cohn of Temple Sinai delivered a dvar Torah from Vayikra (Leviticus 1) on “the spirit of inclusion” and the importance of “opening the tent so that all may enter.” Cohn cited numerous examples throughout the history of Jewish tradition of helping others in need, including many services provided by the New Orleans Jewish community since its earliest roots.

Following up on Cohn’s message, Federation president Morton Katz told the gathering at Metairie’s Goldring-Woldenberg Community Center that the origin of the issue of non-Jewish spouse participation stemmed from a recent controversy involving one of the Federation’s constituent agencies. The surviving spouse of a major donor to Tulane University Hillel was informed that she could not serve on its board of directors because she was a non-Jewish widow.

The by-laws at that time said all board members of the constituent agencies must be Jewish. So, to accommodate the widow’s request, Hillel officials asked if the Federation could change its by-laws.

Katz went on to explain that the issues regarding the proposed bylaws changes that were raised at the September annual meeting had been “thoroughly vetted” by the board with “substantial input” from those who objected to the original phrasing.

“It was with great thought that this was done and this is not a great deal of change,” Katz noted as he read the proposed wording revisions. The full revised text of Article III, Section 2 of the Federation’s Articles of Incorporation that was approved by the board reads as follows:

“All persons of the Jewish faith, their spouses, domestic partners (as defined in the By-Laws), former spouses or former domestic partners and who are over the age of majority, support the Mission and Purposes of the Corporation, and contribute to the Corporation’s Annual Campaign shall be Members of the Corporation from the date on which the contribution is made through the end of the fiscal year succeeding the fiscal year during which the contribution is made. Members shall be entitled to vote beginning July 1 of the year after the contribution is made.”

The measure passed with only one dissenting vote at the January board meeting, Katz said, then he opened the floor for discussion. With no one coming forward to speak, he called for a motion for approval which was made, seconded and voted on by voice vote. Only one “nay” vote was vocalized and there were no abstentions. With more than a two-thirds approval and a quorum present, Katz declared the measure passed, the pronouncement of which was greeted by applause.

“That means that the by-laws changes that we made on January 22 are also approved and that means that those of you who are presidents and executives of constituent agencies who might desire to have their own non-Jewish board members or members, you are eligible to do that now,” Katz explained.

Other actions taken by the board such as amending the by-laws regarding nomination and election procedures and changing the Federation’s domicile in its articles of incorporation from New Orleans to Metairie also went into effect.