As we conclude our High Holidays, and have searched our souls, repented our past, and sought to be better and more personally fulfilled for the coming year, I want to take this opportunity to wish all of you a year of health, happiness, success, and personal enrichment.
As soon as the Shofar was sounded, indicated the conclusion of Yom Kippur, I realized that I would be spending my next few days busy with my responsibilities as Alpha Omega’s International President, not the bagel slicer at the break fast. Very early Sunday morning, I departed on my Jet Blue flight out of JFK International Airport, for my flight to Buffalo. My plan was to visit with my Northern friends, spending Sunday and Monday with the Toronto and Pi chapters, and Tuesday with the Buffalo alumni and undergraduate chapters, before flying back Wednesday morning, to spend time with my patients back in my office on Wednesday afternoon.
However, before I tell you about my wonderful visits with these great Alpha Omega areas, I want to bring you up to date about the “rest of the story” - - that is, what occurred as a result of our involvement with the California Dental Association. The American Dental Association and its officers immediately responded, and indicated their understanding of our concerns. In fact, the ADA requested to be included on the Blog notification list and was very interested in our social media activities and our communication efforts. They want to learn from us. The ADA will be having a committee this year examining ways to enhance both their own, as well as component societies sensitivity to diversity and our concerns, as well as similar concerns by other ethnic and religious groups. On the other hand, after ten plus days, the California Dental Association President, Dr.Thomas H. Stewart, wrote that the “California Dental Association (CDA) deeply regrets the overlapping dates of Rosh Hashanah and the convention. The decision to move forward with the dates of our convention was not made lightly or without respect and understanding of its impact.” Dr. Stewart continued by saying that, “unfortunately, there was no alternative solution for the San Francisco meeting this year.” Dr. Stewart concludes his letter by stating that, “No other scheduled convention or conference dates coincide with any Jewish holidays. As future years schedules are planned, CDA’s priority will remain to avoid any such conflict and respect the observances and faiths of our many members.”
While I very much appreciate receiving the above letter, it shows the fact that often leaders of other organizations do not fully understand the significance of the High Holidays to most Jews. While I understand the difficulty in rescheduling, it is essential that we insist that non- Jewish leaders understand that we take insensitivity to our Jewish High Holidays as an insensitivity to our Jewish identity. While, unfortunately, we did not learn of this meeting until a very late date, I propose that we act to assure that these types of events and insensitivities do not occur in the future. I suggest that one of the duties of our newly refashioned Regents system, is that Regents, in coordination with our Headquarters Office communicate with the State Dental Societies, the various component dental societies, as well as the dental schools, etc., to explain our concerns in advance, and supply these groups with the upcoming Jewish calendars and a with a link to that information. In addition, I would suggest that the Regents create a format to coordinate their activities to assure that this never again occurs. If we do this successfully and vigilantly, something good, important and essential will happen as a result of this insensitive California situation.
After I drove across the Canadian Border, and was greeted and welcomed by the Boarder Officer, I proceeded to my hotel. I settled in and the Toronto Chapter’s President- Elect Elliott Weidman picked me and drove me to have dinner and conversation with the officers of both the Toronto and Pi (University of Toronto Faculty of Dentistry) chapters. We then went to an amazingly warm reception, hosted with grace by President Mel Kay and his wife Cookie in their lovely home. The hospitality and enlightening conversation gave me further insight into the workings of this great chapter, and I was able to observe why the Toronto chapter is, in fact, the largest Alpha Omega chapter. Because of the size, scope and efforts of the Toronto chapter, there is a concerted effort to have multi-faceted programming to appeal to members with different interests, concerns, age groups, etc. Their programming is extensive and exciting!
International Convention Representative Avi Wurman picked me up Monday morning and we were able to have an in-depth discussion on various alternatives he is looking at for the 2013 Convention. Our 2010 Convention, of course, is in San Diego, the 2011 in Ft. Lauderdale, and in 2012 we will be in Scottsdale,AZ. Another reason to attend the San Diego Convention this December to have an opportunity to voice your opinion on where future Conventions should be held. Of course, Bob Simon and his committee have created a Convention program with great CE, fabulous events, great functions, a terrific hotel room rate, etc., so you should be there anyway. Please go to the Convention Web site at: http://aosunnydays.ao.org to see all the great details, and for registration information. You do not want to miss a minute of this great week…so register NOW!
Avi and I then went to the University Of Toronto Faculty Of Dentistry, and we met with Dean David Mock. David is a member of our Toronto chapter, and is serving his second consecutive full term as Dean. Serving more than one term is rare, but David agreed to help oversee a proposed upgrading of the dental facility. I spent lunch meeting with all classes of Pi chapter, and welcoming them, and congratulating them both on choosing dentistry, as well as choosing Alpha Omega. We had a good exchange of ideas, and I encouraged the students to learn the big picture beyond just being a student. Pi Chapter President, a second generation AO, Sari Hershenfield and her committee made me feel most welcomed. He dad, Ken Hershenfield is proud of her, as are all the Toronto AO’s. There were several multi generational AO Families, including the Kays, Pearlmutters,Chapnicks,Glick,Laski to name a very few. The Pi Chapter advisor, Brian Laski, won a very prestigious Orthodontic award at U of T this year and is an outstanding mentor. I had the opportunity to see and visit the AO Toronto’s building (house) and got a little tour of Toronto, before being taken to the Reception and Dinner meeting at a local synagogue. It was a wonderful feeling spending time and sharing ideas with over 250 members of my AO family! I got to see many old friends and make many new AO Friends in Toronto!
I left early Tuesday morning to drive back to Buffalo, to continue my visitation with their chapters. More about these great Alpha Omegas in next week’s blog. I did not want this blog to be too long and I did not want you ,all, to miss a minute of my great excursion to Buffalo. So we will shuffle back to Buffalo in next weeks’ blog.
I urge you all to remember two great upcoming events: Steve Anderson and the Leadership Seminar in Boston in Oct 15-17. Check out ao.org for details, or e-mail Michael Tenenbaum at: tenedent@aol.com. Of course, then the , next event is the year-end finale- the AO Convention from December 25- Jan 1. Go to http://aosunnydays,ao.org for details.
PLEASE VISIT: www.AmericasToothfairy.org for TOMORROW's SMILE UPDATES & OPPORTUNITIES
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