O pinion
It’s Time to Stand and Be Counted
BY ARLENE FICKLER
THIS WEEK, we celebrated
Rosh Hashanah, marking the
beginning of the year 5781. As
I reflect back on the year that
ended and look forward to the
year ahead, I think that these
years will be remembered as ones
in which we engaged in much
counting: How many people
have been infected with the
coronavirus? How many people
have died from that illness? How
many days have passed since we
last went to our workplaces, or
our schools, or our synagogues
physically and not virtually?
How long has it been since we
by responding to the census on
behalf of our households, if we
haven’t already done so, and by
urging others to do the same.

Please reach out to everyone
you know — workplace
colleagues and employees;
clients, customers and patients;
synagogue congregants; school
teachers and students’ parents;
friends and family members
— to remind them that the
deadline to respond to the
census is Sept. 30, a date that is
rapidly approaching.

Unfortunately, with
little time remaining until
the deadline, only 55% of
Philadelphia’s households have
responded to the census. That’s
potentially devastating not
only to Philadelphia’s repre-
sentation in Congress but,
potentially more significantly,
to the billions of dollars that
are annually allocated to our
communities by the federal
government. For the next 10 years, the
federal government will rely on
the collected 2020 census data
special education, Head Start,
after-school programs and
classroom technology.

In the context of food
insecurity, a Jewish Federation
priority, census data will
control funds available under
the Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program known as
SNAP, as well as for free and
reduced-price school lunches.

The 2020 census data will be
particularly important because
it will be used in determining
the distribution of funds for
pandemic recovery.

As the arm of the Jewish
Federation of
Greater Philadelphia devoted to
public policy education and
advocacy, government affairs
and community relations, the
Jewish Community Relations
Council, which I chair,
frequently reaches out to ask
you to communicate with your
elected representatives about
issues important to the Jewish
community — including legis-
lation that provides funding
for our seniors, for our
For the next 10 years, the federal government will rely on the collected
2020 census data to guide distribution of $1.5 trillion in annual spending
across 316 federal programs.

last hugged a grandparent or
held a grandchild? How many
minutes did Officer Chauvin
hold his knee on the neck of
George Floyd? How many fires
are raging in California? How
many days remain until the 2020
election? This year also marks the 24th
time in which the United States
is counting how many people
reside within our borders
through the 2020 census. I am
writing to urge that, between
now and Sept. 30, when the
census counting ends, we all
do our part to ensure that
everyone is counted — both
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM to guide distribution of $1.5
trillion in annual spending
across 316 federal programs.

For example, in the context
of planning and funding for
health care, census results
will affect programs such as
Medicaid, Medicare Part B, the
Children’s Health Insurance
Program (CHIP) and the
prevention and treatment of
substance abuse.

Similarly, the 2020 census
count will impact the alloca-
tion of federal funds for
critical programs and services
for schools, students and
younger children, such as
children, for our economically
disadvantaged. Today, I am asking you
to advocate to your commu-
nities about the importance
of responding to the census
— because it is the census
population data that is the
predicate for the distribution of
many of the funds for which we
advocate legislatively. In other
words, after the legislation for
which we advocate has passed,
it is the census data that deter-
mines what share of the funds
comes to our region.

See Fickler, Page 16
JEWISH EXPONENT
KVETCH ’N’ KVELL
Runyan Is Right
IT IS GOOD TO HEAR Rabbi Joshua Runyan’s voice again — a
voice that speaks with logic and compassion (“Why Trump’s Not
Getting This Orthodox Vote: He’s Neither Good for the Jews,
Nor for Judaism,” Sept. 10).

His editorial is well thought-out. First, he lists the positive
he’s seen in the Trump administration and then the longer list
of negatives. He comes to the conclusion that Trump is neither
good for Jews or Judaism. And, of course, for the country. I hope
more in the Jewish community agree with him.

Diane Kenion | Philadelphia
Runyan Is Wrong
As a response to Joshua Runyan, former editor-in-chief of
the Jewish Exponent, attorney in Center City and rabbi, I am
surprised at the opinion piece he wrote on “this Orthodox vote”
and President Trump, taking the highly presumptuous position
that “he’s neither good for the Jews, nor for Judaism.”
Besides the fact that the op-ed is short on facts, it also contra-
dicts the position on the state of Israel, home to millions of other
Jews who take a very different position from Runyan.

Jeffrey M. Melin | Meadowbrook
None of the Above
Appreciated that the Exponent presented opposing views from
Orthodox representatives (Opinion, Sept. 10) regarding the
choice for president.

As Binyamin Rose reminded readers, President Trump uses
communication in a way that all too often is at variance with
Torah guidance for appropriate conduct.

On the other hand, Rabbi Runyan’s framing the vice president
as a principled leader, referring to the current reckoning over
slavery and the failure of Reconstruction, and his ability to not
be divisive, in a way, reflects limited exposure to wider narratives
which affect perception of the nature of these matters.

Quoting Runyan’s preference for “intellectual honesty,” after
reviewing conduct by his preferred choice in a more informed
manner, and exploring the “principled way” the parties have
behaved, including destroying character with innuendo and
false assertions, in opposition to Torah principles, his advocacy
should be for “none of the above.”
As is, a vote for documented falsehood, questionable mental
competency, language demonizing the other (projection of;
the shadow kind) is a vote for enabling a continued sense of
victimhood and division. The helpful focus is with transcending
demonization and partisanship, not enabling the status quo.

Rick Koven | Philadelphia
See Letters, Page 16
STATEMENT FROM THE PUBLISHER
We are a diverse community. The views expressed in the signed opinion columns and let-
ters to the editor published in the Jewish Exponent are those of the authors. They do
not necessarily reflect the views of the officers and boards of the Jewish Publishing
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letters to letters@jewishexponent.com or fax to 215-569-3389. Letters should be a
maximum of 200 words and may be edited for clarity and brevity. Unsigned letters will not be
published. SEPTEMBER 24, 2020
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