NJ Jewish News on-line | 'Little big man'

by Max L. Kleinman
executive vice president of United Jewish Communities of MetroWest New Jersey

When Ron spoke in a halting voice at the dedication of the Ron Coun Center for Creative Maturity of Jewish Vocational Service of MetroWest, I knew it would be his last public appearance. Yet, despite being confined to a wheelchair and aided by oxygen, he spoke passionately about the meaning of that day for him and his agency while retaining his remarkable sense of humor.

As I listened to his remarks to hundreds of colleagues, admirers, community leaders, and politicians, I began to reminisce about the Ron Coun I had known for close to 25 years.

He was first and foremost a man of strong ideals and passions. He cared deeply about the ills facing society, about individuals struck by unemployment or other circumstances that precluded their quest for self-sufficiency. Unlike most professionals, he not only helped develop an outstanding employment delivery system at the Jewish Vocational Service but he also vociferously advocated with political leaders to advance the cause of the unemployed, the downtrodden, and immigrants.

A born "shmoozer," he engaged with the outstanding issues of our time. He was actively involved in our Greater MetroWest Conference on Soviet Jewry. Joined by thousands, he helped open up the gates for our late 20th-century exodus. He was, indeed, a leading voice of advocacy for this vital cause.

Ron was a professional's professional. He had the uncanny ability to identify future trends relating to the workplace, immigration, or society in general and to imagine creative approaches for resolving them. He was a pioneer in leveraging government resources that would provide innovative services for the general population while enhancing the services available to the Jewish community. He understood that the Jewish community could be better served by securing public resources to expand the diversity of services to our own community while lowering our overhead and fulfilling our mission to better the general community.

He was brilliant at developing alliances, whether it be a 43-member network of congregations to provide job opportunities for the community's middle-income Jewish unemployed or, in concert with United Jewish Communities of MetroWest, a statewide naturalization program for Russian Jews, Hispanics, and others. He pioneered the technology training programs within corporate settings that became a profit center to fund other JVS activities. Ron also developed a very successful scholarship loan program for financially needy Jewish residents of MetroWest to pursue postsecondary education. More than 550 students benefited from this program, including an astronaut who "achieved new heights" because of his JVS loan.

Ron did not limit his vision only to MetroWest. He was a past president of the Jewish Communal Service Association, was actively engaged in the work of the World Council of Jewish Communal Service, and mentored many professionals. In his "free time," he served as president of the New Jersey Chapter of the American Jewish Congress.

While a passionate advocate for his agency, he loved community. Although he may have had differences with others on specific decisions, allocations, or other concerns, he never lost his perspective. Community, together with his agency and family, was his anchor.

Ron was one of the most successful Jewish communal executives in the realm of leadership succession, which eludes most of us. Despite receiving offers from other communities, he labored for many years as JVS's associate director to Joe Weinberg because of his loyalty to Joe, the agency, and to MetroWest. Many years later, he and his board implemented a seamless transition plan to his successor, Len Schneider.

Ron was courageous. MetroWest UJA had sponsored a fund-raising event at which Ron was asked to make the local pitch. The governor of New Jersey was in the audience, and there were plans for substantial cutbacks in the vocational and employment area to balance the state’s budget. Full of his usual passion and humor, Ron reminded us of Maimonides' greatest level of tzedaka: promoting self-sufficiency for individuals through employment. His speech impressed the governor.

He was also able to separate his own personal and political convictions from his day-to-day responsibilities. During a divisive six-week strike in that Orwellian year of 1984, Ron’s natural proclivity for the "workers" was submerged when he reminded management that it was their job to cross the picket line and keep the agency running.

Ron developed an exceptional cadre of leadership who were devoted to the agency and who had great love and admiration for him. Past president Ben Perlmutter, who had known Ron from the day he began his professional career with JVS, wrote that one of Ron’s most important assets "was his ability to involve members of the community and the board to want to work with him. His enthusiasm was contagious. He made you feel that new ideas were yours and that you were carrying them out."

Dan Goldberg, another past president, wrote: "Max, you said that his memory will certainly be for a blessing. I would say that his professional life's work and its result were a most significant blessing for thousands of people in the past and countless others in the future. However we define him, we were fortunate that he was an integral part of our community that he served so faithfully and well."

I am so pleased that Ron lived to be honored by his agency, the community, and the State of New Jersey for his more than 40 years of service. After I heard Ron's presentation at the dedication, I called him to set a time when I could come over and visit. He died before the appointed time. I lost a dear friend, colleague, visionary, exceptional leader, and advocate. Despite his physical stature, he was a giant.