Rabbi Gabrielle's Defiance (37 page)

***

Fifty minutes late, a receptionist at
Dominion Mutual's regional offices on Charles Street escorted Gabby
and Stan to a studio where a videoconference with the company's
headquarters in Cleveland was in progress. The discussion broke to
introduce Gabby and Stan to the Cleveland team. Horace Corcoran and
several of the Dominion Mutual personnel in Ohio had seen
From Slavery to Freedom
on television and
were complimentary about Gabby's role. This was also the first
opportunity several members of the synagogue board had had to
express themselves about the production.

"Since our last meeting," Corcoran summarized
for the benefit of Stan and Gabby, "we've made additional phone
contact with Marc Sutterfeld, counsel to the Morgenstern family. We
feel it is in everybody's interest to settle this lawsuit as soon
as possible. The very last thing we want is to have Mr. Sutterfeld
put Tybee Morgenstern on the witness stand. We're monitoring her
medical situation and, I can tell you, it's pretty ugly. We're not
talking logic here, but pure, unadulterated emotion. Unfortunately,
that's Marc Sutterfeld's trump card. He won't budge from the
original demand of forty-six million."

The insurance company's counsel in Cleveland,
Jameson Terry, spoke with a chiseling Chicago twang. "Ladies and
Gentlemen. It looks from here that we have a thirty-six million
dollar delta. There's two and a half million left in our pot, so to
speak. We know Sutterfeld will eventually come off his outrageous
figure, but not apparently by gentle persuasion." He addressed Stan
Melkin as president of the synagogue. "I hope that Ohav Shalom has
benefactors willing to reach deep, very deep, yes, very deep into
their pockets to close the gap."

Melkin knew the issue would come up and
reported, "We've already had discussions with several of our more
affluent benefactors. We might raise another million or two, but
that's the ceiling. So I'm afraid your suggestion doesn't solve our
problem."

To the silver-haired Delmont D'Foro of
Jameson, Crew and Gottwin, litigating counsel to Dominion in
Washington, he declared. "Litigation is inevitable, wouldn't you
say?"

Delmont D'Foro showed no discomfort at the
prospect of a trial that guaranteed his firm's involvement in the
case for many more months. "Yes, sir. We're making preparations as
we speak."

"Do you intend to make further contact with
Mr. Sutterfeld?"

"He knows our phone number. If you ask my
opinion, I don't believe he wants to settle when there's an
opportunity to have his day in court. Since he's confident he can
win before a jury, he can always argue that he serves his client
best by choosing the battlefield. His firm has been known to take
cases on a contingency basis, though we have no evidence of this so
far."

"And are you satisfied with our position, Mr.
Melkin," asked Jameson Terry in Cleveland.

"Have I an alternative?"

"Rabbi Lewyn?" asked Jameson Terry. "You
understand that you and your colleague Rabbi Folkman will be on the
hot seat, so to speak. We're not pleased with Rabbi Folkman's
deposition, but we'll have to work around it. He admitted things
that Mr. Sutterfeld will exploit in a trial."

"He's not a lawyer, Mr. Jameson. Rabbi
Folkman is an superb rabbi and, for your information, also a very
talented musician and composer."

"He'll have to convince a jury of that,
Rabbi," sighed Jameson.

Stan Melkin interceded in his interrogator's
tone. "Mr. Terry, what is the sum you feel Dominion would pay to
have this problem go away?"

"Ten million and not a penny more. Frankly,
we feel fleeced at that sum. But we must be practical. Many of our
clients are non-profit and religious institutions. Were Ohav Shalom
not a respected synagogue, we'd dig our heels at less than five
Ms."

"So there's no figure a bit more generous to
make this problem disappear?"
"No, sir, as I said, not a penny. Of
course, you're free to supplement with anything Ohav Shalom can
raise."

The videoconference ended with the sour
prospect of an unpleasant trial.

In Dominion Mutual's reception area, Stan
Melkin and the Ohav Shalom board members gathered to commiserate
about the unfortunate turn of events. Stan looked at his watch to
note it was nearly lunch time, and declared, "Since we still have
some things to discuss with the rabbi, let me take you to lunch at
the Sheraton, just up the street. It's early and we can get a quiet
table."

On the short walk from Charles Street to the
Sheraton Hotel, Gabby moved on the outside of the pack, certain
Stan wanted to talk about her intention to run for congressional
office. A frigid wind gusting against them presaged Gabby's growing
sense of isolation. People who should be her strongest supporters
now seemed distant and aloof.

At lunch, there was an agreement not to s
peak about the Morgenstern lawsuit. Food service in this austere
white tablecloth restaurant decorated with a colonial motif was
friendly and efficient. Gabby ordered simple green salad and iced
tea. Others, with more robust appetites, ordered sandwiches and
fish entrees from the Chesapeake waters. Between service from the
kitchen, Sally Medford-Quine, who has been most active in opposing
Gabby's entry into a race against her childhood friend and
political heroine, Toby Ryles, opened a polished leather briefcase
and extracted Gabby's profile in the Washington Post.

After receiving a nod from Stan Melkin, she
said, "Rabbi you've no doubt read Gina McQuire's piece. Most people
would be flattered, but I don't mind telling you we've been deluged
by phone calls from our members. It's quite disturbing, you
know."

Gabby glanced around to gage the response
from others and failed to discover signs of sympathy. "What exactly
are their objections, Sally?"

"The picture."

"Many people saw the same frame on television
and nobody complained to me."

"Perhaps, but Gina McQuire suggested the man
beside you was a
significant and steady
companion
. That's news to us."

"People put lots of labels on relationships.
I certainly never told Gina about this. In fact, I never spoke a
single word to her. Had she asked my permission to print that, I
would not have approved. But then everybody knows Gina McQuire's
style of journalism."

"Let's not argue about degrees of
relationships, Rabbi," Marvin Jankelrod intervened. He was not a
member of the synagogue board, but had been invited to attend the
meeting at Dominion Mutual because he chaired Ohav Shalom's legal
committee. "May I ask if Ms. McQuire is accurate?"

Gabby knew she was headed into quicksand but
the thought of prevaricating never entered her mind. She detested
the Washington sport of parsing words. "Yes, Marvin. Kye Naah and I
are good friends."

He was a hound on scent. "But that doesn't
answer the key issue, Rabbi, if I may be so bold. What we need to
know is whether your relationship with Mr. Naah is romantic or
platonic?"

"Why is that necessary?" her guard rose still
higher than before.

Stan interjected himself in the conciliatory
role of president. "Because, many members are concerned about the
image this presents. Our rabbis are supposed to be guardians of
Jewish family life. We expect them to be strong advocates for Jews
dating and marrying within the Jewish community. The congregation
has a sorry history of battles over role models and I don't have to
remind anybody about Rabbi Greer. If it's true that Mr. Naah and
you are more than close friends, then doesn't this send the wrong
signal to our young people?"

"I could pretend I don't understand your
drift, Stan, but that would be disingenuous. If you're referring to
the fact that Kye is Korean, then say so."

He hesitated. "Don't make this into a debate
over racism, please. We're not suggesting the slightest disrespect
for the Asian people. But the Jewish community is attempting to
maintain it's ethnic homogeneity – not by fiat but by setting a
good example, especially its leadership?"

"I'm not sure this is the time or place to
debate that. I don't believe Judaism will be able to sustain itself
by rigid adherence to notions of racial homogeneity in the
twenty-first century."

"So you are condoning intermarriages with
Asians?" Sally Medford-Quine almost trumpeted.

"I didn't say that, Sally. You did."

Two waiters fussed over the delivery of
lunch. Room had to be made on the table crowded with glasses and
butter plates. New silverware was added to the clutter. Harry
Dealson, a mild-mannered, chubby owner of racetracks in Delaware
and northern Maryland, asked to modify his order of baked sea
trout.

As soon as the waiters disappeared, Devorah
Chattrel from the sisterhood spoke. "I feel terrible about delving
into your private life, Gabby. Lord knows, we're all entitled to
some privacy in this world. But unfortunately, you're not only a
public figure, but have become something of a celebrity. It wasn't
as if you and Mr. Naah had a private relationship. The media
broadcast his image throughout the nation. Each time the camera
returned to you at the seder, he was nearby. It sends a message
that we Jews are encouraging inter-racial relationships and
ultimately interracial marriages. And that's not what I think you
have in mind, now is it?"

It saddened Gabby that the matter had come
up, but then Chuck had warned her. About such things he was seldom
wrong. "No, Devorah, I'm not trying to promote anything. The fact
that Kye Naah is Korean is incidental. We're good friends. I
brought him as my escort to the community seder because it is
considered a
mitzvah
to invite Gentiles.
Passover is a popular holiday in the Christian community and Kye is
a church-going Baptist and curious about Jewish observance."

"Then you don't take responsibility for the
message this sends?" pursued Sally Medford-Quine.

"I do, Sally," Gabby barely hid her
irritation.

"And this relationship is romantic?" Marvin
Jankelrod recast his previous question.

"That's a movie word, Marvin," she said. "But
let me answer with a little history. First, my friendship with Kye
Naah is more than an acquaintance. Many of you know that he's the
founder and CEO of Politicstoday.com. We're working together on a
congressional campaign. He's been very supportive and
encouraging."

Sally Medford-Quine said, "There are people
who think you engineered the Disney seder to publicize your
campaign. I can tell you, Rabbi, the Ryles for Congress people are
steaming mad about this exploitation."

"Now wait a second, Sally," Stan jumped in to
defuse an explosion. "That's unnecessarily provocative. From almost
all quarters, even our Conservative brethren, the seder was a great
success. We've gotten sterling reviews in the Jewish press. There's
no purpose to impugn the rabbi's motives."

Sally turned her frustration on the
president. "It looks to me as if Ohav Shalom is now fighting a war
on multiple fronts. We've got one rabbi with political ambitions
and another who has become a nightclub performer. We're facing the
costliest lawsuit in our history and our own members are saying
that we're promoting the wrong family values. I ask you, without
trying to be facetious, Stan, is this the way to run a
shul
?"

Stan Melkin delayed defending his presidency
while waiters settled main courses before the diners. He felt like
Abraham Lincoln, who had become President of the United States in
the midst of bitter political haggling and a brewing civil war,
then ended his tenure with a united nation, the South in ruins and
even nastier political squabbling. Unfortunately, the late
president didn't live long enough to understand how much the
American people owed to his genius.

Harry Dealson characteristically attempted to
assuage raw tempers. "We're sorry, Rabbi, that this has come up.
There's a lot on our plates. We would be remiss in our duties were
we to hush up the criticism over Dr. Naah. Jews are matchmakers by
nature and I guess we've all jumped to conclusions. The bottom line
is," and here he paused to emphasize what he felt, "we really don't
want you to run for Congress, not because you're unqualified, but
because we want you in the
shul
, not on
Capitol Hill. And we want you to have a happy Jewish family with a
nice Jewish boy. And, I guess, Dr. Naah threatens that. First and
foremost, we want this terrible lawsuit to go away. I think I speak
for the other board members when I say we feel trapped. Our
alternatives are very limited."

"Thanks, Harry," Gabby said. "I appreciate
your honesty. I'm not insensitive to your conclusions. All I can
say is that we'll have to move forward step by step and see what
evolves." She put down a fork that had remained inactive in her
hand since the salad arrived and glanced around the table. "Besides
the public side to being a rabbi, I also have a private life and,
yes, private ambitions and private needs. I have never believed
them to be inconsistent with the welfare of the synagogue. When
they diverge, I shall resign immediately."

This short oration produced silence, an
opportunity for the diners to return to their food. When a
solicitous waiter stopped to ask if any wished to see the dessert
menu there were no takers. Only Marvin Jankelrod ordered coffee.
The others began looking at their watches to estimate when they
might expect to be back in the Washington area.

En route home with Gabby, Stan Melkin resumed
making notes on his legal brief. He was in contact with his office
by cell phone, estimating his time of arrival at 2:30 in the
afternoon. Gabby was relieved that he had other things to occupy
his mind and did not wish to rehash the luncheon conversation.
Through her cell phone, Chuck reported that two afternoon
appointments had been postponed. Danzansky's Funeral Home urgently
needed a reply about setting a time for a funeral. Asa called her
twice from San Francisco and had left a hotel phone number. For
once, the rat race sounded like relief.