Many articles in this series of websites present a justifiably upbeat picture of success. However, we do want to present the opposing picture as well, in the interest of fairness.

That opposing side has a very severe source of criticism in one major area: continuity.

Many projects were started, and a tremendous amount of effort was exerted in order to assure their success.

However, the project often died when I left it.

True, I cannot take the blame for the demise of SSSJ. I watched it die while I was active in the organization.

The organization continued even after if had lost its effectiveness. Similarly, the Center for Russian Jewry, CFRJ, continued well beyond its prime. These organizations could never regain the prestige they had enjoyed in previous years.

The Aliyah Movement represents a more serious death. I left AACA, the Association of Americans and Canadians for Aliyah, after working under three previous chairmen, and after serving as chairman myself. It had become a powerful and effective organization that brought people from all over to Israel. I took over the leadership of the AACA in its prime, but I left the organization without being able to find a suitable successor. In addition, my vice president left soon after I did. There was a vacuum at the top.

In time, the Association of Americans and Canadians for Aliyah was replaced by Tnuat Aliyah. I used to call it "tenuous aliyah," based on the Ashkenazi pronunciation of the name.

I am involved in other issues that have similar problems because of a lack of continuity. The vast Jewish Groups series of forums is blessed with a large and loyal membership throughout the world. It links professionals in many areas and serves the world Jewish community.

It, too, will face a vacuum, when the time comes.

Oh, some people can handle small parts of the job. I've had volunteers for the position. Here's one:

"David,

"If some of your groups [get] backed up, perhaps you could lean on some members for temporary help to approve members or posts; I'm sure I'm not the only one there who has enough experience with groups to help out in a pinch, under whatever ground rules you wanted to set."

My response:

"Thank you.

"Approving members or posts is not a problem, and there's never a backlog.

Granted, I usually work on the groups many times a day, and now I may only get to the computer once or twice a day.

The real problem is with the personal touch. I get LOTS of email from subscribers, and I usually respond to every person within several hours. I can't do that now, and their email has been sitting for days. I haven't had a problem such as this since 1997 when I started the first of these groups. That personal contact is extremely important, and it will have to be placed on a back burner for now. There's also recruitment of subscribers, dealing with bureaucratic issues, helping with subscriptions and unsubscriptions - you know, all of the sundry routine stuff that makes a group run smoothly. I have to deal with an angry subscriber who didn't know how to unsubscribe from a different address, so she reported me to Yahoo for spamming her in order to get instant service. The list of issues doesn't end, although that subscriber would probably like to see my lists end themselves!

"On the other hand, I have indeed been thinking of continuity. I'm trying to break my wife into moderation. She has been moderating two women's groups for a while, but she wouldn't be able to handle it without having me to lean on. Routine issues are fine, but issues of judgment can't be taught. The moderator either has a feel for it, or not. Finding somebody to ultimately be responsible for owning and moderating 126 unpaid constantly-growing forums is not an easy task.

"David Grossman"

Leaders should be evaluated not only by their activities, but also by their ability to establish continuity. Since I have not been able to find a suitable future replacement for my project, I consider myself to be a failure &ndash: despite the achievements.