RUTH UTTMANN STAFF WRITER

Linda Lee, Allan Gelfond
and Mark Diem display
the total.

s hen Tanya Epshteyn

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moved with her husband
and two children from St.
Petersburg, Russia, to
Detroit three years ago,
she sought help from fami-
ly members and Jewish
agencies in the area.
Now, she is helping oth-
ers receive similar assis-
tance.
Mrs. Epshteyn was one
of about 300 volunteers at
this week's Super Sunday,
a phonathon sponsored by
the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit.
The annual Super Sun-
day is part of the Allied
Jewish Campaign, which
raises money throughout
the year for local Jewish
agencies and Israel. This
year Super Sunday exceed-

ed the norm by adding a
record $1,113,847 to
Campaign coffers.
It was the first time
Super Sunday broke the
$1 million mark.
Last year's Super Sun-
day raised $830,000. This
year's total reflects a
$100,000 increase from the
same contributors last
year.
"We've gotten this in-
crease from fewer people,"
said Dr. Mark Diem,
Super Sunday co-chairman
with Linda Lee. "That
means per capita giving is
higher this year than last
year to date.
"We hope that if the
trend continues, we'll meet
our goals and (Federation)
agency budgets will be

sustained or even in-
creased. We hope people
know that the needs are
great out there, that if
they want to see the
Jewish community pro-
gress, they have to give
their fair share."
Super Sunday volun-
teers — including 20 new
Americans — showed up
to man about 60 phones at
the Max M. Fisher Build-
ing in Birmingham. Super
Sunday organizers were
pleased with the diverse
crowd that participated in
the one-day calling blitz.
Volunteers from different
synagogues, denomina-
tions, agencies and social
groups solicited 2,569
gifts.
To date, the 1993
Campaign pledges of
$19,770,000 is a $900,000
increase from the same
contributors last year.
The target for the 1993
Detroit Campaign, which
ends in June, is $27.5 mil-
lion. For the past two
years, Campaign revenue
has remained flat at $26
million.
The need for money,
however, has increased.
Jewish Family Service, a
recipient of Campaign
funds, receives 50 requests
each month from people
requiring emergency
financial help, food, rent
assistance, medical care
and other necessities.
Jewish Vocational Service
has initiated a resume pro-
gram geared toward the
growing number of people
in middle management
who have been laid off dur-
ing the recession.
According to a Federa-
tion demographic study, 5
percent of local Jews live
at or below the poverty
level.

In Israel, 562,000 indi-
viduals live in poverty.
The number is growing as
the population ages and
refugees relocate there.
To keep up with the
increased need, the Fed-
eration this year imple-
mented an incentive pro-
gram called the Challenge
Fund. The fund was creat-
ed by major past Cam-
paign contributors. At the
end of the Campaign, each
dollar a new contributor
donates will be matched by
$2 from the Challenge
Fund. Increases from past
contributors will be
matched dollar for dollar.
"Basically, we're telling
people they can do a dou-
ble mitzvah this year,"
said Norm Pappas, cam-
paign chair with Doreen

"We're telling
people they can
do a double
mitzvah this
year."

Norm Pappas

Hermelin. "The message
here is, things are tough
for a lot of people. This is a
time for mutual responsi-
bility."
On Super Sunday, the
amount of money in the
Challenge Fund reached
$510,000, up about
$35,000 from the previous
week.
Horty Falk, a campaign
volunteer for more than
two decades, said many
people she called pledged,
despite hard times. Seven-
teen of the 20 calls she
placed Sunday morning
resulted in contributions.
"This is the best and
easiest time I've had in