Ci
While Super Sunday campaigns
aren't flat, they have not penetrated the
vast number of Jewish households in
metro Detroit. There are an estimated
16,000 Jews in the metro area. Last
year, 3,400 households pledged a con-
tribution on Super Sunday. Gilbert
expects 4,500 pledges this year.
'As great as the Detroit Campaign is
and it is one of the preeminent
i(campaigns in the country — we're
nowhere near capacity. In terms of
why that is, it's a good question. The
No. 1 reason people don't give is
ecause they weren't asked. When
asked, the majority of people will say,
`Yes,'" Gilbert said.
Twenty percent of the year's contri-
bution pledges come in on Super
Sunday, and the vast majority of-
pledgers make good on their promise,
he said.
The Federation raised roughly $28
pillion last year. A little less than half
went to Israel in the form of education-
al and social service programs and to
similar programs for Jews in places like
Russia, eastern Europe and Latin
I:_-America. The rest supports everything
from food subsidies for the elderly to
vocational services for the developmen-
tally disabled to tuition assistance for
Jewish day schools to support services
,f2r Russian immigrants here and in
Israel, and for Israel missions for teens.
Susie Citrin, who co-chairs this
year's Allied Jewish Campaign with
_Harold Blumenstein, recently returned
from a trip to Ukraine, where she met
Jews who have no economic or political
clout and are frequent targets of anti-
Semitism. They rely on the dollars they
get from Federation to set up clinics,
send their children to camp in Israel
and simply put food on their table.
"It's a population we have to get out
very quickly," said Citrin. "There are
-lout 300,000 elderly Jews in Russia
who live on very meager pensions.
Right now, we are sending packages and
food to 75,000 of them, but what
about the other 225,000 we can't reach?
"Wherever there's a Jew in need, we
caught to be able to help them."
This year, volunteers will encourage
people to donate a minimum $18, but
the names of those who donate more
will be placed on a scroll that will be
available through The Jewish News in
honor of Israel's 50th birthday next
year. El
fl7qm:T:
Fott ose who do not receive a c
but would like to contribute, con-
tact the Federation at (248) 642-:
4260.
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