"It's not just writing a check," he said. "There will
be a subcommittee overseeing each of the programs
we are supporting."
JAFI is the primary partner agency between World
Jewry and Israel. JDC is the overseas arm of the
American Jewish community.
Federation also makes elective allocations — spe-
cial projects it chooses, but that operate through
JAFI and JDC, like Partnership 2000-Central
Galilee, Parents And Children Together (PACT) for
Ethiopean Jews in Netanya and Jewish Renewal-Kiev.
Urgent Needs
Federation announces 30-day emergency
fund-raising campaign for Israel.
HARRY KIRS BAUM
StaffWriter
A
larmed by the crisis situation in Israel,
Detroit Jewry's umbrella communal fund-
raising agency has redoubled its declared
state of emergency and challenged the
Jewish community to contribute at least $1.4 mil-
lion to Israel in the next 30 days.
"Israel is under siege," said Lawrence Jackier, presi-
dent of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit. "Not since 1973 have we seen conditions
such as these."
The fund-raising push coincides with the formal
close of Federation's Annual Campaign 2002 on
April 28.
"As a community, we are charged to raise the bar
on what we can do, both here on the home front:
where economic stress has hit our own agency fund-
ing as well as in Israel, where our brothers and sisters
are crying for relief," Jackier said.
The idea for the "Thirty Days of Solidarity Israel
Emergency Campaign" came after the Moment Cafe
bombing in Jerusalem on March 9, said Robert
Aronson, Federation chief executive officer. Eleven
people died and 54 were wounded. "After that
killing," Aronson said, "I knew we had to stand up
and be counted more than we have."
Tova Dorfman, director of Federation's Israel and
Overseas Department, said, "The average Israeli
civilian is experiencing life on the front line. Our
people are war-torn and weary."
The need is so acute, Aronson said, that
Federation is planning to enlist the support of rab-
binic and communal leaders in hopes that they will
encourage new or increased gifts during what he
calls "a critical 30 days."
Federation hopes to raise an additional $5 million
for the 2002 Annual Campaign for a total raised
during the closing 30 days of the Emergency
Campaign of $6.4 million. New or increased gifts
to the Annual Campaign are matched, dollar for
dollar, by the Berman-Handleman Israel Solidarity
Challenge.
According to Federation officials, the Annual
Campaign and the Emergency Campaign together
have raised $29.1 million so far. Federation hopes
to raise a grand total of $35 million. So far, the
Emergency Campaign has raised $3.6 million
toward the $5 million goal.
Challenge to fund social service projects in Israeli areas
with severe economic hardship or hard hit by terrorism.
These projects include:
• An extended school-day program that shelters
children in a safe school environment until 4 p.m.
More than 750 children from four schools in
Hadera, Netanya and Nazareth Illit also receive a hot
meal. For many whose families have been hard hit
economically, this is their only hot meal of the day.
• Supportive communities for the elderly, created
for those who find themselves even more isolated
while confined to their home. Regular visits and
other social interaction, as well as psychological serv-
ices for those in need, have been established in
Sderot, Emek Hefer, Gilboa and Afula.
• An emergency fund for terror victims and their
families with certain needs not part of the Israeli
government aid package.
• Natal, an organization that provides psychologi-
cal services, hotlines and support groups for those
suffering from terror-related trauma.
All Emergency Campaign money raised during
the closing 30-day period will be used to support
families who have been victims of the 18-month-old
intifada (uprising) waged by Palestinian extremists
under Yasser Arafat.
Federation's core overseas allocation represents
Detroit Jewry's contribution to support basic services
provided through the Jewish Agency for Israel
(JAFI) and the American Jewish Joint Distribution
Committee (JDC) as part of its collective responsi-
bility with all North American federations, said
Mark Davidoff, Federation executive director and
chief operating officer.
2002 REGULAR CAMPAIGN
1711
3/29
2002
32
Federation leaders are earmarking money raised
through the Berman-Handleman Israel Solidarity
Dorfman said the connection between Jews in metro
Detroit and the Central Galilee remains strong.
"More than 400 individuals from this community
have taken part in a variety of mission programs to
Israel since January of last year," she wrote in a
report to the Federation. "Our partners in the
Central Galilee, in particular, viewed the presence of
Detroit community members in their region as a
gesture of tremendous symbolic significance that
provided many of them with much needed encour-
agement and comfort."
Nancy Grand, Federation's campaign co-chair, said
she is optimistic about reaching the campaign goal.
"We have the great fortune of living in Detroit,
where our community has historically been so caring,
connected and responsive to the needs of our world-
wide Jewish family," said Grand, who co-chairs with
Douglas Bloom. "Due to the scope and urgency of
the needs in Israel no we are confident our com-
munity will again come through."
Bloom said the needs are urgent. "People in Israel
are being killed and wounded every day. This emer-
gency campaign will help provide the necessary
social services that our family in Israel requires," he
said. "We must all be here to help Israel now." El
Donors may call the Federation's PledgeLine
at (248) 205-2550, or donate online at
www.thisisfederation.org Click on "Donate Now."
$25.5 million to date
(end projection $30 million)
2002 EMERGENCY CAMPAIGN
$3.6 million
(end projection $5 million)
TOTAL REGULAR + EMERGENCY
$29.1 million
(end projection ($35 million)
AT THIS POINT LAST YEAR
$26.6 million
TOTAL ACHIEVEMENT FOR 2001
$31.4 million
TOTAL GIFTS THIS YEAR
Israel Outreach
Durable Ties
AT THIS POINT LAST YEAR
9,686 gifts secured
11,312 gifts secured
Source: Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit