This Week

Uncertain Times

Federation thinks positively with 2003 Annual Campaign goal of $35.5 million.

HARRY KIRS BAUM
Staff Writer

co-chair, warned that "a slow economy
along with a tenuous [stock] market,
in addition to a prospect of a reduc-
tion of some of our major donors will
impact our Campaign achievement."
He noted that even though the
2002 Campaign raised a record
$37.75 million, $7.5 million of it
went into the Israel Emergency
Campaign. The overall 1 percent
across-the-board increase to
Federation's local agencies resulted in

the divisions and each of the different
groups is going to have to deal with
it."
The $35.5 million figure represents
a goal of $31.5 million for the Annual
Campaign, and $4 million from the
Stephen and Nancy Grand Challenge
Fund for Urgent Needs in Israel and
Detroit. One-time gifts to the
Challenge Fund will be matched dol-
lar for dollar.
"It is our hope that our challenge to

chief financial officer.
"What we thought last year was an
emergency has now become, for now,
s the Jewish Federation of
the new reality. We are trying to
Metropolitan Detroit kicks
stretch, we are trying to push ourselves
off its 2003 Annual
and push the community," he said.
Campaign with Super
On Oct. 20, volunteers will make calls
Sunday on Oct. 20, the worries are
for the Super Sunday phone-athon fund-
evident.
raising effort from both the Max M.
How to fund social-service agencies,
Fisher Federation Building in Bloomfield
Jewish schools and synagogues in
Township and the Jimmy Prentis Morris
Detroit and also support Jewish com-
Building at the Jewish Community
munities overseas in the mid-
Center in Oak Park.
dle of an economic downturn.
Those called will be asked to
"This year is very, very dif-
support the Annual Campaign
ferent from any other year
and consider giving an addition-
our community has faced in
al gift to the Grands' challenge
terms of the Campaign and
fund for meeting urgent needs.
the challenges we have in
Last year's challenge fund was
front of us," JFMD President
specifically to help Israel,
Lawrence Jackier said to 75
Davidoff said. This time, he
Federation and Jewish
said, "because of the economic
Community Foundation
conditions here in Detroit and
Douglas Bloom
Nancy Grand
board members during a spe- Robert Aronson
Mark Davidoff
Lawrence ackier
because of the ripple effect it
cial goal-setting meeting in
has to every agency, we felt it
late August.
significant budget cuts.
the community will urge everyone to
was important to recognize that we had
"It is going to require all our corn-
With the annual Fisher meeting for
answer the call, to reach higher and
urgent needs on both sides." ❑
mitment from all of you and from all
large Campaign donors scheduled
consider increasing their gift to the
of the other constituent parts of our
Oct. 16, days before the Jewish News
Campaign, as well as to make a second
Sharon Lipton chairs Super Sunday
community if we are going to achieve
goes to press, Federation Chief
contribution.to this special targeted
with Hannan Lis, Lisa Lis and Eli
what we need to achieve to address the Executive Officer Robert Aronson
emergency fund," said Nancy Grand,
Mayerfeld. Super Sunday chair for the
needs that our community faces."
guessed that a - 10 percent increase
also an Annual Campaign co-chair.
Women's Campaign and Education
The members had three fund-raising above last year's Fisher meeting, totals,
"The Challenge Fund is going to
Department is Heidi Fishgrund. For
goals from which to choose: $31.7
would be needed this time.
be used to meet -needs known today,
Federation's Young Adult Division, the
million, $33 million or $35.5 million.
"If you come out of the Fisher meet- and probably [others] not known at
chairs are Julie Eisman, Jeremy Kahn
After some debate, the combined
ing and you know you're short, it's
this moment that are above and
and Michelle Saulson. For information
boards voted unanimously on the
going to have implications up and
beyond the scope of the normal
on volunteering or contributing to the
highest $35.5-million Campaign goal.
down," Aronson said. "We're going to
Campaign," xplained Mark Davidoff, Annual Campaign, call Carol
Douglas Bloom, Annual Campaign
have some real losses this year. Each of Federation executive director and
Kaczander, (248) 203-1466

A

Sign Of The Times

No missions means no job at Federation.

HARRY KIRS BAUM
Staff Writer

A

3N

10/18

2002

32

s violence in the Middle
East continues, and Israel
mission cancellations are
becoming part of the
norm, the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit released Trudy
Weiss from her position as youth mis-
sion coordinator on Sept. 20.
"The Federation determined that

given the postponement of youth mis-
sion activity, the position of Teen
Mission Coordinator could no longer
be supported," said Mark Davidoff,
Federation executive director and
chief financial officer.
"Trudy played a pivotal role over
the past number of years in fostering
the highly successful Teen Mission
and March of the Living programs,
impacting the lives of hundreds of
young people in our community. The

Federation is grateful to Trudy
forced cancellation of last
for all her leadership in this
July's Teen Mission. More
area."
recently, the March of the
The last summer Teen
Living mission planned
Mission to Israel was in 1999.
for April 2003 was can-
The last March of the Living
celled.
to Poland Israel was in April
"The sense I got was,
2001.
`It's not you, it's the situa-
Trudy Weiss
Weiss, who had held the
tion,'" she said. "They
position for more than three
couldn't have been nicer
years, said she got a sense that the job
about it. To me, the job was a gift to
wouldn't last. The continuing violence begin with." ❑