metro
D
Investing in Our Future
Federation's 2013 Annual Campaign focuses on the
long-term strength of the Jewish community.
Ted Cohen
Special to the Jewish News
A
sk Federation's 2013 Annual
Campaign and Community
Development Chairs Larry
Wolfe and Sandy Muskovitz Danto to
sum up the goal of this year's campaign
and they'll likely respond with a single
word: Transformation.
"Detroit has been
through a difficult
time, and the Jewish
community is now at a
pivotal moment:' says
Wolfe. "Our objective is
to help move this com-
munity from a place of
uncertainty to one of
Larry Wolfe
sustained stability and
health, and not just for today or tomor-
row, but for generations to come. It also
means continuing to invest in the future
of the State of Israel and in Jewish com-
munities everywhere across the globe.
This is a major transformation and it
can only take place if we are collectively
willing to invest our time, energy and, of
course, financial resources!'
With this in mind, the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit for-
mally kicked off its Annual Campaign
effort, Step Forward 2013: Invest In Our
Future.
In 2012, Federation introduced the
theme "Step Forward" as a rally cry to
build engagement across the commu-
nity and begin this shift. A year later,
Federation is confident that the message
is being heard, as there are already close
to 2,000 new donors to the campaign.
Federation leaders are looking at 2013 as
an even more critical year than 2012. The
Step Forward theme will continue, with
the phrase "Invest In Our Future" added
to bring emphasis to the role of the cam-
paign as an essential investment in the
future of the Jewish community.
"The concept of investment is incred-
ibly powerful for every-
one in the community:'
adds Danto. "For the
next generation, it
means ensuring that
there is a prosperous
and vibrant place to
f
put
down roots. Older,
i
Sandy
established individuals
Muskovitz
want to make sure that
Danto
the community they
know and love continues to thrive into
the future. And all of us, regardless of
age, want to maintain the sense of com-
munity that is so important in our lives.
Of course, caring for those in need today
remains an essential part of what we do.
But we are also recognizing that we all
have a huge stake in the future of Jewish
Detroit as well as in Israel and across our
global community. This campaign is our
chance to do our part!'
The goal of the campaign is continued
growth in both the number of donors as
well as the total achievement, with a tar-
get of $30 million from 12,000 donors.
"We want this to be the fourth consec-
utive year of growth in
terms of those engaged
and making gifts, and
the third consecu-
tive year of growth in
terms of dollars:' says
Federation President
Douglas Bloom. "For
the transformation
Douglas
we've
begun to suc-
Bloom
ceed, we must con-
tinue to sustain these increases. And we
certainly have the ability to do it. Detroit
is a unique community. The commit-
ment and generosity is extraordinary
and not something you'll find in most
cities. Our job is to remind people how
important this is, and that everyone has
a role to play!'
The 2013 Goodman Family
Challenge Fund
Another key aspect of the campaign is
the 2013 Goodman Family Challenge
Fund. Each year since the early 1990s, the
Detroit Jewish community has been for-
tunate to have had a family who has chal-
lenged others, through their own generos-
ity, to make an additional commitment
toward the care of the community. Detroit
is the only major Jewish community to
have maintained a successful Challenge
Fund for the past 19 years.
This year, Mark and Teri and Gary
and Enid Goodman are providing the
Federation Challenge Fund. With their
gift, the Goodmans hope to inspire their
fellow Jews throughout the community
to offer additional support to the most
critical members of our Jewish future:
children, teens and young adults. The
Fund will positively impact a variety of
youth-oriented programs throughout the
community, including Jewish education,
identity-building, summer camp and
Israel experiences.
Campaign Leadership Steps
Forward
As Federation CEO Scott Kaufman
points out, the Annual Campaign and
Challenge Fund are the work of numer-
ous lay leaders in the community, in
addition to the Federation staff "We have
a remarkable team of lay leaders running
our campaign:' Kaufman says. "More than
ever before, we have younger leaders with
new ideas and new
energy working side by
side with experienced
individuals that hold a
tremendous depth of
experience in Jewish
communal work. And,
in a way, that col-
laboration represents
Scott
what
this campaign
Kaufman
is all about: Multiple
generations of Jewish
Detroiters working together to build our
future. It can't just be one facet of the
community. We need everyone to step
forward together"
❑
Ted Cohen is marketing director for the
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit.
Additional Annual
Campaign Key Leaders
Campaign Cabinet:
Lowell Salesin, Carolyn Bellinson,
Jeff Forman, Steve Migliore, Leah
Bold, Jordon Wertheimer, Marty
Maddin and Rachel Wright
Women's Department
President: Lisa Lis
Women's Department
Campaign Chair: Roz Blanck
NEXTGen Detroit President:
Marty Maddin
NEXTGen Detroit President-
Elect: Rachel Wright
NEXTGen Detroit Campaign
Vice Presidents:
Steve Migliore, Leah Bold and
Jordon Wertheimer
SEPT. 18-19-30
wwwedia.orgicift
31 3.833-3237
DETROIT
INSTITUTE
OF ARTS
September 20 • 2012
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