18 | JUNE 30 • 2022 

OUR COMMUNITY

T

he Jewish Federation of 
Metropolitan Detroit’s 
2022 Annual Campaign 
ended on May 31 with con-
tributions of $35,450,000, an 
increase of $1.2 million over 
2021 and the largest Annual 
Campaign in Federation his-
tory. 
In addition to the annual 
campaign, Federation’s Tauber 
Family Challenge Fund raised 
$3.6 million, and the Detroit 
Federation community con-
tributed an additional $4 mil-
lion for emergency support in 
Ukraine, bringing the com-
munity’s aggregate campaign 
achievement to more than $43 
million.
“
Anticipating that the needs 
of the Jewish community would 
continue to grow 
and the costs of 
addressing those 
needs would only 
increase, we set an 
extremely ambi-
tious goal of $35 
million for the 
2022 annual campaign,
” said 
Josh Opperer, co-chair of the 
2022 Annual Campaign. “It is 

humbling and inspiring that so 
many community members, 
almost 10,000 in total, came 
forward with donations at 
every level to not only meet but 
exceed our goal.
“Economic instability and 
rising prices have a dispropor-
tionate impact on the most 
vulnerable, as well as the orga-
nizations that address their 
needs, making it more costly 
to care for the elderly or dis-
abled, increasing the needs for 
tuition assistance at our camps 
and day schools, and requiring 
record investments in security 
and emergency response infra-
structure. These are needs from 
which we cannot turn away.
“The pandemic made reach-
ing those in need of commu-
nity services more difficult,
” 
Opperer added. “It also impact-
ed our ability to connect with 
new and existing donors. But 
our Federation and agency team 
worked through those chal-
lenges for over two years, as the 
results of our campaign show. 
It’s particularly important to me 
that our supporters know that 
each and every one of them, 

and every dollar contributed 
by them, makes a meaningful 
difference. The strength of our 
Jewish community, and our 
ability to take care of every 
Jewish individual or family 
in need, is a testament to the 
power of collective participa-
tion.
”
The Tauber Family Challenge 
Fund was led by Shelley and 
Joel Tauber and enabled donors 
to the annual campaign to fur-
ther support Federation’s pro-
grams here and internationally. 
The Jewish Federation also 
launched a separate emergency 
campaign for those affected by 
the war in Ukraine. More than 
$4 million has been donated 
by 1,750 Detroit community 
donors to mobilize funds for 
our partner agencies on the 
ground — including JDC and 
JAFI — and has provided thou-
sands of Jews and other individ-
uals with food, medication and 
supplies, temporary housing 
for those fleeing violence, care 
for homebound older adults, 
security for Jewish institutions 
and resources to support those 
making aliyah to Israel. 

“The COVID pandemic and 
the conflict in Ukraine are the 
most recent crises facing our 
local and international Jewish 
community. Thankfully, we’ve 
been able to quickly raise and 
mobilize support for those 
affected,
” said Federation CEO 
Steven Ingber. “But we were 
only able to respond effective-
ly because of our extensive 
infrastructure and network of 
agencies and resources, and 
this itself was only possible due 
to the ongoing 
strength of our 
Annual Campaign. 
“The Annual 
Campaign remains 
the single most 
important vehicle 
for maintaining the 
health and welfare of the com-
munity, in ordinary times as 
well as in moments of crisis,
” he 
added. “We are incredibly grate-
ful to each and every donor 
who contributed. We truly 
could not have accomplished 
what we did without them.
” 

Provided by Jewish Federation of 

Metropolitan Detroit.

The organization marks the highest 
campaign achievement in its history.

Federation 
Announces
2022 Annual 
Campaign Results

Steven 
Ingber

Josh 
Opperer

