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One People with One Heart
A note from Deborah
Goldfarb, Jewish Federation Executive Director:
Earlier this
summer, Federation Vice President and in-coming Annual Campaign Chair Linda
Simmons and I traveled to Hungary and Israel as part of The Jewish Federations
of North America Campaign Chairs’ delegation. We saw, first hand, the
importance of the collective work we do, as part of a national and local
system. The article below is written by Linda, as she reflects on the work we
are about to embark on through the 2011 Annual Campaign. We are proud that she
will be taking on the leadership of the Campaign at this challenging time.
Last spring I was asked if I was willing to take on the position of Annual Campaign Chair for 2011. I had spent two years on the Federation Board of Governors and watched the Board agonize over many allocations decisions. The decision that really upset the Board was hearing about homeless Jews in Long Beach and whether we had the money to find temporary housing for them, even though that would mean there would be less money for Hillel programs. Did we help a Jew in desperate need at the expense of our Jewish future? Our Federation had experienced two years of a deep recession and a down campaign. We didn’t have money for both important things. The debate raged at our Board meeting, but I knew that the only solution was to raise more money to help our Jewish community thrive. So, when asked if I would take on the Annual Campaign, I knew I had to take on the responsibility.
One of the first things I was asked was if I was willing to go on a Campaign Chair Mission to Hungary and Israel (at my own expense). For me, any reason to go to Israel is a good excuse and I jumped at the chance. Deborah Goldfarb, the Federation’s Executive Director, and I joined a group of 129 Annual Campaign Chairs and their Campaign staff person. The purpose of this Mission was to get inspired by hearing the stories of those we have helped and those who need our help.
This was my tenth trip to Israel and my fifth Federation Mission. I have seen the needs many times but this trip showed me the results of the work that we can all do together.
Deborah
and I met Lela from Mascedonia, formerly part of Yugoslavia, where there are
only 200 Jews. She went to Szarvas camp
which is run by Federation and discovered a Jewish world. Lela discovered her Judaism then traveled to Israel
and made Aliyah. But Lela went back to
Hungary to teach Jewish children about their heritage.
(Lela talking to the group)
Maya came from Croatia. At age 12, she was sent to Szarvas camp “for a rest” from the war. Judaism warmed her heart and she got more and more involved and then studied in Israel. She went back to Croatia and opened a Jewish school that now has 54 students.
Peter was seven when he first came to Szarvas camp. His parents had survived the Holocaust and hated G-d. He loved camp. Peter says it’s not easy to be a Jew in Hungary, but he became a proud Jew. Judaism is his happiness. At age 19, Peter had a bris and then celebrated his Bar Mitzvah ceremony.
Former refusenik and current Jewish Agency for Israel chair, Natan Sharansky, spoke to us about his life in the Former Soviet Union. In 1990, Federation sponsored Operation Exodus to bring out the Jews. Thirty years later, they are now fully integrated in Israeli society, and we celebrate our role in helping make this miracle happen and allowing over 1 million Soviet Jews to resettle in Israel. Those of us who wrote letters, visited the Refuseniks, attended rallies, had twinning Bar Mitzvahs, and donated money to bring the Russian Jews out, and integrate them, are responsible for this success story. Federation made this happen.
Federation helped bring Ethiopians to Israel with Operation Moses and Operation Solomon. But that wasn’t enough. Once in Israel, it was our job to help integrate them into society. We now have Ethiopians who are doctors, teachers, and social workers. Israel is the only country in the world who has taken Africans to freedom rather than to slavery. We continue, today, through our annual campaign, to help integrate them into Israeli society.
(Linda visiting with a little Ethiopian girl who lives in our partnership region, Kiryat Malachi)
Most importantly, Federation helps fund Birthright Israel, which takes over 20,000 young adults on free trips to Israel each year, as well as many other Israel programs for college-age students. Our “kids” come back from Israel ready to participate as Jews and to give back to our own local community just as Lela from Mascedonia returns each year from Israel to Europe in order to give back.
We Jews are One People with One Heart. Whether we are working to strengthen our Jewish community here or abroad, it is our obligation to make our Jewish world as strong and as safe as we can for our children and our grandchildren. Our synagogues teach that “your God is my God.” Federation teaches us that “Your People are My People.” Together, these two efforts create a vibrant Jewish community.
Our Mission has inspired Deborah and me to grow our efforts to strengthen our Jewish world with your help. As we move into the High Holidays and beyond, I invite all of you to reflect upon the importance of sustaining a worldwide Jewish community which enriches our local Jewish community and our lives. I hope you will all commit to getting involved in whatever way you can, whether through volunteerism or donations.
Wishing you a sweet and prosperous new year… L’shanah Tovah.
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