The Jewish calendar’s month of Tishrei not only marked the beginning of the new Jewish year 5771. It also inaugurated this year’s fund-raising campaigns of the state’s two largest Jewish communities.
In Madison on Sept. 11, more than 250 people attended the Jewish Federation of Madison’s opening of its Tzedakah Campaign at the Full Compass Systems business center.
Highlighting this event was a concert presented by internationally renowned Madison-based jazz pianist, composer, and American Jewish music authority Ben Sidran.
And in Milwaukee on Sept. 13, about 400 people attended the Milwaukee Jewish Federation’s 2011 Annual Campaign Opening Event at the Pfister Hotel.
Highlighting this event was an address by Natan Sharansky, once Prisoner of Zion in the former Soviet Union, now chair of the Jewish Agency for Israel, one of the overseas organizations that receive funding from both campaigns.
Both of these campaigns help support local, national, and international Jewish organizations that do everything from provide emergency food to local people to support Jewish day schools (five in Milwaukee and one in Madison) to provide relief, rescue and support to Jews in some 70 countries around the world.
And both communities are setting ambitious goals for their campaigns during a time of economic uncertainty.
The Milwaukee Federation’s final achievement in its 2009-10 campaign was $6,630,000. This year, it has set a goal of five percent more — $331,500 — for a total of $6,961,500.
In addition, the Milwaukee Federation in 2009-10 received $1.5 million in additional revenue from other sources, including the Jewish Community Foundation, the Federation’s endowment development program, and a special $400,000 supplemental campaign.
For 2010-11, it will need to raise an additional $200,000 from its other sources — for a total income increase of more than $500,000 — in order to be able to maintain its “core allocations,” said Moshe Katz, campaign chair.
While there may be signs that the overall economy is improving, Katz acknowledged in a telephone conversation, “I have no crystal ball” about the future.
Nevertheless, “I know the generosity of our community,” said Katz, who was campaign chair last year as well. “And I’m confident that we can do this.”
The Madison Federation, according to a release, last year raised “a record amount” of $967,000. This year, it is setting its goal of $1 million.
According to an article by Jim Stein, the Madison Federation’s campaign chair, the increase is not only needed for the local, national, and overseas allocations, but also for a new, long-range initiative called “Jewish Madison 2018.”
This project is intended to realize the aims of the long-range plan that the Madison community’s leaders approved in 2008.
“With increased support, we can begin to implement our community’s long-range priorities in addition to continuing to fund existing services and programs,” wrote Stein. “The reality is that the first step toward achieving our ambitious goals is to raise enough funds to make them happen.”
Among the first efforts in both communities’ campaign were or will be telethons. The Madison Federation held its “Tzedakah Week” telethon, Sept. 12-14 and Sept. 21.
The Milwaukee Federation has scheduled its Super Sunday telethon for Sunday, Oct. 24. (See accompanying announcement.)
Milwaukee’s Jewish community numbers an estimated 21,000 people; Madison’s is estimated at between 5,000 and 6,000.
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