by Robert Wiener
NJJN Staff Writer

December 4, 2008

The country may be facing tough economic times, but the three cochairs of the annual Jewish fund-raising phonathon known as Super Sunday are sounding hopeful about the 2009 campaign.

“I think you have to be optimistic. You can’t go into any of these things with an attitude that is almost defeatist. I think we are going to do okay,” said Jeff Handsman of West Orange.

Super Sunday, the annual fund-raiser for United Jewish Communities of MetroWest NJ, is an important bellwether for the umbrella philanthropy, which funds a wide range of Jewish social services and educational activities locally as well as projects in Israel and other overseas communities.

In a show of unity, federations throughout the state are holding their Super Sundays on the same day, Dec. 7.

Between 9:30 a.m. and 8 p.m., banks of volunteers will phone community members — from headquarters on the Aidekman Family Jewish Community Campus in Whippany — and ask for donations to MetroWest’s UJA campaign.

For a second consecutive year, the day will include the 50-50 program. Synagogue members will call fellow congregants. If they contact any who are willing to make first-time pledges to UJC MetroWest, their donations will be split evenly between the federation and the congregation.

“We are soliciting money to benefit our community and make a difference to people who are really suffering,” said Handsman.

Cochair Jean Mandell of Lake Hopatcong will supervise the telephone volunteers. She expects public officials — Gov. Jon Corzine and Sen. Robert Menendez plan to lend a hand — as well as “a big cross-section of the community” to be at the phone banks.

“Obviously we would like to raise as much as we did last year,” she said. But citing “economic conditions,” Mandell said she was not sure the tally would equal the $2.4 million in pledges the campaign received on a snowy Sunday one year ago.

“It will still be a wonderful day for the community,” she said. “It is a fantastic thing to walk into the building and see how many people are there.”

“It is especially important this year because so many people locally are in financial distress and will need help,” said cochair Ron Silbermann of Randolph. “It is vital that those who can participate by donating time, money, or both do so. Super Sunday has historically been a day where the entire community performs a most important, necessary mitzva by raising money for those in need locally and around the world.”

Silbermann will be in charge of the briefing committee, making sure “people know how to solicit before they go on the phones. We need to focus on our needs, but we also need to be sensitive to people’s own financial situations. We want to show that we are a community, and if people are indeed having their own financial issues, we want to try to record that and try to help them through our agencies,” he said.

“As we reach out to people, if we find they have needs, we will be able to transfer their calls to someone from Jewish Family Service to support them,” Mandell added.

‘Feel good, do well’

The harsh economic climate offers challenges as well as opportunities, said the planners.

“We want the donors to feel good and the federation to do well,” Silbermann said. “We want to stress the importance of Super Sunday because it is a big day for fund-raising and it will help us see where the campaign is going to go.”

The names of volunteers who make phone calls during the fourth calling session will be entered into a drawing for a 50-inch flat-screen television.

Among those volunteering will be some 60 teenagers, who will take a short course in fund-raising and philanthropy, then join in the phone drive and a pizza party.

Another key activity will be a two-hour construction project. Aided by Stephen W. Schwartz of SWS Architects in Livingston, children and adults from 10 a.m. to noon will join in building a model of Jerusalem out of Lego building blocks.

The project is cosponsored by MetroWest ABLE — Access, Belonging and Life Enrichment for people with special needs — a consortium of MetroWest special needs service providers.

In addition, Israeli vendors will be on hand to sell their wares from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Children under five will be entertained with a music and movement program at 11 a.m. Baby-sitting will be available between 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. There will be a blood drive from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and an all-day drive for canned food.

While all this is happening, Handsman has high expectations.

“I am hoping that most of the community really hasn’t felt an effect of the economic downturn,” he said. “It is definitely a challenging year.

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