2011 Summer LOJ Magazine

The Jewish Federations of North America

LION JUDAH OF

NATIONAL WOMEN’S PHILANTHROPY SUMMER 2011

MORE, MORE, MORE! how to get more women involved, inspire more good work, and raise more dollars

www.JewishFederations.org/WomensPhilanthropy

National Women’s Philanthropy OUR VISION

Inspired and guided by our tradition of tzedakah (righteousness/charity) and tikkun olam (repairing the world), the National Women’s Philanthropy of The Jewish Federations of North America is dedicated to the continuity, connectivity and thriving future of our North American communities, Israel and the Jewish People.

The National Women’s Philanthropy Board is dedicated to ensuring that women who assume positions of responsibility in their communities have the knowledge and confidence to lead, are appropriately trained and have been given the tools to hone their individual abilities and maximize their potential for success.

We exist to serve the goals and mission of the Federation movement and to strengthen the influence of women as philanthropists and decision-makers.

We seek to provide significant opportunities for all women to affirm their Jewish identity and spirituality, to be proactive in evolving issues of concern to contemporary Jewish women, to engage new cadres of participants and leaders in our communities and to inspire other Jewish women by our example.

We believe that the future of the Jewish community depends upon the strength of these endeavors, and we pledge ourselves to the fulfillment of this vision.

LION JUDAH

NATIONAL WOMEN’S PHILANTHROPY

OF

Linda A. Hurwitz Chair, 2009-2011 Lori Klinghoffer President, 2009-2011 Lesley Binstock Offman Chair, Lion of Judah Magazine, 2009-2011

NATIONAL WOMEN’S PHILANTHROPY

Kim Fish Senior Director

SUMMER 2011

4

FROM THE CHAIR

by Linda A. Hurwitz

5

FROM THE PRESIDENT

by Lori Klinghoffer

6

FROM THE LION OF JUDAH MAGAZINE CHAIR

by Lesley Binstock Offman

7

FROM THE SENIOR DIRECTOR

by Kim Fish

8

INTERNATIONAL LION OF JUDAH CONFERENCE PHOTO GALLERY

Alison Margulies Garber Associate Director Rachel Litchman Assistant Director, Israel & Overseas Elizabeth Mondragon Administrative Assistant Marsha Silverman Administrative Assistant Lisa Kleinman Editor Eleanor Levinson Assistant Editor Andrea Glick Writer

Mooki Saltzman Cover Design

10

IT’S TIME TO BREAK THE RULES From TribeFest to Moms Night Out, Federations Get Serious About Outreach

by Andrea Glick

12

ADVANCE PLANNING + FACE-TO-FACE MEETINGS + PASSION = BIGGER GIFTS

by Andrea Glick

14

BEST PRACTICES: SERVICE WITH A SMILE Learn how some Federations are engaging new people

by Eleanor Levinson

17

ON THE NATIONAL SCENE JFNA Initiatives

19

LION OF JUDAH ENDOWMENTS

20

FROM DENS AROUND THE COUNTRY...

OUR LIONS ROAR!

Roxanne Aubrey Marina and Hindy Gershman Production

Produced by The Jewish Federations of North America Strategic Marketing ­& Communications Department in cooperation with National Women’s Philanthropy

Cover : San Francisco Lion Judith Goldkrand (photograph by Craig Blankenhorn ©2010)

www.JewishFederations.org/nwp

F

rom the Chair Why is my position on the National Philanthropy Board entitled “Chair?”

I occupy just one chair at the table of incredible leaders, Lions, committed doers and compassionate givers.

I am lucky to be one of many wonderful women with vision, talent, boundless enthusiasm and limitless effort. I am inspired by the spirit, care and devotion of the women I have been blessed to meet through our shared commitment to the Jewish Federation movement.

These are women who “get it,” and who do whatever they can whenever they can, wherever they are with whatever they have to help another.

What is the secret of being a great leader and teacher?

In my opinion, it is to be a great learner, listener and follower.

Throughout the communities I visited, the missions and conference calls in which I participated and the meetings, retreats and conferences I attended, I have listened and learned from the strong, passionate and effective voices of women. We are personal, positive and passionate. We can gain immeasurably from women’s insights and wisdom. For example, I learned why women become Lions: “so their gifts are more in line with their values”; why women give so much of their time and talent: “this work shapes the future in which I, my children and children’s children want to live” and why year after year we continue to be active: “we just cannot turn our hearts off.”

I have seen and learned that if you educate and involve the woman, you educate and involve the family. Remember our theme for the exceptional conference last year? WE Are! WE Can! WE Do!

What do people truly remember?

A story.

It is not what you say, it is not what you do, it is how you make them feel and that is what a personal, passionate, life-altering story can do. SO many of you have heard the story of my son, AJ, telling another child what his mommy does: “ She saves the world.” It is probably one of my proudest and most gratifying moments, a defining moment for sure. You have your stories as well. Please share, listen and learn. It truly is what will be remembered.

I will remember all the stories we shared and people’s lives we enhanced together. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to have a chair at the table; to lead, learn and listen; and to obtain a lifetime supply of memories and stories. Thank you for the privilege of chairing National Women’s Philanthropy—the chance to work with outstanding women who demonstrate their capabilities and compassion, whether in a leadership role, during a trip to Israel with the Heart to Heart, during a session with the TECH Team (Training, Educating, Consulting and Help), as a volunteer on a service project, or as an enthusiastic participant at a Campaign Kickoff, regional meeting, Wise Council or International Lion of Judah Conference.

Thank you for the life lessons, love and support that I will forever cherish and remember.

With love,

4

Linda ­­­­ L i n d a A . H u r w i t z

F

rom the President

TODAY’S WORLD HAS BECOME A MUCH SMALLER global community thanks to the Internet, smart phones, iPads, Skype and social networking. Facebook enables us to keep up with friends, relatives and acquaintances from far and wide. And while we’re there, we can also gain access to the latest news and events that might spark our interest. Quite amazing—we do all this with the touch of a finger, press of a key or click of a mouse!

Yes, technology enables us to accomplish so much in less time than in days past. And for many of us, that translates to doing a great deal more. National Women’s Philanthropy is no different. We continue to grow, reaching more women, encouraging greater involvement, and providing more meaningful opportunities for expressing and fulfilling our Jewish values.

During my first year as NWP Chair, we began to focus on social service at our Board retreat in New Orleans. It was a little more than five years after Katrina, and we literally dug in, helping to reclaim a park and feeling very proud to be part of the rebirth of this incredible community.

And that year, the New Orleans local Lion event was reborn. There had been smaller, parlor-type meetings in the years prior, but the fifth year was their “coming out,” and we were there! The New Orleans Jewish community reclaimed its Annual Campaign as well— the first year since Katrina that their donations matched pre-hurricane giving. It was extraordinary for us to be able to share their nachas.

As Lions, we enable the “nachas factor.” We make so many differences with our philanthropy. Our core values of tzedakah and tikkun olam guide us. We bring justice to those in need, repairing the world one life at a time.

This year, as Linda Adler Hurwitz completes her term as chair of National Women’s Philanthropy, we all share her pride in our accomplishments. She has been an amazing chair— energetic, enthusiastic, engaging, creative, inspirational—a driving force leading us to new heights in this new world.

And now Gail Norry of Philadelphia takes the lead. Gail’s warmth, passion and dedication will be our motivation. A past National Young Leadership Cabinet chair who has held so many significant leadership roles both nationally and in her home community, Gail becomes the youngest chair in our history. Her vision will guide us into the future as we navigate a new world with new tools.

It has been an honor and privilege to be part of the legacy we pass on through National Women’s Philanthropy. During my years as chair and president we’ve experienced very challenging and exciting times. I look forward to continuing to share the excitement with all of you in the years ahead.

Lori ­­­­

L o r i K l i n g h o f f e r

www.JewishFederations.org/nwp

B’Shalom,

F

rom the Lion of Judah Magazine Chair IN THE YEAR 2000 I ATTENDED MY FIRST EVER ILOJC, in Tel Aviv. That experience shaped, molded and inspired so much of what I have chosen to do in my Federation.

The leaders of that conference, so many of whom I have had the honor of working with over the last five years on the NWP board, impressed me to the point that I came away from Tel Aviv feeling that the women of NWP should be running the world.

Probably the most important information I gleaned was about the Lion of Judah Endowment, an entity I had never heard of before. The information motivated me to make LOJE the focus of my term as chair of Women’s Philanthropy in Toronto, and to later become LOJE chair.

This year, in Toronto, I will be chairing “The Book of Life.” This project is a tool to encourage people to create endowments and add their personal stories to the Book, which, along with endowments to Federation, has been growing for 10 years.

Now, as my time as editor of this publication draws to a close and I reflect on my experience over the past two years, I feel grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to communicate with my fellow Lions. My involvement in this magazine has showed me once again how much we can accomplish when we come together.

As a group, we inspire each other, motivating each other and ourselves to go further and work harder than we thought we could. Each woman brings important skills to the table— things that may seem trivial to her, but that ultimately lay the foundation for great projects.

Together, we made the literacy project at the International Lion of Judah Conference in New Orleans a huge success. It was amazing to witness such dedication, such cheer, and such vivacity among all of you. The good we did and the dollars we raised for the Annual Campaign at our conference made me feel proud to be a Lion.

And together, as women philanthropists, we are changing the face of Jewish charity. We are no longer willing to let someone else represent us and our interests. We stand up for what we want and what we believe, and our voices are being heard.

As this issue of the magazine demonstrates, Lions are reaching higher and wider: we’re challenging ourselves to do more and give more, and we’re working hard to engage an ever broader range of women in our work.

That first conference in Tel Aviv started me on a new journey that included leadership roles in my Federation, and the opportunity to be a part of NWP. That in turn presented me with the chance to be editor of this magazine. Thank you for sharing this experience with me, and may we all go from strength to strength.

Rav brachot, many blessings,

6

Lesley ­­­­

L e s l e y B i n s t o c k O f f m a n

F

rom the Senior Director

JUST 2 MONTHS AGO, 90 of our National Women’s Philanthropy Board and Advisory Board mebers gathered in New York for our Spring Board Retreat. We came together to discuss a variety of issues including Israel and the Middle East today, social action and volunteerism, how we can do a better job cultivating relationships back home and, most important, how we can be change agents in our communities.

Ann Tisch, a philanthropist, mother and advocate, inspired us with the story of how she fought the system to be the change, creating the Young Women’s Leadership School. In her remarks to us she quoted Mother Teresa: “If I look at the masses, I will never act. If I look at individuals, I will.”

While we as a Federation movement often talk about the community, we also must be able to look around and see one or two individuals locally or globally who need our attention.

We must be able to put a face, a story, a name and a smile or a tear to the person who we know can be so much more than the challenges they face! For this reason, National Women’s Philanthropy is putting a greater emphasis on social action. We believe that by connecting women first hand with the people we help and the role we can play, we will engage more women in the work we do.

We also understand the challenges our communities face, from the continuing effects of the economic crisis to natural disasters. As I write this, tornadoes have recently caused destruction, despair and the need to provide additional services in Alabama and Missouri. The list goes on and on. The bottom line is that more people need help, and Federation is there to step in.

So is National Women’s Philanthropy.

As you read through this issue, we hope you not only learn more about what Lions of Judah are doing around the world but also get a better idea of how critical it is to both cultivate relationships with women who are already involved and find new and meaningful ways to engage new women. Share with them the impact they can make on each one of the people whose lives are changed by the work of the Jewish Federations.

What if change really begins with you? I believe it does!

Kim ­­­­ K i m F i s h

www.JewishFederations.org/nwp

Thank you for all you do!

All ILOJC

Dancing to the music of Frank London and his All-Stars Brass Band.

2010 Confe

Lions were empowered by the conference theme: WE ARE. WE CAN. WE DO.

ILOJC Co-Chairs Leslie Dannin Rosenthal and Julie Russin Bercow Roots of Music brought spirit and rhythm to the opening.

rence phot

os Š Berni

e Saul

Our beloved Kipnis-Wilson/Friedland honorees.

Partying at Mardi Gras World with our GA colleagues.

Comedienne Judy Gold had us roaring at the closing gala.

NWP Chair Linda Hurwitz with her sister, mom, and fellow Baltimore Lions.

Featured speaker Gabriela Shalev, the first woman to serve as Israel’s permanent ambassador to the UN.

At the Campaign Plenary, brand-new Lion Jill Goldsmith was pinned by her mother Penny Goldsmith and grandmother and past NWP Chai Elaine Winik.

JFNA CEO Jerry Silverman expressed his hope that his daughter will one day be a Lion.

Our literacy project brought books—and the chance to read with a caring Lion—to children in New Orleans public schools.

From TribeFest to Moms Night Out, Federations Get Serious About Outreach OUTREACH IS IN From the local to national level, Federation leaders, including those of the National Women’s Philanthropy Board, are using the new tactics to connect with more Jews: young, old, middle-aged, involved or uninvolved. In the process, these leaders are often throwing out, or substantially revising, the old playbooks for success.

The most striking example is TribeFest, a recent major Jewish Federations of North America event that ignored conventional wisdom yet managed to bring over 1,300 young Jews to Las Vegas for three

days of fun and exploration of contemporary Jewish culture and ideas. Participants ranged in age from 25 to 45, with an average age of 31. And while TribeFest drew its share of young Federation leaders, it also attracted a significant number who had never attended a Federation-sponsored event.

Many newcomers were drawn to TribeFest with the help of more than 40 organizations that partnered with JFNA’s National Young Leadership to create the event. These groups bring a distinctly modern spin to areas like the environment, Israel, the arts, social justice and Israel. Some examples: Jewlicious, Hazon, InterfaithFamily.com and New Israel Fund.

(Check out the full list at www.TribeFest.org.)

TribeFest was especially unusual for what it did not include. There were no minimum gifts, Campaign pitches or caucuses. This was very much by design, said Alice Viroslav of San Antonio, outgoing co-chair of National Young Leadership, whose lay leaders worked with JFNA professionals to design the event.

“We firmly believe that an ‘ask’ or Campaign appeal is not the entry point to our system. In fact, in people this age it’s a turn-off,” Viroslav said. “But we believe if we can bring people into the community, many will eventually become donors.”

BE A COPYCAT!

Steal These Outreach Ideas From Sister Federations

ORLANDO

10

Choosing a New Strategy for CHOICES THREE YEARS AGO, hoping to bring new faces and younger women to its annual CHOICES event, the women’s division of the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando offered free admission to anyone who had never attended the lunch. (Local donor Alan Ginsburg and a few other donors sponsor the event.)

Lots of new women came, but many disappeared after that. This year, leaders tweaked the idea and had their best results yet. They offered free tickets to women already involved in the Jewish community: moms involved in the PJ Library, members of local synagogues, and women from the

Federation’s own young leadership division. “By targeting groups from the local community, we found people who already have a level of concern and commitment,” explains Emely Katz, director of development. Plus, Katz can track these women more easily after the event.

The CHOICES lunch sold out, and of 460 attendees, 126 were new to Federation. The average age of attendees was around 35, perhaps thanks to an appearance by jazz/hip-hop violinist Miri Ben Ari. More than half of new attendees made donations, and after a follow-up coffee, says Katz, “we have a core group of new women who are very excited.”

SAN DIEGO

Taking Careful Aim LAST YEAR, the Jewish Federation of San Diego invited women not yet at the Lion level to its annual Lion event. But leaders took a targeted approach, quietly inviting seven or eight women— from the Women’s Philanthropy board, at the Pomegranate level, or in some cases below. “Our Lion of Judah lunch is always a wonderful day, so we wanted to expose select women to that with the hope they’d get inspired,” says Debbie Kempinski, major gifts officer.

One woman jumped to the Lion level the next year, while another became a Pomegranate and will soon become a Lion, Kempinski says. She

credits part of the success to the luncheon speaker, Soviet immigrant Alina Spaulding, who tells a moving story of her family’s rescue by Federation, as well as a mission to Israel from which some of the new women had recently returned.

This year, the Lions cast a wider net with their invitations, but found they were right the first time: the most eager takers were women already involved in women’s philanthropy.

“These are women who already have their foot in the water and have a connection to the Jewish community,” Kempinski explains. “We’re working to engage them in Federation and to encourage them to become Lions in the near future.”

supported projects. All have become donors after coming home, and some have become Lions of Judah.

You can see the new, broader spirit of outreach taking hold at several Federations [see sidebar]. Lay leaders and professionals are testing strategies like inviting women who are not Lions to Lion events, or offering free tickets to women who are involved in the community but who have never come to a Federation women’s event. Others are creating completely new programs whose immediate aim is simply bringing women together for social, educational or service experiences, with some exposure to Federation in the process.

Zappin, who’s had a lot of success with small women’s gatherings in Philadelphia, says these are a great way to bring in new women, especially if you encourage them to talk about their interests and passions. But don’t ask for a gift right after the first meeting, she counsels.

Rather, invite people to more events—visiting a food pantry, making and delivering challah, hearing an inspirational speaker.

“I really believe in just figuring out what people are interested in, letting them drive things, rather than us leading,” insists Zappin. “Federation really is the best at what we do. People will eventually realize that and come join us.”

SOUTH PALM BEACH

Meeting Women Where They Live IN SOUTH PALM BEACH, women’s philanthropy leaders are reaching out to two groups: young mothers and empty nesters.

For the young mothers, the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County recruited three friends whose children attend the same synagogue preschool. The three co-chaired a monthly series of “Mom’s Time Out” events where, for a nominal fee, about 60 women have turned up for gatherings like a wine and cheese night, a talk by a well-known child psychologist, a lesson in floral arranging, and group yoga and acupuncture. They also learned about Federation, and at the end of the year, some made

pledges. “We realized we weren’t really doing anything to get these younger women involved, and we knew their lives were focused around their children,” explains Eliza Prince Atias, assistant director of Women’s Philanthropy. Now the group hopes to widen the program’s reach.

For women in a different phase of life, South Palm Beach is launching “After Hours,” a series of workshops on various topics designed to engage both empty nesters and working women in general. The program is modeled after a similar initiative in Baltimore. “At huge events,” says Prince Atias, “these women are often nameless, faceless participants. We hope to make this new program more intimate.”

www.JewishFederations.org/nwp

With its diverse offerings, the Las Vegas event was designed to help participants find a way into Jewish life that resonated with them, explained Robin Zappin of Philadelphia, co-chair of TribeFest and one of two NYL Cabinet members assigned to overhaul the group’s outreach strategy. People were encouraged to “find their own path—whether through music, comedy, food, politics or religion.

It didn’t necessarily have to be Federation’s path,” Zappin said.

TribeFest’s approach of offering “low-barrier” entry points to Jewish life is completely applicable to National Women’s Philanthropy and Lion of Judah, say Zappin and Viroslav. In fact, Viroslav, who is joining the NWP board, has been asked by incoming chair Gail Norry to develop ways to bring young women to Federation.

Viroslav says that the Heart to Heart Mission—the successful program that invites non-Lions on a short, Lion-led mission to Israel—is an example of bringing together women who are uninvolved or minimally involved in Federation for an experience that focuses not on fundraising but on inspiration. The first two missions have drawn raves from participants, who talk about the warmth and energy of a women-only mission and how fascinated and moved they were by visits to Federation-

Advance Planning + Face-to-Face Meetings + Passion

Bigger Gifts

THE LIONS OF JUDAH have established themselves among Federation’s most generous, committed donors. Now the goal of National Women’s Philanthropy is to motivate these same women—you and your peers—to enhance that commitment by increasing their gifts.

Why? According to NWP President Linda Adler Hurwitz, a difficult economy makes people prioritize. While they often give the same overall amount to charity, they narrow the scope of their philanthropy, donating to the organizations closest to their hearts. In response, “we have to make sure we are among the top two or three charitable organizations in the minds of Jewish contributors,” says Hurwitz, who served as 2009 Campaign chair for THE ASSOCIATED: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore.

That may sound like a daunting goal, but veteran fundraisers like Hurwitz say there’s nothing tricky about it. The key is to meet people face to face, know the philanthropic causes closest to their hearts, and show them how Federation helps support that work.

Oh, and one other thing: don’t just offer facts and figures, but convey your passion for Federation, your firsthand experiences of the difference it makes in the world.

“If what you’re saying is really coming from your heart, and you’re passionate, people understand it,” says Norma Sobel, a former Campaign chair and Women’s Philanthropy chair for the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh.

Suzanne Barton Grant, who’s joining the National Women’s Philanthropy board this year, exemplifies the way passionate Federation women can inspire donors to increase their gifts.

She and her husband first gave to the Jewish Federation of Delaware to support their local Jewish community. Then, missions to the former Soviet Union and Israel showed Grant the powerful impact of Federation’s overseas work. Equally important, while serving on National Young Leadership Cabinet, Grant found the spirit of the other women she encountered contagious. And “just when I thought there was nothing better than a Cabinet Retreat, there were Lion conferences,” she says. “The women involved in NWP do amazing work. They are truly inspirational.”

To encourage other young women to increase their individual gifts, Grant and her husband are now focusing their increases on her annual pledge.

Still, when you’re trying to secure an increased gift, sometimes you need to augment passion with practicality.

Sobel, for instance, understands some women’s reluctance

12

to jump from a gift of, say, $5,000 to $10,000 in a year. So she proposes what she calls her “three-year plan.” Instead of giving theusual $5,000, Sobel suggests, a woman can give $6,500 this year and $8,000 the next. “By the third year, a $10,000 gift does not seem like such a jump.” She also points out that donors can spread their gift over the year, rather than giving one lump sum.

No doubt the most effective traits shared by Sobel, Hurwitz and every successful fundraiser are their unshakable optimism and willingness to keep trying. Sobel tells solicitors to be “kindly tenacious.” Hurwitz says she does her very best with each solicitation but has learned to take the long view of success. She tells the story of a man she invited to her house.

She knew that he was building a new home himself, and that he was interested in seeing the house she and her husband had recently built. She served coffee and donuts.

After a carefully planned, heartfelt pitch, Hurwitz asked the man to raise his gift from $1,000 to $10,000. “He said, ‘Linda, I’ve heard everything you’ve said and I feel great about my contribution. I’ll give another $1,000,’” Hurwitz recalls. “I was disappointed but knew we had shared a very passionate, positive, and personal Jewish conversation.”

The next year, she saw the man again when both were picking up their kids at a local day school. To her surprise, he jumped in her car. “I have not stopped thinking about our conversation,” he said, “and how I can make a difference. I’d like to give that $10,000 this year.”

The moral is simple, says Hurwitz. “Don’t ever feel badly if you don’t get what you asked for. Feel great that you enhanced a fellow Jew’s knowledge and interest. There’s no telling what will happen in the future.”

Best Practices:

SERVICE WITH A SMILE

HOW CAN WE REACH MORE PEOPLE and get them involved in the work we love? As leaders at Federation, we always have this issue on our minds—especially in uncertain economic times. Many of us have found that service projects are an effective way to involve new people, especially younger women.

Now more than ever, Feaderations are turning to service projects as an outreach tool. Last November in New Orleans, both the JFNA General Assembly and the International Lion of Judah Conference featured service components. For ILOJC participants, National Women’s Philanthropy organized an event focusing on literacy among underprivileged children, planned in collaboration with the PJ Library, a program that works with Federations to give the gift of Jewish books to children and their parents.

The ILOJC experience proved that a service project can be fun, effective, and reasonably simple to execute.

Eight hundred conference participants went into classrooms in two local elementary schools, carrying backpacks filled with picture books to read with and give to the students. The women, wearing matching T-shirts, found the children dressed in the same T-shirts, which instantly created a feeling of unity. The children were giddy with the excitement of meeting new people and receiving gifts; their warmth and energy rubbed off on the volunteers.

Amy Ross, a volunteer from South Palm Beach, was surprised at how much she got out of the service project. She described her classroom visit as the highlight of the entire conference, one that strengthened her bond with fellow Lions while forging new connections with the children they came to help. “They seemed thirsty to connect with us,” she recalls. “I had no idea visiting the school would be such a special experience. We all left feeling connected to each other.”

Stacy Walter, associate director of development at JFNA, who oversaw the organization of the project, said, “A lot of these kids come from homes in which parents aren’t always able to read to their children. I have huge envelopes full of thank-you cards that the kids sent to us; it felt really good for them to have someone come in and spend an hour with them. And the activity was so meaningful for the women who participated, who are mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and teachers.”

The ILOJC literacy project can easily be duplicated in any community, and many of the women who participated have since undertaken similar projects in cities around North America. The beauty of the project, fundamentally, was its simplicity. A great service project doesn’t have to be complicated to have a lasting effect on the participants as well as the recipients. For a taste of other great, straightforward service projects, read on.

Hartford Fills Diverse Needs Deeds for Needs began in 2003, the brainchild of three stay-at-home moms in Hartford: Stephanie Gitlin, Melissa Weinstock, and Robin Fierston. The three women had met at the Young Women’s Division of the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford. They had formerly worked as a lawyer, a consultant, and a preschool teacher respectively; now that they all had small children, they were interested in working on a project together. They decided that they would work to help Jewish families and individuals with basic needs.

“We felt like that was part of our obligation as Jewish women,” says Stephanie.

In 2004, they registered as a 501(C)(3) corporation, so that all donations would be tax-exempt, and began reaching out to local Jewish charities and synagogues. “Our business plan was basically to get our name out there to already-established Jewish agencies,

Deeds for Needs, Inc. and the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford held a clothing drive for kids to keep clients of Jewish Family Services warm last winter. More than 100 pieces of clothing were collected for more than 50 children.

and say, we know we’re small, but if you have any clients or congregants who need help, let us see what we can do,” Stephanie explained. Soon, calls began to come in from rabbis and Jewish Family Services, referring Deeds for Needs to people in the area. “We have very little red tape – basically, we’ll get a call from a Continued on page 15

New Jersey & Israel’s At-Risk Youth The Somerset Home for Temporarily Displaced Children looks like an ordinary house from the outside, and the teenagers who live there consider it their home. Their lives are quite normal—they go to school, they get driver’s licenses when they turn 17, and some have part-time jobs. At one time, all of these children were homeless, neglected, or abused. At the Somerset Home, they have a new family.

When the Yemin Orde Youth Village, home to over 500 immigrant children, was nearly obliterated by the Carmel Forest fires, the Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren, NJ Lions redirected their funding for the Village towards rebuilding the complex.

Over 5,000 miles away, in the Carmel Mountains of Israel, children in the Yemin Orde Youth Village are in a similar situation. Yemin Orde, originally founded as a home for Holocaust orphans, now houses 500 immigrant children. These children live in dorms, attend school, and learn strategies for overcoming their troubled pasts. You can find Yemin Orde graduates in every sector of Israeli life—they are entrepreneurs, politicians, teachers, and soldiers.

Some of the similarities between the Somerset Home and Yemin Orde are obvious, but at least one is not: their connection to the Jewish Federtaion of Somerset, Hunterdon, and Warren Counties, NJ Lions of Judah. The Lions have developed a unique strategy to help the Jewish community. Every year, the group picks a new issue to focus on. They educate themselves about the issue, then begin to raise money.

This year, the Lions decided to help at-risk youth who are living in group homes. In previous years, they worked towards causes in Israel. But this year, they saw

14

that there was a need in their own community as well.

For the first time, they conducted parallel projects—one for New Jersey, one for Israel. Says Diane Naar, executive director of the Somerset, Hunterdon, and Warren Federation, “It really works because people can see locally how they’re having an impact. They love Israel to begin with, so that’s kind of easy. But tell them that there are kids in their community who are in trouble— that’s pretty compelling.”

Of course, reconnaissance is important for any mission, and so the Lions scouted out the two shelters they had chosen to help. They held a meeting at the Somerset Home for Temporarily Displaced Children, where one of the residents shared her experiences with the group. In front of 125 people, this girl said that her life before the Somerset Home had been rocky, but now, she felt lucky to have had such wonderful people to take care of her. “She told us about her success in school, and how she had saved $10,000 from her part-time job,” says Women’s Division Co-Chair Robin Wishnee. “She had been taught all of the right values, and given all of the right tools to be self-sufficient. That is what we want for our children, whether they are our own or our community’s children.”

Scouting out the Yemin Orde Youth Village was easier than you might think. One member of the group, Harriet Blank, first visited Yemin Orde in 1990 on a Federation mission to Israel. She recalls that she felt “excited to see the great progress the director made in the development of the troubled, particularly with the Ethiopian immigrant teens, many of whom came to Israel without their parents.” As the Lions learned more and more about Yemin Orde, the choice to help became obvious.

The Lions first thought that they would raise money to add more dorms to the Yemin Orde complex.

However, in the middle of their donation drive, wildfires swept through the Carmel Forest and nearly obliterated the Youth Village. The money they raised was now earmarked toward rebuilding the village.

Education is the key to the project’s success. Before they began to raise money, every member of their group had received brochures about the youth shelters; they were experts from the start. “If you can get people involved from the beginning and understand the issue, then they get it and it’s their own,” says Diane.

Cleveland’s Chanukah in a Basket The Jewish Federation of Cleveland Lions of Judah have a long-standing relationship with Washington House, a group home for mentally handicapped adults run by the JFSA (Jewish Family Service Association). The Lions helped set up the home last summer, when the facility needed furniture and artwork; since its three residents moved in, the Lions have planted flowers in the garden and run small-item drives for things like toasters and shower curtains. When Chanukah rolled around, donating their efforts once again to the Washington House was an easy call to make. But they wanted to expand their efforts to make a bigger impact on the community.

“It’s an obvious good cause,” said Amy Garnitz, one of the founders of Chanukah in a Basket. “And it’s easy to help.”

Working with JFSA, Amy and her co-founder, Trish Adler, selected 48 group homes for mentally and emotionally challenged adults. These homes, where men and women of all ages reside, would receive baskets of Chanukah goodies. “Everybody got an electric menorah to put in their window, because they’re not allowed to have flames. And we worked with the staff to identify what individuals would want, so some baskets had movies, some baskets had kitchen supplies, board games, beauty products, depending on who it was going to,” says Amy. Trish added, “One man received a gift card for a movie theater. He said he hadn’t been to the movies in two years because he couldn’t afford it.”

The event, Amy says, was easy to participate in because it didn’t require a major time commitment. “We

Co-Founders of Hanukah in a Basket Trish Adler and Amy Garnitz helped wrap gifts and put together baskets that were delivered on the first and second nights of the holiday

invited people who had never volunteered before, and they could because it was a one-day event that they could put on their calendar. They brought wrapping paper and ribbon and donations for the baskets, and some people wrote out cards while others wrapped gifts.” The second part of the day was dedicated to bringing the baskets to the homes. “We made appointments with the manager of each home, so the gifts were presented to people and not left on doorsteps.”

The event unified Cleveland’s geographically far-flung Jewish community, and it also brought Amy closer to her son. “He’s 13 and so he wasn’t exactly enthusiastic, but he gets that it’s a tzedakah project and it’s a mitzvah, and I know he felt good about doing that.”

Amy and the rest of the Cleveland Lions plan to make Hanukkah in a Basket a yearly tradition. “We’re going to make it more house-specific and find out from JFSA exactly what they would like to receive.”

rabbi saying this family needs this, and if we have the funds, we’ll go get the stuff.”

Sometimes the requests are modest and local—a family needs towels, and Deeds for Needs provides towels. Other projects are larger and have further reach: The Hanukkah Soldiers’ Project provided gift baskets to fatigued Israeli soldiers, while a toy drive sent cartons of toys to Ethiopian children at a school in Israel.

Over the past year, working closely with Federation has enhanced Deeds for Needs ability to connect with the greater Jewish community. Last winter, Deeds for Needs collaborated with Women’s Philanthropy and Young Leadership to provide cold-weather clothing for children who are engaged with Jewish Family Services. Donors were able to purchase winter jackets, boots, mittens and hats for specific children who were in need. The project was able to serve all 50 families who needed help. In

May, Deeds for Needs again collaborated with Women’s Philanthropy to provide families registered with JFS with much-needed cleaning supplies, which are not funded through food stamps.

Although Deeds for Needs started out with the intention of assisting Jewish families, they do not turn down requests from the broader community. “Jewish Family Services also assists non-Jewish clients, so if we get a call from them, we take it. We don’t turn anybody away.”

Donations come from members of the organization’s email list, which is comprised of friends and people who asked to join. As the larger community has become aware of Deeds for Needs through the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford, that email list has grown. “We found in doing this that so many people want to help. They just don’t know how to do it. We’re getting tons of emails and phone calls asking, how we can help?”

www.JewishFederations.org/nwp

Hartford Continued from page 13

Collecting Food in Worcester In 1989, a group of Jewish women from Worcester, Massachusetts, began collecting food to distribute to hungry people in their area. Over the following 20-plus years, Rachel’s Table donated over nine and a half million pounds of food and milk to the needy in Worcester.

Rachel’s Table is a low-cost operation, with four part-time employees and 75-80 volunteers. The food comes free from restaurants, companies and catering businesses. The donations are leftovers—food products that are still fresh, but cannot be sold at the end of the day. Phone dispatchers arrange when and where to get the food. Volunteers pick up the food, then drive it to one of 38 agencies—agencies like group homes, soup kitchens, and large food pantries – that will distribute it. Phone dispatchers work from home; drivers use their own cars.

“We basically don’t exist without our volunteers,” said Carla Szymanski, a long-term volunteer herself.

“Most of our deliveries are done during the day, so we have a lot of retired people, some college kids, some mothers with young children.” Rachel’s Table recruits many volunteers by reaching out to organizations for retired people. They have also ran newspaper ads and collaborated with United Way. Since its inception, Rachel’s Table has branched out into other forms of food donation. In 1992, it established the Children’s Milk Fund, which provides 905 gallons of milk per week to social service agencies. During the summer, Rachel’s Table gathers fruits and vegetables to give to children’s agencies and recreation programs.

“When schools are closed, it’s a real burden on families to provide this extra meal,” says Carla.

All sorts of organizations donate food, from pizzerias to a local horticultural society. “I went over to the horticultural society to pick up the food there one day and there was this carton of some odd-looking root thing. I brought it to our local veteran’s shelter, and this scruffy man came out and said, ‘Rutabagas! I love rutabagas!’”

“When we get a donation, we try to match the type of the food and size to a particular agency,” says Carla.

“The pizzas are something we think children would like; we send them to family shelters.”

Rachel’s Table may not exist without its volunteers, but the relationship is reciprocal. “We have people working into their nineties. They get as much out of the work as the people they help.”

Since its inception 19 years ago, Rachel’s Table has distributed almost 10 million pounds of food to 39 local shelters, pantries and soup kitchens.

There’s More on the Web The National Women’s Philanthropy web pages are packed with resources for women philanthropists-including Lions of all levels. Learn about more best practices, watch the latest Lion video; find out more about endowing your Lion gift; and meet the National Women’s Philanthropy professional team. If you have a friend who’d like to know more about women’s philanthropy, please share this information with her. You can find it all at www.JewishFederations.org/nwp.

16

ON THE

NATIONAL SCENE

The Jewish Federations of North America Initiatives

Susan K. Stern Named National Campaign Chair Susan K. Stern, a PMC Lion from New York, became the second woman in Jewish Federation history to assume the role of National Campaign chair. Susie has held many prominent positions at UJA-Federation of New York and nationally, including chair of the Board and Campaign Chair in New York, president and chair of National Women’s Philanthropy, and chair of National Young Leadership Cabinet. She is a co-founder of the International Lion of Judah Conference.

In her work, Susie has traveled to Jewish communities around the globe, from Argentina to Uzbekistan, with numerous stops in Israel. She was an eyewitness to Operation Solomon -the rescue of 14,000 Ethiopian Jews in 22 hours -- in 1991.

Susie serves on the Executive Committee of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, and has served on the Board of Governors of The Jewish Agency for Israel.

“Working in the Jewish world has truly been my passion,” she said. “I feel honored to be in a position to help Jewish communities be the best that they can be, and make our national campaign as strong as possible. I’m a great storyteller, and I believe I can help people see the faces on the other side of the dollars we’re giving.”

Read more about Susie at www.JewishFederations.org/susankstern.

King David Society: New Look, New Energy The King David Society (KDS) is a community of philanthropists who give $25,000 or more each year to the Federation Annual Campaign. To reinvigorate KDS on the national level and provide opportunities for major donors from different communities to meet and mingle, The Jewish Federations of North America has introduced a new look for this society and a suite of new marketing materials to promote events.

The new KDS kicked off in March with a successful gathering at the National Museum of Jewish American History in Philadelphia. Next on the calendar is a mission to Sao Paolo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for KDS donors, scheduled for December 2011. Join us to trace the history of the Jewish community of Brazil; visit museums, palaces, rainforests and mountaintops, meet political leaders and diplomats, and enjoy home hospitality with Brazil's leading Jewish philanthropists and entrepreneurs.

Find out more about the mission at www.JewishFederations.org/kdsbrazil. To find out more about getting your community involved with KDS, contact Susan Solow-Dubin, managing director of Philanthropic Resources at JFNA (susan.solow-dubin@JewishFederations.org).

Save the Date: Heart to Heart, February 4-10, 2012 The third annual Heart to Heart mission takes off for Israel in February 2012. This soul-searing mission exposes Jewish women to Israel, the work of Federation, and each other. Heart to Heart is an important facet of our focus on outreach—it’s designed to go beyond the pool of existing Lions and engage women at all stages of life and all giving levels. Share the joy of giving generously and of working for the benefit of the Jewish people by spreading the word about Heart to Heart to the women in your community who would benefit from this special experience. Even better, sign up for the mission yourself, and bring along a friend or two. Go to www.JewishFederations.org/h2h to find out more.

ON THE

NATIONAL SCENE

The Jewish Federations of North America Initiatives

51818: Text Messaging and Mobile Giving

At a Federation event in North Carolina featuring Dennis Prager, the 500 attendees were invited to take out their phones and text PRAGER to the short code 51818. Within moments, the Federation had a database of more than 200 people who had given permission to receive mobile alerts! And when Jews across North America wanted to help Japan after the earthquake and tsunami, many of them texted their pledges to 51818. Federations found that when they called back the texters to obtain payment information, many actually increased their gifts!

JFNA has released a compelling new mobile marketing tool -- and 80 Federations have already signed on. The wellknown vendor Mobile Commons is providing us with the ability to launch and manage individualized text messaging campaigns. If you use your phone to send texts, you probably won’t be surprised to learn that 99 percent of text messages are read—83 percent within 15 minutes. A text message that is sent just before a fundraising email campaign can increase the effectiveness of that campaign by more than 75 percent.

This technology is great for events, pledge reminders, text-to-pledge campaigns, petitions and so much more! Just think how powerful it will be in the hands of Lions, the Federation movement’s great communicators! To find out more about using this tool to engage more women and increase giving in your own community, ask your Federation’s Women’s Philanthropy professional to contact Andy Neusner at andy.neusner@JewishFederations.org.

National Treasure Gerda Weissmann Klein Receives Presidential Medal of Honor Gerda Weissmann Klein, 85, is a Holocaust survivor, renowned writer, speaker and humanitarian. Her inspiring speeches and books about her experiences have educated and moved people all over the world. And the foundation she established with her husband Kurt in 1988 in Philadelphia has taught hundreds of thousands of young people to fight bigotry and engage in social activism.

In 2010, President Barack Obama recognized Gerda’s outstanding citizenship with a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2010, awarded to her for her outstanding citizenship.

During the presentation, The President said that, “…as an author, a historian and a crusader for tolerance, she has taught the world that it is often in our most hopeless moments that we discover the extent of our strength and the depth of our love." He also read this statement from Gerda: “I pray you never stand at any crossroads in your own lives, but if you

18

do, if the darkness seems so total, if you think there is no way out, remember, never ever give up.”

“It is such an honor for her,” says Nancy Astor Fox, associate director of the Gerda and Kurt Klein Foundation, and a member of the National Women’s Philanthropy Board and Advisory Committe. “She continues to teach us how to overcome the darkest of humanity and the importance of giving back. She’s beyond a role model to me,” In the last 60 years, Gerda has given speeches in all 50 states and several countries. She addressed the United Nations in 2006.

Currently, she focuses much of her work on young people since she believes they are “the messengers to a time I will not see.” She remains closely connected to Federation, to which she has devoted herself from the time she arrived in Buffalo, NY as a newlywed.

Gerda was one of only a few Holocaust survivors in the U.S. when she came to Buffalo. She contacted the local Federation, where her first job was putting stamps on envelopes. She was asked to speak at a meeting of Federation men soon after. Determined to help those languishing in Europe, she agreed. “Somehow I raised a lot of money and I haven’t shut up since,” she says.

Mazel Tov!

To All the Women Who Have Created a Lion of Judah Endowment YOU HAVE OUTGROWN OUR PAGES! It’s true. Because so many of you have decided to leave a Jewish legacy for generations to come, there are now too many LOJEs to fit in the Lion of Judah magazine. To remedy the “problem,” we have created a new place on our web site, where we can record and continually update the ever-expanding ranks of endowed Lions.

Look for this new web feature at www.jewishfederations.org/nwp

www.JewishFederations.org/nwp

And thank you for joining a cadre of exceptional women philanthropists whose acts of kindness and tzedakah will continue to make the world a better place.

From Dens Around the Country...

OUR LIONS Akron

Broward County

In appreciation for their continued generosity to the JFNA/Jewish Welfare Fund Campaign and to the Akron Jewish community, the JCBA Women’s Board hosted a brunch to honor our Lion of Judah and Pomegranate donors with special guest speaker Congresswoman Betty Sutton.

Twenty-eight women representing the Jewish Federation of Broward County participated in the International Lion of Judah Conference in New Orleans.

The Broward County contingency was the largest group of representatives for a Federation of its size. Our delegates ranged in age from 30 to over 80—we covered a wide spectrum!

The Literacy Project was an especially meaningful part of the conference. The experience had a significant impact on our own Sheryl Greenwald. Sheryl, who is a cochair of the Women’s Executive Circle, has made literacy for children a priority in her life, and incorporated The PJ Library into the efforts of our Federation by becoming the lead donor for the project.

The Lion Conference has been a traditional favorite, providing inspiration and camaraderie for women across the country. This past year, it did that—and more. It also brought us a new initiative, and a new way of reaching out to the community.

(L. to R.) New Akron Lion of Judah Sue McMains, Women’s Board President Susan Golden and Rochelle Stone

Boston

20

In our community, both staff and lay leadership are asked to solicit sponsorship to help offset some of the costs of our events. This is understandably time consuming, so we tried a new approach. In advance of our big Pomegranate outreach evening, we created the Women’s Philanthropy Circle: a group of Jewish women-owned businesses that, for $250 each, joined to demonstrate the collective power of women to make a difference in support of our campaign.

Within just a week or so, using only email, we secured 20 Circle sponsors for a total of $5,000. The sponsors are listed on our event invitation, in all evites, on our website, displayed on signage at the event, and have the opportunity to include a small card or offer in the goodie bag each attendee takes home from the event.

We hope that we have provided a platform that uses the synergy of the larger group to call extra attention to each sponsor and creates interest among other womenowned businesses to be a part of our Circle. In addition, this has given us one more way to engage women in the work we do.

Broward Lion and Women’s Executive Circle Chair Sheryl Greenwald

Buffalo Buffalo Gals were ready to rock as the 2011 United Jewish Fund Campaign began. This year finds women playing an increasingly important role in the Buffalo Federation. Women’s Philanthropy is being led by Lion Viola Sterman, a veteran of many Israel trips and a staunch Jewish community supporter. Holly Levy, a LOJE, is leading the Federation as president. She previously chaired the Women’s Philanthropy Campaign in Buffalo, as well as the

ROAR !

General United Jewish Fund Campaign.

Women are reaching out to each other through phonea-thons, through meetings and by personally asking each other to do more for the UJF Campaign, which helps families and individuals in Buffalo and all over the world.

Speaker Sophie Ambrose, a Birthright success story from Arkansas, delighted her new Buffalo LOJ friends with stories of her childhood in Appalachia and her Jewish “homecoming” in Israel.

(L. to R.) Attending the Kick-Off Event of the 2011 United Jewish Fund Campaign in Buffalo were Lion Holly Levy, President, Jewish Federation of Buffalo; Lion Ellen Weiss, Vice Chair of the Kick-Off Dinner; Lion Viola Sterman, Chair, 2011 Women’s Philanthropy; Sophie Ambrose, speaker at the Kick-Off Dinner; Lion Anne Virag; and Susan Altman, Chair of the 2011 UJF Kick-Off Dinner. Photo by Linda Gellman/ CLICK

Sophie Kettner Memorial Scholarship, was named in November. Sophie’s passing last summer was a huge loss to the Lions and to the community at large. But the Lions are keeping her legacy alive through scholarships to students whose leadership potential matches the stunning qualities that made Sophie the pride of LOJ. Sophie’s sister Lions have launched a three-year pilot program and raised over $6,700. This money will be awarded in scholarships to two or three students attending a recognized post-secondary educational institution in Calgary.

“We hope to be inspired by the recipients and to inspire them back,” says Naida Feldman, who co-chairs LOJ together with Carolyn Libin.

The scholarship program is the brainchild of another Lion, Sandy Martin, recipient of the prestigious KipnisWilson/Friedland Award at the ILOJC held last November in New Orleans.

Calgary Calgary Lions of Judah are true to their name... fierce when it comes to their “pride”—the Jewish community of Calgary—and nurturing to its young.

An exciting new initiative is the Lion of Judah Scholarship Program, which will support some fortunate Jewish post-secondary students who emulate the courage, tenacity and devotion of their Lion of Judah role models in their journey toward scholastic excellence and community leadership.

One notable Calgary Lion was the late Sophie Kettner, for whom the inaugural Lion of Judah scholarship, The

Central New Jersey The Jewish Federation of Central New Jersey Lions had an incredible experience at the ILOJC in New Orleans. From beginning to end, the power of Women’s Philanthropy ignited enthusiasm and inspiration. Three of the women from Central NJ were attending the conference for the first time.

Visiting the New Orleans elementary school was definitely a highlight. The opportunity to have one-on-one connections with the children illustrated firsthand how

www.JewishFederations.org/nwp

(L. to R.) The Calgary Lion Student Grant Committee: Donna Riback, Sandy Martin, Carolyn Libin (Lion Co-Chair), Anna Gelt and Naida Feldman (Lion Co-Chair)

Federation impacts the lives of families who continue to struggle after a natural disaster.

“Reading with Anderson outside on the playground was a really sweet moment. He told me that his family had no books at home and that his sisters would enjoy them as well,” remarked Wendy Rosenberg.

At the caucus, our community’s Lions raised more than $57,200 for the 2011 Women’s Philanthropy Campaign, and Wendy Rosenberg announced her decision to endow her Lion of Judah gift.

The guest speaker was Sue Fishkoff, national correspondent and contributing editor for JTA. Sue noted, “The Jewish Community has never been larger, more creative or more influential than it is today.” Alison Lerner shared the incredible experience our eight Lions had at the ILOJC in New Orleans. They returned home committed to adding a deeper meaning to the Lion of Judah pin.

Charlotte’s 52 Lions gave $732,560 to the 2010 Campaign, representing 26% of the total Campaign. In 2011 Charlotte has welcomed seven new Lions.

Three service projects are currently in the works and were presented to our Lions at a recent wine and cheese party hosted by Tracy Brown.

Chicago

(L. to R.) Central New Jersey’s Julie Lipsett Singer, Joan Levinson, Robyn Bier, Amy Cooper, Central Federation Israel Representative Tehila Nachalon, Erica Needle, Phyllis Bernstein, Wendy Rosenberg, and Elyse Deutsch

The 2010 LOJE L’dor v’dor: Share the Pride event was hosted by Marjorie Horwich Kulp and Frances Horwich at Marjorie’s home. Frances and Marjorie both delivered moving testimonials about the importance of sharing the obligation of tzedekah from one generation to the next, and expressed their deep commitment to supporting the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago and the community. Linda Hurwitz, chair of National Women’s Philanthropy, gave the keynote address about the important role of women’s philanthropy.

(L. to R.) Central New Jersey Lions Robyn Bier, Wendy Rosenberg, Joan Levinson, Andrea Alexander, Phyllis Bernstein, and Erica Needle

Charlotte

Amy Augustine, co-chair of Charlotte’s 2011 Lion of Judah campaign with Amy Gould and Alison Lerner, welcomed our Lions to a luncheon held at the Duke Mansion.

(L. to R.) Deanna Drucker, Women’s Board President; Jane Cadden Lederman, Women’s Board Vice President Campaign 2010; Adrienne Barbakoff Kriezelman, Women’s Board Vice President Campaign 2011; Linda Hurwitz, Chair, National Women’s Philanthropy 2009-2011; Susie Spier Chapman, LOJE Chair; and hosts Frances Horwich and Marjorie Horwich Kulp.

Cleveland

(L. to R.) Charlotte Lion Co-Chair Amy Augustine, guest speaker Sue Fishkoff, Lion Co-Chairs Amy Gould and Alison Lerner

22

Inspired by her participation in the New Orleans public schools literacy project during her first ILOJC, Lion Lori Compton returned to Cleveland to create Cover to Cover, a literacy project designed to replace outdated books and replenish the sparse school library bookshelves at Ginn Academy, an all-boys school located in the heart of Cleveland. Lori spearheaded a project that inventoried existing titles, purchased (via an online registry) hundreds of new books, educational games, and DVDs, and painstakingly catalogued and shelved them.

Chanukah 2010 was much brighter for those living in one of Jewish Cleveland’s 48 group homes because of Chanukah in Basket, a collaborative project between Federation and its partner agency Jewish Family Service Association, designed and driven by Lions Trish Adler and Amy Wain Garnitz. For more information about this project, see page 15.

Cleveland Lions Eileen Sill, Ruby Lion Co-Chair, and Rina Frankel, recipient of 2010 Ruby Bass Award

Collier County Nearly 60 like-minded Lions from the Jewish Federation of Collier County and the Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties attended a special “Friend Raiser” in January. The beautiful art-filled office of Northern Trust was the venue, and delicious food and wine was provided by the bank.

A special feature of the event was a video of the reopening of the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. The program drew parallels between Theodore Herzl’s dream of a community of Jews free to live with all people and beliefs, and the renovation of the world-class Israel Museum, whose organizing principle is the interrelationship of the various peoples who live in and around Israel.

This gathering of Lions of Judah from our local communities as well as visiting Lions from across the United States was a first, but we hope it will become an annual event.

Colorado In February, more than 1,000 Colorado women joined us for our annual CHOICES luncheon, Federation’s largest fundraising outreach event for Jewish women.

CHOICES was generously underwritten by Sue Allon and Singer Family Foundation. We were delighted to host keynote speaker Sonia Kashuk, an entrepreneur, makeup artist and designer of an exclusive line for Target. She is also a committed philanthropist and a breast cancer survivor. We invited Alina Spaulding, director of communications for American Hebrew Academy, to serve as our case speaker. Alina is from the former Soviet Union and her story exemplifies the meaningful work that Federations and Lions support around the world. These two talented, powerful women electrified the audience and inspired women to give.

This year’s CHOICES theme, “One Small Touch,” celebrated women’s real beauty – on the inside and on the outside – as personified by the amazing matriarchs Sarah, Rebekah and Rachel and the millions of Jewish women throughout our history. Jewish women have always known how to balance inner and outer beauty. With a bit of lipstick, women understand how one small touch can light up a face. With 1,000 women in the room, we understood the power of philanthropy through our giving – each gift was a single small touch, but together they had a huge impact. And our CHOICES mitzvah project for Jewish Family Service of Colorado was an enormous success. To date, more than 650 pounds of much-needed products have been donated to support their invaluable community service efforts.

During this year’s Lion/LOJE pre-reception, the Mountain Lions roared as they welcomed eight new Lion of Judah Endowments to the family. With more than 60, the growth this year has been truly inspiring.

(L. to R.) Colorado CHOICES Co-Chair Ceci Lowinger, Co-Chair Melanie Siegel, Keynote Speaker Sonia Kashuk, Co-Chair Mimi Pomeranz, Women’s Campaign, and Jewish Women’s Philanthropy Center Chair Amy Toltz-Miller

Delaware

(L. to R.) Rosalee Bogo, President of the Jewish Federation of Collier County; Sandy Roth and Jill Weil, Event Co-Chairs; and Debbie Smith

The Jewish Federation of Delaware kicked off our Campaign season with a Lion of Judah trip to New York City. There, we had the pleasure of hearing Gail Norry, recently named National Women’s Philanthropy Chair, share her inspiring stories and experiences, reminding us all how we truly make a difference in the lives of others.

Our Lions were then treated to lunch and a spectacular fashion show at Bergdorf Goodman, courtesy of our event chair Karen Legum.

Delaware was proudly represented at the GA in New Orleans by our delegation of 24 community mem-

www.JewishFederations.org/nwp

The annual traditions took on a new flair when new faces were at the helm. More than 30 Lions gathered together in the beautiful home of Evie Safran, who, along with LOJE co-chairs Fran Lasky and Sandy Wuliger, introduced the concept and highlighted the importance of leaving a legacy through the Lion of Judah Endowment program. This multi-generational theme was carried through to the annual Lion of Judah dinner where more than 200 mothers and daughters gathered together to hear Rabbi Joseph Telushkin’s message about how words can both hurt and heal.

bers. Eight women also attended the ILOJC where our President-Elect Robin Kauffman Saran was honored as a recipient of the prestigious Kipnis-Wilson/Friedland Award. Both the GA and ILOJC provided our delegates with inspiration, new ideas and renewed passion to bring back and energize our local community.

Spring 2011 brought one of our favorite community happenings, the Spring Women’s Philanthropy Event, held this year at Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts.

Fifty-seven women were led on private gallery tours and treated to a sumptuous afternoon tea and presentation from the executive director of DCCA on the topic of Jewish artists in history.

The community is extremely proud to announce the recent appointment of Suzanne Grant, JFD past president, to the National Women’s Philanthropy Board. Suzanne, along with Robin Kauffman Saran, will represent JFD at the local and national level in this very esteemed and critical role.

Our Women’s Philanthropy Division, co-chaired by Michelle Engelmann and Ellen Wagner, continues to raise more than 50 percent of our Annual Campaign dollars, reinforcing the importance of women’s giving. Two new Lions, one upgrade to a Sapphire Lion, and one upgrade to a Prime Minister’s Council Lion in 2011, are a direct result of these efforts.

(L. to R.) Delaware Lions Wendy Berger, JFD Development Director; Suzanne Grant, JFD Past-President and NWP Board Member; Robin Kauffman Saran, JFD President-Elect and NWP Board Member

Detroit The Women’s Department of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit held its third annual Stretch to Help in February. Three hundred women participated in one of 25 yoga, Pilates, exercise and healthy living classes to support the 2011 Annual Campaign. The goals for this event were to raise awareness and dollars for the needs in our Jewish community, and to bring women together to celebrate the power of women’s philanthropy and their ability to make a difference. A minimum gift of $18 was required to participate. Through this event, Women’s Department volunteers were able to share the Federation message with women in a comfortable atmosphere. This proved to be a winning strategy, as 35 percent of gifts were new gifts and 84 percent were at the community level. A total of $18,300 was raised, representing a 25 percent gift for gift increase.

24

Women of all ages—including young mothers with their children, in cooperation with the Young Adult Division—were encouraged to stretch their minds, bodies and hands to help those in need, thereby strengthening the community’s safety net. Event leadership included Co-Chairs Illana Greenberg and Gail Mondry, Associate Chairs Niki Fink and Denise Parr, Campaign Chair Barbara Horowitz, and President Marcie Orley.

Grand Rapids The cover of the last issue of Lion of Judah Magazine, depicting Rosie the Riveter, typifies our Grand Rapids Lions. These 12 women are leaders in Women’s Philanthropy on a world scale, but they are also the Rosies in our community. Our Lions are the backbone of Federation, and they are as comfortable in rolled-upsleeves as they are in black tie.

Our Lions donate time in direct service areas. They drive needy members of our community to appointments, shopping and events; they fold, stuff and post mailings; they host visitors to our community, including Israel Scouts; they transport youth to camps; they plan and host dinners, lunches, and meetings; and they set up for events and clean up after!

That’s not all. Our Lions offer guidance by serving in leadership positions. They are members of the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee, the Strategic Planning Committee, the Film Festival Committee, the Cultural Council, and the Social Services Advisory Group.

We are grateful to our Rosies, the Lions of Judah of the Jewish Federation of Grand Rapids. They are, they can, and they do!

Greensboro, NC The Greensboro Jewish Federation and the Jewish Foundation of Greensboro hosted a Lion of Judah Special Day of Recognition at the North Carolina Museum of Art in May. Greensboro Lions were joined by Lions of Judah from across the state for a day of learning, sharing and celebrating together. The day included lunch and a private tour of the museum with Deputy Director of Art John Coffey. The group of 38 women included Lions from Greensboro, Durham-Chapel Hill, Raleigh and Charlotte.

The tour ended in the new Judaic Art Gallery with a ceremony recognizing the new Greensboro Lion of Judah Endowment Donors and inviting them to sign the LOJE Ketubah.

Greensboro Lions of Judah

Kansas City

(L. to R.) Jeri D’Lugin, Gail LeBauer, Phyllis Shavitz, and Marilyn Chandler, the new Greensboro Lion of Judah Endowment donors, signing the LOJE Ketubah.

To launch Kansas City’s 2011 Lion campaign, Lion Chairs Karen Pack and Patricia Werthan Uhlmann used a little creative thinking to bring in $320,000 in Lion pledges quickly and jumpstart the campaign year.

A little friendly rivalry—in the form of a raffle with some great spa giveaways—did the trick. Their idea, presented at the luncheon event in September 2010, was a great success, with more than 50% of the women in attendance making their pledges, rather than waiting until spring or fall to do so. Kol Hakavod to Karen and Patricia, who did a fantastic job getting those gifts in early!

This year’s event, with a “We Can Do It” theme complete with Rosie the Riveter, brought more than 60 women together to hear Kathy Manning, chair of the Jewish Federations of North America Board of Trustees.

Additionally, four new Lions have joined the “pack.”

Another new feature at the September luncheon was the recognition of past Women’s Division presidents and Campaign chairs, who were invited to share the gala afternoon.

Hartford In May, Hartford held Voices, our annual spring signature event. Connecticut’s Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman welcomed the group sharing her own Jewish stories with us. She touched on leadership and she recognized the power of women’s philanthropy. Event Co-chairman Rona Gollob attended her first Voices as a Lion of Judah.

Linda Kaplan Thaler, chief executive officer and chief creative officer of the Kaplan Thaler Group was the keynote.

She is a Lion of Judah and she has worked with JFNA on a series of films including “Walk this World Together” and “I Need You Now” that helped raise millions of dollars. Linda was engaging and thought provoking as she discussed her two most recent books, The Power of Nice and The Power of Small. Lisa Fishman, vice vhair, Women’s Philanthropy and a member of the NWP Board notes that Hartford boasts more than 120 Lions of Judah and 30 women on the LOJE honor roll.

Hartford welcomed Linda Kaplan Thaler as our keynote speaker at Voices. (L. to R.) Judy Rosenthal, Vice Chair, Annual Campaign; Ann Pava, Event Co-Chair; Leigh Newman, Chairman of the Board; Beth Fox, Event Co-chair; Eveline Schaffer Shekhman, Event Co-chair; Linda Kaplan Thaler, Debra Glassman, Associate Vice President, Development; Rona Gollob, Event Co-chairman, Cathrine Fischer Schwartz, President and CEO; and Lisa Fishman, Vice Chair, Women’s Philanthropy

(L. to R.) Kansas City Lions Trudy Jacobson, Women’s Division Campaign Chair; JFNA Chair Kathy Manning; and Shanny Morgenstern, Women’s Division Campaign Chair

www.JewishFederations.org/nwp

Kansas City Lion Chairs Patricia Werthan Uhlmann (sitting) and Karen Pack welcome guests.

Lehigh Valley According to Valerie Salembier, senior vice president and publisher of Hearst Corporation’s Harper’s Bazaar, animal prints are in, stripes are good for any season and statement jewelry can make an outfit. Salembier, daughter of local Lion Jean Weiner, talked fashion tips, gave warnings about knock-off products and spoke about her own wildly successful career at the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley’s spring recognition event.

The Lion of Judah women in attendance walked away with the summer fashion issue of Salembier’s magazine, the fall trend report and the knowledge that they are still most definitely in style.

(L. to R.) Louisville Lion of Judah Event Chairs Julie Ellis, Maxine Rouben, Kate Latts and Jennifer Tuvlin

MetroWest NJ

(L. to R.) Senior Vice President and Publisher of Harper’s Bazaar Valerie Salembier, 2011 Women’s Division President Karen Cooper, event host and Lion of Judah Beth Kozinn and Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley President Wendy Born

Louisville The Jewish Community of Louisville’s Lion of Judah division held its main event in December at Maxine Rouben’s home. To increase awareness of the division’s important work, the Lions included their mothers and adult daughters and invited the Pomegranates to join them.

The group recognized Louisville’s Kipnis-Wilson/ Friedland Award winner, Cheryl Karp. Program Co-Chairs Rouben, Kate Latts, Jennifer Tuvlin and Julie Ellis recounted the history of the Lion and Pomegranate divisions.

Campaign Chair Ralph Green and JCL President and CEO Stu Silberman provided a brief update on the positive changes in the Louisville Jewish community.

The featured speaker was Erin Einhorn, a journalist who documented her family’s Holocaust experience and tracked down the Polish family who protected and sheltered her mother – still living in the house her family had owned. Einhorn also discovered that while her grandfather had given them permission to live in his home, he had never given them the papers to prove ownership. Today, Einhorn is working to resolve the legal issues.

Louisville welcomed Alyson Goldberg to the Lion of Judah Division.

26

Sometimes dreams take a while to come true, but it’s worth the wait. Almost six years ago, under thenCampaign Chair Paula Saginaw, Women’s Philanthropy of UJC MetroWest started Lions’ Leap, an effort focused on funding the construction of a women’s center in our Partnership 2000 community of Ofakim. Our Lions were asked to increase their annual gifts by $500 to participate; we needed 100 Lions and we got even more than that!

Due to challenges in the construction process, we had the opportunity to reach out again to new Lions and to women who hadn’t participated originally, and now more than half of our MetroWest Lions have taken the leap. And in February 2011, during the Heart to Heart 2 Mission, we were able to participate in the opening dedication of the ISHA Center. Isha means woman in Hebrew, and the Hebrew acronym ISHA stands for “Ofakim Initiates the Integration of Women.” The ISHA Center truly marks not only the integration of the women of Ofakim, but the integration of MetroWest Lions into the life of the community as well. The ISHA Center started as a dream, but as we know so well, “If you will it, it is no dream.”

(L. to R.) MetroWest, NJ, Lions Leslie Dannin Rosenthal, Anna Fisch and Ellen Goldner at the dedication of the ISHA Center in Ofakim

Milwaukee The Milwaukee Jewish Federation’s Lions of Judah were energized in the fall of 2010 by several events. The first was a highly successful Lion of Judah/Pomegranate Society event in October, at which 60 women enjoyed an Israeli breakfast with noted Israeli journalist Gil Tamary, who spoke about the Israel-Palestine peace talks. The second was the amazing ILOJC in New Orleans in November.

Our contingent of eight Lions was inspired and motivated by the unparalleled combination of networking, outstanding speakers and volunteer opportunities. Finally, we drew strength by learning through an article in The Chronicle of Philanthropy that, across the nation, women have now surpassed men as the major force in American philanthropy.

Now we are working hard to “widen and heighten the tent,” bringing more women into the circle of engagement in Jewish women’s philanthropy. We’ve begun a new program of small coffee meetings in the homes of our women leaders; we’re continuing a full schedule of women’s programming, including our popular Community Women’s Seder; and we’re reaching out with an active Women’s Division Facebook presence.

We are proud to say that the Milwaukee Jewish Federation has 101 Lions of Judah, and 31 women have chosen to endow their Lions.

Following the volunteer experience, the women reconvened at the Federation office for an Israeli lunch and an opportunity to talk about their volunteer project and make suggestions about how to expand this wonderful event next year. Approximately one third of the participants in Mitzvah Morning were Lions of Judah, including those in the picture volunteering at Chag Sameach.

(L. to R.) Minneapolis Lions Cindy Shapiro, Women’s Philanthropy Campaign Chair; Kathy Zack; and Kay Goldstein, Women’s Philanthropy President, enjoy our first Annual Women’s Mitzvah Morning.

Monmouth At the ILOJC, Wendy Marks, the Monmouth County Federation’s Kipnis-Wilson Friedland Award winner, was honored at a special dinner.

Attending the International Lion of Judah Conference in New Orleans were Milwaukeeans (L. to R., standing) Sue Strait, Jody Kaufman Loewenstein, Idy Goodman, Andrea Schneider, and Joan Lubar; (L. to R., seated) Susan Angel Miller, Jill Plavnick, Elizabeth Goldberg and Lauri Roth

Minneapolis (L. to R., seated) Monmouth County Lions Lauren Reich, Elise Feldman, Honoree Wendy Marks, Judy David, Lynne Prager, Dale Goldberg, and Vicki Portman; (L. to R., standing) Maddy Seeman, Sheryl Grutman, and Sheri Tarrab

Montreal A senior knits a scarf to be packaged with a hat and mittens and gives it to a young student in need—that’s TOV. The Tikun Olam Volunteers (TOV) of Women’s Philanthropy in Montreal is a comprehensive network that offers the opportunity to participate in hands-on volunteering for a variety of programs. Volunteering might include serving dinner at Le Café (providing hot meals to those most in need), chauffeuring an aged or infirm person to an appointment or packaging frozen Meals on Wheels to name but a few.

www.JewishFederations.org/nwp

The Minneapolis Jewish Federation Women’s Philanthropy Division held our first Annual Mitzvah Morning in January. The idea was to enable women in our community to spend some time volunteering at one of five Federation partner agencies/programs. Opportunities for the morning included helping unpack and clean the storage room and shelves for Chag Sameach, a program of Jewish Family and Children’s Service (JFCS) that provides holiday gifts for families who otherwise would not be able to afford them; watercolor painting with Deikel Family AlterCare participants, an adult day service program of JFCS for people who otherwise might be alone during the day; reading and conducting activities with children in an early childhood classroom at the Sabes JCC; experiencing Yiddish Club with residents at Sholom Home West; and making Shabbat candlesticks and hearing the stories of a large Russian Jewish population living in subsidized housing through a program called VOICE: Community Building Initiative.

Since its inception in late 2009, over 1500 volunteers have participated in TOV, making it an indispensable tool for outreach to new members of the community.

Surpassing expectations, TOV has attracted hundreds of women who would not otherwise have engaged in a Women’s Philanthropy initiative. And in engaging women to personally experience the positive impact of their time commitment, they gain a greater understanding of the impact of their financial commitment. In turn, they become active donors giving from their hearts—that’s TOV. Thirty Montreal Lions traveled to New Orleans for the ILOJC. One of them was Arlene Arbitan, who writes: “My participation in the most recent November 2010 International Lion of Judah Conference in New Orleans— in addition to the one in Washington in 2004—solidified my vision and reinforced my attachment to the Montreal Jewish community and to the State of Israel. The conference exposed me to the breadth of the philanthropy in which we are involved in—through the giving and doing for our community—while ensuring the future of Israel.

“In the different proposed workshops we chose to attend, we heard about the incredible work of our counterparts in North America, in Israel and around the world.

It was so motivating for the 1,100 women to hear such fabulous speakers and caring Jewish leaders as Benjamin Netanyahu and Tzipi Livni, as well as moving speakers from Vancouver, the U.S. and France, who while sharing their message and reminding us of our Jewish responsibility to one another, taught us, motivated us and inspired us as philanthropists and leaders. Their generosity in soul and spirit was so powerful and energizing!”

to our pride. Each table was dressed with colorful tulips to capture the fabulous spring weather, and each woman received a hand-made paperweight engraved with the Lion logo complete with a sparkling diamond eye.

After everyone enjoyed their lunch, the women followed curator Alice Yelen Gitter through an exhibit of Japanese art. The exhibition, “A Sound of One Hand: Paintings and Calligraphy by Zen Master Hakuin,” had just opened the previous weekend and our Lions were offered an exclusive tour through the galleries. Event Co-Chair Vivian Cahn notes, “The event was special because it not only celebrated our wonderful Lions, but also celebrated the wonderful New Orleans cultural traditions of art and food.”

(L. to R.) New Orleans Museum of Art Curator and Lion Alice Yelen Gitter; Event Co-Chair Lisa Heller; 2011 Annual Campaign Co-Chair Cathy Bart; and Event Co-Chair Vivian Cahn enjoy this year’s Lion of Judah Luncheon

New York City

Montreal’s Women’s Philanthropy had many Lions participate in the recent ILOJC in New Orleans. (L. to R., bottom row) Sarah Rubin; Alice Raby, International Lion of Judah Kipnis-Wilson/Friedland Award recipient 2010; and Elaine Dubrovsky; (L. to R., middle row) Marlene King; Marilyn Blumer; Gail Adelson-Marcovitz; Nancy Ditkofsky; Etty Bienstock; Beverlee Ashmele; Sheila Garfield; and Rosalind Goodman; (back row) Marla Shuster and Allison Cobrin

New Orleans Tuesday, February 15, 2011, was a sunny, warm spring day in New Orleans, perfect for our annual Lion of Judah Luncheon. At the new Courtyard Café, a Ralph Brennan restaurant at the New Orleans Museum of Art, 40 women enjoyed kir royales, lunch featuring Gulf Coast fish, and a presentation from curator and local Lion of Judah Alice Yelen Gitter.We warmly welcomed six new Lions of Judah 28

In our very challenging economy and competitive philanthropic world, UJA-Federation of New York’s Women’s Philanthropy realized that our fundraising activities could not be business as usual. In 2010 we initiated the $10,000 Circle to both encourage additional giving and recognize the generosity of our women.

In its inaugural year, we were pleased that this program brought us 70 new $10,000-plus donors for an aggregate increase of $766,978. Looking to surpass these numbers, we planned three programs for the 2011 campaign.

In the fall we hosted what has become the annual Mission with a Heart. This year we focused on Washington Heights, a unique inner-city neighborhood where different ethnic groups interact on a daily basis. We met with agency directors, city officials, and clients, then concluded with a guided tour of the Cloisters reflecting on Jewish life in the Middle Ages.

The Circle’s 24 Hours in Washington, D.C. Mission, March 1-2, was sold out, with 32 participants. An extraordinary experience, it is hard to choose the most memorable moment. Perhaps the opening evening at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, which included a private tour of the exhibit “State of Deception:The Power of Nazi Propaganda” followed by a visit with Sir Ben Kingsley. Or,

in the words of one participant: “The highlight was the breakfast at Bonnie and Senator Lautenberg’s beautiful home with the Egyptian Ambassador Sameh Shoukry. I could have gone home then and been happy. But the day got better and better…”

And so it did. We visited the Library of Congress, where we had a close up of the Hebraic collection.

A short but awe-inspiring walk through the Capitol culminated in a lunch meeting with Representatives Eliot Engel, Nita Lowey and Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Senator Lautenberg, which allowed us to advocate for UJA-Federation’s priorities. The day ended with a thought-provoking discussion at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy where David Makovsky, director of The Washington Institute’s Project on the Middle East Peace Process, shared his thoughts on the Middle East in light of the recent upheaval.

The Circle’s programming will culminate in April with an evening in Tribeca, which will include a screening of a film at the Tribeca Film Festival with a reception following. This event will be open to $10,000 Circle members and their partners. To date we boast 38 new women to this category of giving, which accounts for nearly $846,696 new dollars.

We look forward to growing the Circle and finding new and exciting ways to attract and thank the philanthropy of our New York Lions.

New York $10,000 Circle members visit with Peggy K. Pearlstein, Area Specialist, in the Hebraic Section of the Library of Congress. (L. to R.) New York City Lions Linda Plattus; Pam Wexler, Mission Chair; Marilyn Gottlieb; Peggy K. Pearlstein; Doris Saranga; and Cindy Golub

We believe it is important to continue to reach out to the community at large, and hope that this event sparks an interest and a desire to get involved.

Our Women’s Philanthropy corporate sponsors also enjoy having a large audience for one of our yearly events.

(L. to R.) Northeastern NY WP Community-Wide Event Co-Chair Mona Golub, WP Community-Wide Event Co-Chair Wendy Schaffer, Keynote Speaker Vanessa Hidary, WP Community Wide Event Co-Chair Gilah Moses, and WP Community Wide Event Co-Chair Phyllis Wang

Over 200 women were in attendance for Northeastern New York’s Fourth Annual Women’s Philanthropy Community-Wide event featuring Vanessa Hidary (center).

Northeastern NY This spring, Northeastern New York had our Fourth Annual Women’s Philanthropy Community Wide event featuring Vanessa Hidary.

As usual, we had over 200 women in attendance. This event was created to educate the women in our community about the critical role the Federation plays, and the importance of getting involved. One year, one of the women attending the event became a Lion that evening.

This year, we decided to play a game and created a quiz for everyone attending: How Well Do You Know Federation? We had 10 questions focusing on topics that we wanted to share with the women in our community.

These topics included Why the Federation exists, Why give an individual gift, What a Lion of Judah is, What the Israel Experience is, What P2K is, and the countries that benefit from JDC’s work.

Northern New Jersey’s Lions were “on the road” a great deal this past year. In October, the Lion of Judah donors travelled to New York City’s Jewish Museum for their annual Lion of Judah Luncheon where they toured the special exhibit, “Shifting the Gaze—Painting and Feminism.” Co-Chairs Debbie Davis, Lisa Mactas and Carol Newman hosted a wonderful event and announced the names of the eight new women who had increased to the Lion of Judah giving level since the previous Lion Luncheon.

In November, it was off to New Orleans for the International Lion of Judah Conference highlighted by the Kipnis-Wilson/Friedland Award Ceremony. NNJ’s Eva Lynn Gans was recognized for her exemplifying the spirit of the Lion of Judah thought her ongoing commitment to tzedakah, tikkun olam and leadership in the Jewish Community.

www.JewishFederations.org/nwp

Northern NJ

Finally, in March, several Lions joined other generous NNJ donors for a trip to Philadelphia to tour the new National Museum of American Jewish History. This year women who contributed at least $1,000 to the Annual Campaign were invited to “Reach for the Pomegranate” and be among the first to see this beautiful museum, which chronicles the American Jewish experience from 1654 until today.

(L. to R.) Louise Tuchman, Joan Krieger, Paula Shaiman and Merle Fish wait to tour the special exhibit Shifting the Gaze: Painting and Feminism at NYC’s Jewish Museum at Northern New Jersey’s annual Lion of Judah Luncheon.

and much more. As members of our Knitting Circle, the Lions create preemie caps and blankets, fingerless gloves for dialysis patients, and afghans for Binky Patrol (which helps children in need of comfort) and Children’s Hospital Orange County Pediatric Oncology Unit. As reading partners, our Lions volunteer in local public school K-3 classrooms, helping children learn to read so they can read to learn.

Shirley Field and Linda Stoll, Orange County Lion of Judah Co-Chairs

Orlando

ILOJC Attendees from Northern New Jersey take a break to caucus at New Orleans’ Café du Monde. (L. to R.) Susan Penn, Rita Merendino, Gale S. Bindelglass, Paula Shaiman, Joan Krieger, Allyn Michaelson, Women’s Philanthropy Director Jodi Heimler, Mimi Kassel and Marcia Chapman

It was a glorious night full of food, fun and philanthropy, as more than 450 Jewish women (and a handful of men) turned out for Choices 2011. The sold-out event—the main fundraiser for the Women’s Division of the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando—raised more than $200,000 from the women in attendance. They came from all over the Central Florida area, representing every synagogue and every Federation program, ranging in age from teenagers to grandmothers.

A group of 20 women made the trip to Lake Mary from South Orlando, enjoying a pre-Choices “party on wheels” in a Hummer limousine. Following dinner, supervolunteer Rhonda Pearlman was honored as the 2011 Harriet Ginsburg Woman of Choice for her work within the Jewish community. The guests were then treated to a performance by Grammy-winning violinist Miri Ben-Ari, whose unique hip-hop style had many of the attendees dancing in the aisles.

Orange County Our Lions continue to set the bar in philanthropy and community service. In addition to our many Lions, we have more Ruby and Sapphire Lions than ever, a new Emerald Lion, and our pacesetting Prime Minister’s Council Lion.

Our Lions inspire women at all levels to give more: at our 2011 Women’s Voices luncheon, 94 women increased their investment in Women’s Philanthropy, and the event also realized 60 first-time donors. Lions led the way in 2010, helping Women’s Philanthropy achieve a campaign result of $1,150,000—the largest sum in our history, despite the challenging economy.

Lions participate as Mitzvah Mavens, doing monthly mitzvot in our community: they prepare hundreds of bag lunches for an area shelter, pack groceries at a local food pantry, cook dinners at Ronald McDonald House, 30

(L. to R.) Orlando Lions Barbara Hara Weiss, Sharon, Kelly and Alan Ginsburg, 2011 Woman of Choice Rhonda Pearlman, Judith Rapp Hara and Devorah-Leah Dubov

Ottawa For the past two years, Ottawa Lions of Judah have competed in a local Dragon Boat Festival to raise funds for the broader Ottawa community. With no previous dragon boating experience, they paddled their hearts out and cheered until they couldn’t speak. Together they raised close to $50,000 for the Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival to support several local charities.

As a result of this amazing experience, Ottawa’s Lions have decided to take their newfound passion to the next level. They are in the midst of planning Israel’s first-ever Dragon Boat Festival on the Sea of Galilee for May 17-18, 2012. Ottawa Lion Debbie Halton-Weiss and her committee have been working tirelessly to get this festival off the ground.

tikkun olam. All Lion of Judah women were encouraged to bring friends who had the potential to become Lions. We are proud of our 22 new Lions and of the 18 Lions who increased to the next level of giving.

This year our Century Club recognized 600 new and increased gifts of at least $100 from women. Each woman received the Century Club pin and a special thank-you letter at the end of the year.

The new Women’s Legacy Society reaches out to all women to encourage them to leave a lasting charitable legacy of a minimum of $10,000. It allows them to make a statement about how they want to shape the future through the commitment they make today.

(L. to R.) Palm Beach County Lions Deirdre Osofsky and Linda Golden, Co-Chairs, Pride of Our Lions Event

The Sea Lions at the Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival in 2010

Palm Springs This year, Women’s Philanthropy of the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County has made innovative changes in the way we’ve traditionally done business.

The annual Pride of our Lions/Lion of Judah Endowment Celebration brunch was held at The Mar-ALago Club. Lions were joined by their mothers, daughters, sisters, grandchildren, and grandmothers to share their “Pride,” making the event a true celebration of l’dor v’dor. This intergenerational component was a wonderful opportunity to focus on our Jewish values of tzedekah and

Our Lion of Judah Brunch was held at the beautiful, historic La Quinta Resort and Club. With perfect desert weather, the women enjoyed a reception on a scenic patio before entering the ballroom. Speaker Ellen Cannon was dynamic and passionate about current events and their effect on Israel, Jews in the United States and around the world. We saluted five new local Lions and five new out-of-town Lions, a category unique to our community.

Co-Chairs Barbara Platt and Gail Scadron, along with Vice-Chairs Celia Norian and Annette Novack, created a beautifully elegant, memorable event.

(Palm Springs Lion Co-Chairs Gail Scadron and Barbara Platt with keynote speaker Dr. Ellen Cannon

(L. to R.) Palm Beach County Lions Amy Jonas, Women’s Philanthropy Campaign Chair; Vivian Lieberman, Lion of Judah Vice President, Women’s Philanthropy President Elect; Linda Cortell Benjamin, Women’s Philanthropy President

www.JewishFederations.org/nwp

Palm Beach County

Pomegranate Chair Sandy Banner welcomed four new Pomegranates at an event held at The Living Desert.

Touring the Natural Habitat zoo in trolleys, we learned about animals and plants that are common to Israel and our desert. Lev L’Lev, chaired by Judith Cohen, Paula Klein and Debra Star, focused on the Diaspora, particularly Jewish France, the topic of guest speaker Joan Nathan’s latest cookbook. Informal modeling, musical entertainment and a wonderful continental boutique rounded off the day.

We are delighted with the response to this year’s outreach to young adults. Four younger Board Members attended the GA and were mesmerized by the scope of the event.They returned energized and committed to building a young Jewish community in the desert. We are proud to have LOJ Amy Stone invited to join the NYL Cabinet.

Philadelphia Philadelphia is proud to have over 375 Lions of Judah.

Joyce Rosenberg and Sharon Taffet served as co-chairs of the annual Lion of Judah Luncheon at Philadelphia’s R2L restaurant in October. Sara Minkoff, president of Women’s Philanthropy, told the more than 135 Lions of Judah that they have the power to transform lives every day through their philanthropic support. She recalled for the group an urgent telephone conference call she received in the middle of a snow emergency over a year ago, a cry for help from the JCC Klein/Stiffel Center at a time when the City of Philadelphia was essentially shut down. “The

agency needed $5,000 immediately to purchase three weeks of food supplies for clients at risk,” she said, adding that within an hour of receiving this request, an emergency allocation was approved. “On that snowy day, I understood the true power of community giving, and I felt the presence of each and every one of you in the room today,” she said. Moved by Minkoff ’s message, the women raised a record $1 million for the 2011 campaign.

At the luncheon, Lana Dishler, a woman whose name is synonymous with the free Soviet Jewry movement both locally and globally, was honored for her decades of involvement as a volunteer and philanthropist. Dishler was presented with the prestigious Kipnis-Wilson/Friedland Award. Dishler told the audience, which included almost 50 women under the age of 50, of the “gut-wrenching work” performed by the Soviet Jewry Council to secure the release “prisoners of conscience,” helping them resettle in Israel and the United States. She described the exhilaration she experienced as these men and women began new lives in countries that allowed them the freedom to live as Jews. “We took the forces of history in our own hands and changed the course of their lives,” she said. Avraham Infeld, president emeritus of Hillel International and current president of the Chais Family Foundation, was the keynote speaker for the luncheon.

The Philadelphia Lions of Judah are also looking forward to the Lions in Spring event on May 3, 2011, at the Rittenhouse Women’s Wellness Center. The theme of the event is “A Complete Approach to Women’s Health.” This event will be co-chaired by Sharon Kaliner and Debra Magerman.

(L. to R.) Philadelphia Lions Ellyn Golder Saft, Sara Minkoff, Sharon Taffet, Joyce Rosenberg, and Susan Schwartz (L. to R.) Philadelphia Lions Jodi Miller, Laurie Franz, Stacy Frankel, and Robin Zappin

Phoenix

(L. to R.) Philadelphia Lions Andrea Adelman, Sharon Levin, Phyllis Finkelstein, Sara Minkoff, Eve Orlow, Karen Kramer, and Gail Norry

32

More than 60 women attended the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix annual Lion of Judah Luncheon in February, co-chaired by Sandy Belfer and Janis Harris.

Guest speaker Micah Halpern’s presentation, “Making Sense Out of Today’s New Realities,” was up-to-the minute in terms of relevancy, as the event took place while the revolutionary activity was occurring in Egypt. Following the presentation, guests enjoyed luncheon in the beautiful setting of the Sylvia Plotkin Judaica Museum located at Congregation Beth Israel in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Pinellas Lion Margot Benstock and guest speaker Helen Glaser share the story of their families’ connection over a generation ago in Denmark.

Pinellas/Pasco Counties A connection forged at the ILOJC in New Orleans led to a day of education and camaraderie, as Lions from the Jewish Federations of Pinellas & Pasco Counties joined with Sarasota-Manatee and Tampa Lions for a presentation and guided tour of the Florida Holocaust Museum.

Sarasota Lion Helen Glaser, a survivor rescued by the Danish people, told her personal story at the museum in conjunction with one of the exhibits. “Resistance and Rescue,” by Judy Ellis Glickman, tells the photographic story of the flight of the Jews out of Denmark in 1943.

As Glaser spoke about her uncle’s fur store, Pinellas Lion Margot Benstock suddenly recognized the family names from her mother’s stories of Denmark. Her mother, like many other young Jews, had worked for Helen’s uncle! Margot joined Glaser at the podium, and the entire intergenerational audience felt the power of their personal connection across the years.

Pinellas & Pasco Counties’ newest Lion, Linda Feldman, was pinned by Lion of Judah Chair Jeanie Abelson. “I am honored to be in the company of such an extraordinary group of women!” said Feldman.

Pittsburgh One of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s most important initiatives is in transitioning established young women from the Young Adult Division into Women’s Philanthropy. Our Young Women’s Mentoring Program pairs younger women with more seasoned women to learn the ins and outs of being strong leaders in the community. The nine young adult women who were hand-selected to participate in this program meet regularly with their Women’s Philanthropy counterparts and are encouraged to attend Federation and community programs together. The program’s goal is to minimize the existing gap between the Young Adult Division and Women’s Philanthropy while paving the way for future involvement and leadership within Women’s Philanthropy.

The Young Women’s Division has begun a four-part Health & Wellness series focusing on how to better quality of life in four different areas: cooking, exercise, relationships, and work/life balance. The first session was a huge hit. Attendance is already looking great for the remaining three sessions.

Portland Portland’s Lion of Judah Division proudly partnered with the Portland Chamber Orchestra to present a onewoman opera of the Diary of Anne Frank. Under the direction of Maestro Yaacov Bergman, the opera was preceded by a panel discussion on racism and bullying, with panelists from the Jewish, Catholic and Muslim communities. Local Holocaust survivors were invited to attend as guests, and to join with Lions and orchestra leadership for a luncheon which opened the afternoon. Planning between the Lions and the Chamber Orchestra was coordinated by Charlene Zidell, a Lion and incoming chair of Portland’s Allocation Committee.

Jeanie Abelson, Pinellas & Pasco Counties’ Lion of Judah Chair, pins newest Lion Linda Feldman.

Portland Lions join with Holocaust survivors for “Diary of Anne Frank” opera.

www.JewishFederations.org/nwp

Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix Lion of Judah Luncheon on February 10. (L. to R.) Lion of Judah Luncheon Co-Chair Sandy Belfer, guest speaker Micah Halpern, and Lion of Judah Luncheon Co-Chair Janis Harris

Portland’s Lion participation in the project came about as part of a larger discussion led by Lion Co-Chairs Diane Rosencrantz and Bunny Sadis on the topic of bullying. This performance gave local students an opportunity to witness the extremism which results from marginalizing any group in society. Portland Lions will continue their efforts to develop programming which addresses the problem of bullying.

Rochester A community of women...amazing! A community of women in Israel…amazingly powerful!!

When we speak of people-to-people connections, no one does it better than National Women’s Philanthropy.

When we reflect on spring awakenings, the second Heart to Heart Israel Mission truly ignites a sense of wonder and awe, engagement and commitment. At Passover we recite the four questions. One Rochester delegate, Susan Rothenberg, describes her H2H2 transformation in a similar fashion: “Why was this trip different than other trips? Because it was a group of women, we all bonded and had a unique connection from the very beginning of the trip. This was an amazing trip for everyone involved.

“Why did it feel like family? Because we spent five days together connecting and sharing with other women, both young and old. As I spoke to each person, I found a connection we shared, whether it was a friend, family member or organization, and she was no longer a stranger.

“Why was it inspiring? We saw and did so many very interesting things, including going to the new Rabin Center and hearing Dalia Rabin speak about her father and Israel, going to the Knesset to meet with Tzipi Hotovely, the youngest member of the Knesset, and having a moving memorial service in the Carmel Forest.

“Why does everyone want to go back next year? A bond was made not only among the women, but with the country itself. To go into the Negev during a sandstorm and see an oasis of productivity where they made wine, grew cherry tomatoes and cucumbers, and made honey, or to 4x4 on back roads and come upon an old train station that used to go between Haifa and Beirut, or eat in a Druze home or a Bedouin tent demonstrated the diversity and uniqueness of this country. We saw the many faces of Israel and we fell in love with them all. But we also realized that we just saw one little part of it. There is so much more to see.”

Rochester H2H2 Delegates. (L. to R., front row) Caroline Korn and Limor Madeb, H2H2 Co-Chairs and Marisa Kessler; (L. to R., back row) Susan Rothenberg, Amy Libenson and Allison Shulman (mother and daughter), representative from JDC STEP program Karen Kessler, Randy Morgenstern and Jocelyn Goldberg-Schaible

34

San Diego In March, local volunteer, philanthropist and community leader Elaine Galinson was presented with the prestigious Kipnis-Wilson/Friedland Award at the recent Jewish Federation of San Diego Lion of Judah luncheon hosted by the Women’s Philanthropy Division.

Nearly 100 women gathered at the Scripps Seaside Forum to hear an address by Los Angeles Rabbi Sharon Brous, named by Newsweek Magazine “one of the leading rabbis in the country.” The leading Jewish-American publication The Forward listed her among “50 Most Influential American Jews” for three years in a row.

The award was presented by past winner and immediate past Board Chair Andrea Oster. In presenting to her friend and fellow La Jollan, Oster said, “Elaine has been involved in our Federation since their family arrived in San Diego in 1970 and she continues to be an inspiration to us all.”

“Being Jewish is about giving back to our community, our country and our world. In such challenging times, we need to do even more,” said Galinson upon receiving the award.

San Diego Lions Andrea Oster and Elaine Galinson

San Francisco Jan Reicher, 45, is a cofounder of the Jewish Community High School of the Bay. She is the immediate past president of Brandeis Hillel Day School and the current president of Women’s Philanthropy of the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin & Sonoma Counties.

Carol Weitz, 68, has owned and operated her company, is an active member of Congregation Beth Sholom and a steadfast supporter of AIPAC and the American Jewish World Service, and is currently the Campaign chair of Women’s Philanthropy of JCF. These are two busy women.Yet, amid all of their obligations, there is one priority that neither will ever forsake: They are endowed Lions of Judah.

Their contributions inspire innovative Women’s Philanthropy sponsored programs such as Panim el Panim, a reverse mission that created a living bridge by bringing Israeli women to the Bay Area to view each other’s social justice work, invite new leaders and deepen their connection to Israel.The program took three years to come to fruition and was the brainchild of our WP past President Judith Goldkrand, who just became a Ruby Lion and has accepted

a seat on the board of National Women’s Philanthropy.

“It’s the most meaningful and impactful work I’ve ever done,” Carol says. “The feeling of seeing what your money does is indescribable.”

Women’s Philanthropy of the Jewish Community Federation spans the largest geographical region in the Bay Area and in the nation. We are in the midst of an exciting Strategic Planning process paralleling our Federation’s strategic plan. Stay tuned!

Helen Glaser was rescued as a child from Nazioccupied Denmark during World War II and was invited

by Joyce to speak at the museum. An audience including Lions of Judah from all three communities and schoolchildren was riveted by Helen’s story of her family’s life and rescue from Denmark in a boat hidden beneath piles of fish, and the journey toward their new life in the United States. The room was silent as Lion Margot Benstock of Pinellas County revealed that her mother had worked for Helen’s father and uncle in Copenhagen.

Lions toured the museum, enjoyed lunch and visited Lion Mindy Solomon’s art gallery in downtown St. Petersburg.The afternoon was coordinated by Cynthia Wright.

Somerset, Hunterdon & Warren

Sarasota Lions of Judah from Sarasota-Manatee, Pinellas County and Tampa gathered for a reunion at the Holocaust Museum of St. Petersburg. A conversation between Sarasota Lion Helen Glaser and Tampa Lion chair and Florida Holocaust Museum board member Joyce Tawil sparked the idea for a reunion back at a reception for the ILOJC in New Orleans, when Joyce mentioned that the museum would be hosting an exhibit of photographs of Denmark during the Nazi occupation.

(L. to R.) Irene Ross (Sarasota-Manatee), Margot Benstock (Pinellas), Helen Glaser (Sarasota-Manatee), Cynthia Wright (Sarasota-Manatee), Joyce Tawil (Tampa) and Jeanie Abelson (Pinellas)

(L. to R.) Somerset honorees Harriet Blank and Elaine Dunst celebrate together.

www.JewishFederations.org/nwp

(L. to R.) San Francisco Lions Carol Weitz, Campaign Chair, and Jan Reicher, President

Our IMAGINE event this year focused on at-risk youth, building on our new tradition of imagining how the women of our communities can address the challenges faced by women and children in need locally, in Israel and around the world. Step one was to educate our Women’s Philanthropy Division leaders at a planning meeting at our local youth shelter, where they were able to hear and see the need firsthand. Step two was to teach these women about a wide range of programs for at-risk youth in Israel, after which they chose to assist Yemin Orde Youth Village.

Having ownership of the issue helped cement their commitment to help. (Read more about the project on page 14.)

We ensured that our event would be a success by getting a local comedienne to serve as master of ceremonies and choosing two local philanthropic women to honor.

With more women getting involved and attending our events, the potential to make an even larger impact grows each year.

South Palm Beach One of our goals this year was to connect our past with our present to insure our future. Our Federation is only 32 years old, and we have a history that needs to be shared. At our Campaign 2011 Lion of Judah Event, we presented a video to honor the memory of one of our past WP presidents (who many did not have the pleasure of knowing) who died this fall. We included individual vignettes from all of the past presidents in this video. They shared the meaning of campaign and of being a Lion of Judah. This provided Meryl Gallatin, our WP chair, with a wonderful segue to make the case for giving and for being able to link the new faces of Women’s Philanthropy with our “seasoned” leaders and donors.

In order to increase gift amounts and to engage women who may never become Lions, Women’s Philanthropy brought the Pomegranate Program, with its beautiful silver pin, to South Florida. Within a short time, 24 women stepped up to the $1,800 level. A thank-you lunch for new Poms will be held at a local museum.

To increase our donor base, we reached out to a group of moms with preschool-aged children from one of the community synagogues and developed a series called “Mom’s Time Out.” Each evening program focused on the specific needs/interest of these young mothers. To date, 60 new women have been introduced and are participating in Federation activities.

We are also reaching out to women whose children are no longer living at home or are at college. Modeled on the Baltimore program called Empty Nesters, this group is called “After Hours.” Many of these women were previously involved with Federation and are looking to get involved again.

to the Federation Campaign and managed by JFCS, LEAF supports Jews in financial crisis with grocery, utility, mortgage and rent assistance.

To encourage community participation, the Federation designed a big tree, barren of leaves, on a whiteboard stand.

As families made their gifts and designated a portion of their increase to LEAF, the Federation added the family’s name to a leaf on the tree. “It’s been truly amazing to see our tree blossom and grow” said Joyce Stuehringer, 2011 Women’s Philanthropy Campaign Chair, “to have so many Lions to participate has encouraged the rest of the community.” The Lions of Southern Arizona embraced LEAF and 70% increased their gifts, including all six of our new Lions.

Having surpassed our LEAF goal of $75,000 by $50,000, LEAF has proven to inspire already engaged donors and to grow our local support.

Southern Arizona Lions gather around the Tzedakah Tree at a recent Women’s brunch in Tucson. The trees leaves represent the 750 donors who gave an increased donation to LEAF. (L. to R., back row) Marilyn Einstein, Sharon Klein, Jane Kivel, Elsa Goldberg, Fern Feder, Deanna Evenchik, Shelley Pozez, and Ruth Zales; (L. to R., front row) Angie Goorman, Joyce Stuehringer, and Kathryn Unger

Southern New Jersey

(L. to R.) Judi Schuman, South Palm Beach Co-Chair, Lion Luncheon; Nancy Lublin, speaker; Meryl Gallatin, Chair, Women’s Philanthropy; Dale Pratt, Co-Chair, Lion Luncheon

Southern Arizona The Lions of Southern Arizona have gone green! It was the vision and creativity of several Lions that took Lion and 2011 General Campaign Chair Kathryn Unger’s idea from a seed to a massive tree. A Tzedakah Tree, that is. For Campaign 2011, Southern Arizona launched LEAF: Local Emergency Assistance Fund. Funded by designated increases 36

Shelly Abramson and Lillian Hassman chaired a tea party for the residents of our low-income senior apartment complex. Serving as “goodwill ambassadors,” our Lions hosted the afternoon festivities which included refreshments, gifts and an entertaining historical presentation entitled “Revolutionary Tea.” A trip to Philadelphia’s exciting new National Museum of American Jewish History was chaired by Joan Feinberg and Sivia Braunstein.The day culminated in a catered lunch at Sivia’s newly renovated Philadelphia townhouse.

Janine Sobel has formed a committee to spearhead the creation of a Lion of Judah Women’s Foundation. Details including our mission statement, grant priorities and membership criteria are being developed in partnership with our Jewish Community Foundation. The formal launch took place at our May Women’s Gala Lions’ pre-reception. Gail Norry, a South Jersey native, was our guest that evening to help us celebrate this exciting new Lion venture.

An upcoming educational series entitled “Lions Learn,” chaired by Sydria Schaffer, is in the works for the summer and fall. Our South Jersey Lions certainly do ROAR!

Stephanie Ludmer Gross, Rabbi Lynnda Targan and Diane Gallant

Tidewater

A special Southern New Jersey Lion tea party for residents of our low-income senior apartment facility. (L. to R., standing) Lillian Hassman, event co-chair; Donna Bell; resident Lillian Bennon; Shelly Abramson, event co-chair; Carol Lupo, Annual Campaign Chair; (L. to R., seated) residents Nikki Rackiene and Ethel Shapiro

“You may have a friend at Chase Manhattan,” quoted Israel’s premier informal Jewish educator, Avraham Infeld, “but here at Discount Bank of Israel, we’re mishpacha!

We’re family.” In his remarks to Tidewater’s Lions of Judah during their fall luncheon, Infeld stressed the importance of Jewish community. “In good times and in hard times,” he said, “we must be welcoming; we must be open; we must practice tikkun olam; we must continue to be a light unto the nations… and we must be good to one another.

We must be a family.”

This year’s Lion Luncheon, chaired by the motherdaughter team of Marilyn Buxbaum and Renee Strelitz, welcomed 70 women to an event filled with sisterhood and inspiration. The Lions honored Telsa Leon, one of this year’s national Wilson-Kipnis/Friedland award winners, and recognized the following Lions for reaching new milestone levels: Phyllis Lannik and Arlene Strelitz (Ruby Lion); Cindy Kramer (Emerald Lion); and Karen Jaffe and Sheila Josephberg (Amethyst Lion). UJFT Women’s Campaign Chair Amy Levy closed the luncheon with a call to action. The result: more than $100,000 in 2011 Women’s Campaign pledges closed during the luncheon.

St. Louis

(L. to R.) St. Louis Lions Nancy Siwak, Sherry Singer, Vicki Singer,

Guest speaker Avraham Infeld with Tidewater Lions (L. to R.) Annie Sandler, Leora Drory, Lynn Schoenbaum, and Ina Levy.

Toronto UJA Federation of Greater Toronto’s Women’s Philanthropy strives to create innovative and unique opportunities for women to touch and feel the impact of their federated dollars. An integral part of our 2011 Campaign is our Fashion Conscience initiative. The inaugural event, Share Your Style, took place on Sunday, March 27. Women’s Philanthropy collected clothing from women throughout our community for several months and, in collaboration with Jewish Vocational Service and other UJA-affiliated agencies, orchestrated a “dress for success”type program, assisting more than 75 clients with their transition back into the workplace.

More than 50 volunteers, half of them new to UJA, formed six different committees to plan this event, and met weekly for a period of three months to sort clothing. They were paired with clients as “personal shoppers” on the day of the event. Share Your Style was cost-free to the clients, as we provided childcare, public transportation tokens, hair and make-up consultations, a tailor, winter coats, and accessories, and every client left with a gift bag.

www.JewishFederations.org/nwp

St. Louis held its annual 2010 Lion of Judah Event at Westwood Country Club in November. The evening included a Campaign update announcing the $100,000plus Challenge Grant to propel increased giving to the 2010 Annual Community Campaign. As part of a Lion of Judah Endowment overview, Sherri Frank Weintrop told the personal story of why she endowed her gift in perpetuity, and the Lions in attendance who have endowed their gifts were recognized.

Special guest speaker Rabbi Lynnda Targan spoke on “The Pleasure of Her Company:Women, Community and Influence.” She noted that women have come together since biblical times for friendship, to build community and to influence the outcome of Jewish life. She shared her personal story of why she became a rabbi at the age of 54 and vignettes along her journey. Chairs for the evening were Lauren Weissman Kerner and Jane Wasserman.

Committee members included Marie Block, Lisa Graivier Barnes, Rachel Katzman, Stephanie Ludmer Gross, Jeanne Pass, Pearl Serota, Karen Smoller and Lisa Weiss. Women’s Connection Co-Chairs are Nancy Green and Betsy Rubenstein.

As one client wrote in her exit survey, “This was such a great and successful event that helped women feel more confident and respected. This event helped us women in need now and I believe, some day, we who receive help today will help others in the future.”

Share Your Style, UJA Federation of Toronto, Sunday, March 27th, 2011. (L. to R.) Chair of Women’s Philanthropy 2012, Felicia Posluns, Co-Chairs of Share Your Style, Lori Rosenthal, Shari Krieser, Karine Krieger and Vice-Chair of Women’s Philanthropy 2012, Laurie Sheff

Washington, D.C. At The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, we associate the word “spring” with one thing—VOICES. VOICES is the largest event of its kind, attracting close to 700 Greater Washington women. It is an outreach program to engage new women in the community. Bringing like-minded women together allows for more powerful collective philanthropy. Women’s Philanthropy reached out to our Ruby Lions by hosting an exclusive VIP PreReception for them prior to the event. They were invited to meet our guest speaker, former CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson.

2010 brought several advances to Women’s Philanthropy. In order to engage donors, we began utilizing social media. A lay leader was selected to start a blog to better connect with individuals from the community. Her blog, which focuses on her life as a retired, empowered philanthropist, has been so successful that other campaigns have followed suit and started blogging! It’s just another way our team has worked towards building a community, which is what our Federation is all about. Feel free to visit it at www.shalomdc.org/royalphilanthropist.

We’re pleased to say our efforts have paid off. Over the past year, we’ve added an additional 10 Lions and three new Ruby Lions to our Greater Washington Jewish community!

Vancouver Women’s Campaign Chair Karen James write: “Since becoming a Lion of Judah in 2004, I thought I knew why I gave and the importance of community. But after attending the 2010 ILOJC, I understand more deeply my connection to my Jewish community. Speaking at the final plenary added to my sense of community. Sharing my personal story of competing in the Munich Olympic Games, the effect that it had on my life as a Jewish woman, and my journey back to my heritage was both challenging and rewarding. The inspiration I received from these women reinforced the lessons of this journey and, ultimately, my life’s purpose.

“I hope that each of my community’s 114 Lions will take the opportunity to attend an ILOJ conference so that they, too, will understand what it means to be a part of the Lion of Judah community, and will become as inspired as I was. May we all continue to share our stories, and deepen our connections to our Jewish peoplehood.”

38

(L. to R., front row) Beth Ostrager Bobb, Alina Gerlovin Spaulding, and Dee Dee Myers. (L. to R., back row) Kerry Iris (Ruby Lion Chair), Jodi Bobb Macklin, Lynn W. Morgan, and Tammy Bobb Mendelson © 2009 HILARY SCHWAB

Western Massachusetts The Western Massachusetts contingent had a great time at the International Lion of Judah Conference!

(L. to R.) Western Massachusetts Federation Executive Director Meredith Dragon, Wendy Webber, Kipnis-Wilson/Friedland Award recipient Ruth Webber, Sue Polansky, and Women’s Philanthropy Director Debbie Peskin Vancouver Women’s Campaign Chair Karen James

Westport, Weston, Wilton, and Norwalk

Youngstown

In October, more than 135 women came together at the Westport home of Amy and Neil Katz for UJA/ Federation’s annual Lion of Judah/Pomegranate Women’s Philanthropy event.They gathered to recognize the women of UJA/Federation who have made significant contributions to the organization’s annual campaign, and to raise funds for the new Katz Family Breast Health Initiative at Emek Medical Center in Afula, Israel. $170,000 has been raised to date.

The Katz Family Breast Health Initiative of UJA/ Federation WWWN will provide additional medical, psychological, nursing, social work outreach and genetic counseling to women in Afula. UJA/Federation board member Amy Katz, together with her husband Neil, is leading the fundraising effort to create this enhanced resource.

The staff of Norwalk Hospital’s Smilow Family Breast Health Center were active participants in the October 13 event and will play an ongoing role in the creation of the new resource at Emek Medical Center. Doctors at the Smilow Family Breast Health Center and Emek Medical Center established a working relationship that will further enhance the bridge between the Westport, Weston, Wilton, and Norwalk communities and the Afula-Gilboa region of Israel.

The fourth Annual Lion of Judah program was held at Westminster College in September and chaired by Myra Benedikt and Gisela M. Kinast. Nine of the Lions from the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation traveled to neighboring New Wilmington, PA, to meet with professors who this past May visited the Western Galilee College in Akko, Israel, for academic seminars with Israeli and American counterparts. The presidents of the two colleges met to explore opportunities for collaboration. As with the past Lion of Judah events, the program far surpassed the expectations of the participants.

The panelists talked about their personal experiences in Israel as well as their academic pursuits and about how each of them had a personal revelatory moment while in Israel. Their stories were fascinating. The faculty also discussed research collaborations and future faculty and student exchanges, as well as distance learning opportunities to broaden religious, cultural, and social understanding. Senior psychology student Rachel Hoffman told the group about her experiences doing research at WGC. Dr. Jesse Mann, Dean of Academic Affairs, took the group on a campus tour.

The faculty and Lions were treated to lunch at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Richard Dorman. Overlooking the idyllic Shenango Valley, Myra Benedikt and Andy Lipkin, assistant executive director, gave an update on the Partnership with Israel initiative. Gisela Kinast thanked our hosts and discussed the importance of the Lions to the Annual Campaign and the future financial stability of the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation.

Past Lion of Judah programs included touring Cleveland’s Maltz Museum, having lunch with Maestro Randall Fleischer of the Youngstown Symphony Society, and working on a project with “Our Gang,” a program of the Jewish Family Services for developmentally disabled adults.

(L. to R.) Westport, Weston, Wilton, and Norwalk Board Members Jill Gerla, Amy Katz, and Lisa Hodes

Youngstown Area Jewish Federation Lions at Westminster College

(L. to R.) Dr. Richard Zelkowitz, Norwalk Hospital; Westport Lion Amy Katz; Neil Katz; and Dr. Joel Sayfan at Emek Medical Center

ROAR !

CampaignAd_LOJmag.pdf

1

7/19/11

4:58 PM

F E D E R AT I O N D O E S

GOOD A WORLD OF

Jewish Federation has a long track record of supporting innovative, groundbreaking programs that care for the neediest and build community. It’s a strategy we apply to every issue we tackle. Whether promoting Israel experiences, helping the unemployed train for new jobs, or assisting families with special needs, together we do a world of good. Donate.

Volunteer. Make a difference today.

JewishFederations.org/AnnualCampaign facebook.com/jfederations @jfederations