Open letter to the Jewish community

By MICHAEL WEINER

article created on: 2010-03-02T00:00:00

When I accepted the position as Campaign Chair of the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland 2010 Annual Campaign, I wanted the position to be about more than raising money.

I wanted it to be about connecting with you, our community.

Therefore, we are now intent on keeping you informed of the big picture: who we are; what we do; who gets aid and services; how we advocate on your behalf; where your dollars go. This letter, first in a series, is one of the ways of doing so.

I want you to understand that “the Federation” is the umbrella organization that pulls it all together, funds agencies, increases Jewish awareness and identity through programming, works with virtually each and every Jewish organization, is central to our community and is dedicated to continuing to build and strengthen that community and its identity.

Last autumn, our vision was that this campaign would reach out to the younger Jews, the unaffiliated Jews, the non-traditional Jews and expand our donor base, our community base, integrating those previously unknown to us with those who are well-known to us. We wanted it known that every gift matters and every donor counts, whether your gift is $15 or $1,500, $100 or $100,000—and we meant it. We still do.

Clearly connecting or reconnecting to our broader (and changing) community takes time—perhaps a lot of time; Federation’s story is multifaceted and often difficult to articulate in bullet points. We recognize this fact and are working towards a sea-change in our efforts to connect to you, our community.

So we held Federation Goes Live Wire!; a phenomenal campaign kickoff event where everyone was welcome and where every effort was made to make the event affordable and exciting to all. The feedback from our sold-out crowd was tremendous and inspiring. We are using new approaches to begin to connect with those younger, unaffiliated and non-traditional Jews—to use their talents to make Jewish Portland a better place.

The energy and spirit of Federation Goes Live Wire! continued through Super Sunday, our campaign telethon, and Impact, our women’s campaign event—raising both money and awareness.

Consider this letter one of many new forays into outreach; we need each and every one of you in this new era. Let’s keep our focus on two things: the need for a strong Portland Jewish identity and the fact that all of our good deeds, the funding of all of our programs, the aid we distribute, are fueled by the annual campaign.

So … please do three things: First, talk to me; my e-mail address and cell number are below. I, and everyone at Federation, want to know your thoughts and ideas to remake Federation into your Federation. More than your dollars, we want you.

Second, think of how wonderful it would be to strengthen the Jewish flame within you and reinforce all that it means to be Jewish: the humanity; the culture; the tradition—no matter how deeply buried. Federation, side by side with any number of affiliated entities, can do that with you.

Third, understand that Federation’s accomplishments run on your generosity. This year, and last, have been difficult due, of course, to the economy, but the generosity of the Portland community has kept us strong and viable.

But if we missed you so far in our effort to raise funds, if we couldn’t reach you on Super Sunday, or if we haven’t yet interrupted your dinner—know we are trying to connect with you before our Allocations Committee goes to work to distribute funds in April. Here’s an idea; why not welcome that call? Have a dialogue with the volunteer solicitor; a great first step to a new beginning. Even better—be proactive and call the Federation, 503-245-6219, and say: “I’d like to make a pledge, my pledge, to the 2010 Campaign.” It’s easy, and again, every gift matters.

In return, I pledge that we will redouble our efforts to make Federation relevant, vibrant and vital while always keeping our eye on our missions of community building and taking care of people in need.

Where this campaign ends is up to you. If you haven’t yet made your gift—now is the time. If you have already made your gift and are in a position to increase it—now is the time. We are excited about the number of new and returning donors. Our goal, within reach, is to match the total allocable dollars from the 2009 campaign.

If you’ve read this far, I’m grateful. I look forward to hearing from you.

With much appreciation,
Michael D. Weiner
2010 Campaign Chair,
Jewish Federation of Greater Portland
mweiner@lecg.com, 503-936-9874