Federation asks community to give for Israel
By Paul Haist
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Israel needs help now as deadly Hezbollah rockets are driving its citizens in the country's north from their homes and their jobs, and as Israelis everywhere grapple with huge new demands on their social service and economic infrastructures.
Jewish federations across North America are paying close attention and are rallying to the Jewish state's aid and defense with an emergency fund-raising campaign that aims to raise a minimum of $300 million to help Israel survive and cope.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Portland is part of that emergency response.
Federation President Bob Philip summarized the circumstances succinctly at an Aug. 4 meeting of Jewish community leaders.
"We are in a situation where the future of Israel is at stake. This is for all the marbles, there will be no second place here," he said. "This is not just about beating Hezbollah. This involves Syria and Iran. This is for the whole ballgame."
"The board voted to launch a second-line campaign asking donors to match their 2006 campaign gift while also maintaining their 2007 gift, said JFGP Campaign Director and Associate Executive Vice President Laurie Rogoway.
"People want to know what they can do to help Israel," said Rogoway. "People are asking how they can help. Many already have reached into their pockets and been generous."
Governing Board member Sharon Weil co-chairs the 2007 Annual Campaign with fellow board member Jeff Nudelman. While the Israel Emergency Campaign has no chair, Weil played a leadership role at the Aug. 2 board meeting in calling for the emergency campaign. She made it clear that she expected board members to join her in leading the way for the wider community.
"If you are making decisions for the community, you need to be the first to step up and make the gift," Weil told the board.
She showed them how by making both her 2007 Annual Campaign pledge and her emergency fund gift at the board meeting. The two gifts totaled $10,000, elevating her to Ruby Lion status. She had become a Lion with a $5,000 gift in 2005. She had planned to make the Ruby Lion gift in 2008 in observance of Israel's 60th birthday.
"The need is now," she explained. "I made a challenge to the board, that we start now, not next week. If we are going to go to the community and ask them to give what they gave last year, we have to give first," she said.
She stressed that the amount is not the key. She was not asking others to give what she was able to give.
She said four other of the 19 board members were able to make their gift at the meeting. By press time for this edition of the Jewish Review, Weil reported "all but one or two of the board had pledged and paid their support to the Israel Emergency Campaign," and that she expected all to have paid in the immediately ensuing days.
"Israel is in crisis. We need to do what we can do," she said. "It's not how much you give, but that you take the initiative to give first."
She followed up the day after the board meeting with a letter to the board members strongly urging their participation. "Now I ask all of you to stand up and be counted with me and others who stood up last night to increase their pledges for Israel and our community. Join us in pledging now, not later," she wrote.
The federation is coordinating a community crisis meeting set for Tuesday, Aug. 15 at 7 p.m. at Congregation Beth Israel where the community can learn the details of what is needed now in Israel and where they will be able to make an immediate gift to fund immediate needs.
David Akov, Israel's consul general for the Pacific Northwest, will come to Portland for the Beth Israel meeting.
United Jewish Communities, the umbrella organization of North American Jewish federations, has grouped Israel's current emergency needs into immediate and longer-term needs with a host of subcategories under each of those.
This is not the first time a crisis in Israel or elsewhere in the Jewish world has motivated the Jewish community to raise additional funds beyond those they give each year.
Jews here and across North America sent massive aid to Israel during the wars in 1948, 1967 and 1973.
In 1992 they stepped up again to fund Operation Exodus, which brought thousands of Jews out of the Soviet Union.
"I recall in 1973 people came forward without any prodding because they knew Israel's survival was at stake," said Rogoway. "Today, Israel's ability to survive is much more at risk than just from Hezbollah because of its ties to Iran and Syria."
JFGP Executive Vice President Charles R. Schiffman agreed.
"This war has reached deep into the home front, with Hezbollah seeking to kill as many citizens as possible with their barrages of thousands of rockets," he said.
"Normal life in the entire north of the country has come to a halt—no business, no tourism, no production, and thousands of people huddled in sweltering air-raid shelters under impossible conditions. Hundreds of thousands have become refugees from their homes.This is real war, on a large scale."
Individuals who want to support the Israel Emergency Campaign immediately, may do so online or by calling the federation.
The federation home page at www.jewishportland.org includes a link to a secure page on which one may make their gift.
Those who prefer the telephone should call 503-245-6473.