By Kathy Carlson
For Gail Seibold and daughter Amy, volunteering for Tzedakah Tzunday “is just in our genes,” as Gail put it. They joined scores of volunteers at the Feb. 12 fundraiser for the Jewish Federation of Nashville, traditionally held each year on the Sunday after the Super Bowl.
“It was one of the most energizing telethon days I have ever had the privilege in which to participate and I can assure you I’ve done lots of them over the past 30 years,” Federation Executive Director Mark Freedman said. “It was especially gratifying and uplifting to see the great turnout of young adults and teens at our last session.”
This year’s Tzedakah Tzunday powered the Federation’s 2012 annual fundraising campaign over the million-dollar mark, nearly seven percent ahead of last year, he said. So far in the 2012 Annual Campaign, 131 new donors have pledged gifts to Federation, said Campaign Director Naomi Limor Sedek.
“The biggest shot in the arm was from the young people coming in for the last shift,” said Annual Campaign Chair Sandy Averbuch. “…They just got right down to work and started calling.” One major donor added $5,000 to a previously pledged gift in honor of the young people, she added.
Amy Seibold was part of the younger crowd at the Jewish Federation fundraiser, held in the Gordon Jewish Community Center for Tzedakah Tzunday. She said she volunteers because of Get Connected, the Nashville Jewish community’s subsidized trips to Israel for rising high school seniors. Her favorite part of the trip to Israel was making friends with teens in Hadera, Israel, which is paired with Nashville and other southeastern cities through the Jewish Agency for Israel’s Partnership2Gether program.
At least 20 rising high school seniors will see Israel with Get Connected this summer, said Andy Neuman, who chairs the Get Connected board. “They’re supporting Israel and becoming part of the community by making calls.”
“I just think it’s so important. Federation does so much for our community, (we want to) take the opportunity to give back,” said Akiva School teacher Daniel Hoffman, who will chaperone this year’s get Connected Trip along with Congregation Micah Membership Director Mindy Drongowski. “It’s great to see so many participants here today.”
“I am here because I’m going to Israel with the Get Connected trip,” said Aron Rosing, a junior at Hume Fogg Academic High School. The phone-a-thon was nothing new for him, since he has worked the phones for a political campaign.
Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet High senior Gabriel Bedne participated in Get Connected last summer. “I really wanted to come back to show my appreciation for the trip. … Anything I can do to help people fund the trip,” he said at the start of his Tzedakah Tzunday shift. He also especially enjoyed the time meeting teens in Hadera.
Tzedakah Tzunday Chair Steven Remer said he was pleased with the results, citing greater participation from volunteers and increased gifts. “I’m proud of the hard work of the volunteers,” he said. “We worked hard to let people know we want to connect with them. Whether they give or not is their responsibility. It’s our responsibility to reach out to them.
“We want people to feel like they’re part of the community, whether they’re attending a senior lunch or playing basketball” at the GJCC, he continued. “Making a donation to Federation is not a prerequisite to being connected to the community.”
Freedman added, “Steven’s leadership was critical to the success of Tzedakah Tzunday. We are blessed with fabulous campaign volunteers and Steven went the extra mile to ensure we’d have plenty of callers throughout the day.”
“I think (Tzedakah Tzunday) ran very smoothly,” Averbuch said. “Steven Remer had a plan in mind and I think we executed it to the best of our ability. … We played by the plan and ended up (at) more than last year. … We’re not through yet.”
Ryan Goodstadt and six of his Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity brothers at Vanderbilt University joined Hillel executive director Ari Dubin to phone community members. “This is one of our community service projects for the fraternity,” the freshman said.
Patricia Schwartz, Akiva’s head of school, said, “We’re very grateful for the scholarship dollars that Federation supplies. They make it possible for students to attend Akiva on scholarship who couldn’t otherwise afford to attend. I believe in Federation. When people are in need, Federation is there. It’s targeted and focused; I appreciate that.”
Fellow Jewish agency leaders also worked the phones, including Gordon Jewish Community Center Executive Director Eric Goldstein and Jewish Family Service Director Pamela Kelner, joining with the Federation’s Executive Director Mark Freedman.
“It makes me feel like I’m doing something active on behalf of Israel and that’s very important to me,” Steve Hirsch said between calls. He serves on the campaign cabinet and Federation board of directors.
“I have a daughter at Akiva (Davi, age 6) and another at the JCC Early Childhood Learning Center (Emmie, 4) and I just feel like we have such a personal investment in the Jewish community, in building its future,” said Abby Wolf. “We just want to give back.”
Adam Faragalli participated in a Federation-funded service trip to the Jewish community of Beltsy, Moldova, last summer. “It’s pretty well organized; it’s just challenging,” he said as he persisted with calls, even though he seemed to be reaching only voice mail.
Volunteer Victoria Cohen Crumpton said, “I feel very privileged to be able to do this. … Although financial times are tough it’s an important thing to do. There are Jews that need help when things get bad.”
The Seibold mother-and-daughter spoke while sorting Tzedakah Tzunday paperwork. Gail said she and Amy have volunteered for the past three or four years, “but I always did before, usually with my mom,” the late Federation librarian and archivist Annette Levy Ratkin, who died late last year. “I just truthfully like to give back,” Gail said. “Federation has helped me in the past.”
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Even if you missed an awesome Tzedakah Tzunday, there’s time to make a gift to the Federation’s 2012 Annual Campaign. You’ll make a world of difference here in Nashville, in Israel and around the world. You’ll be changing lives in places such as Moldova, where Federation dollars help Jews not only with food and necessities but also with maintaining ties to our Jewish world through Camp Delet in Beltsy, for example. To make your pledge or for more information, contact Naomi Limor Sedek, at naomi@jewishnashville.org or at (615) 354-1642.
On Tzedakah Tzunday, Coby Hanai, left, and Stan Schklar took to the phones to raise money for Jews here and around the world. Photo: Rick Malkin
Tzedakah Tzunday “central” was filled with phoners, paperwork sorters, letter writers and others who all contributed their time to “do a world of good.”
Vanderbilt Hillel members, Get Connected alumni and new participants, and Vanderbilt Alpha Epsilon Pi members joined together in a spirited phoning session.
Mark Freedman, Federation executive director; David Hanchrow, Federation Board member; Sandy Averbuch, chair of the Annual Campaign; Ted Mayden, Federation president; Fred Zimmerman, 2012 beneficiary agency liaison vice chair.
Sara Hanai (in white), Tzedakah Tzunday trainer, helps Mindy Hirt, right, while Michael Rosen and Laurie Fishel make phone calls to community members.
Dianne Berry, Lynne Fleischer, Karen Yazdian
Joel Abramson, Federation community engagement associate; Abbie Wolf; Blair Davis
Steven Remer, Tzedakah Tzunday chair, points out information on a pledge card to Steve and Ellen Potash.
Marsha Jaffa, left, and Kassie Bateman share a little levity between phone calls.