2017 Annual Campaign 

How do you give thanks?

As your 2017 Jewish Federation Annual Campaign Co-Chairs, we’re excited to share both our memories of the joy of giving Jewishly and our own hopes for ensuring Jewish identity with future generations.

Do you remember the excitement of your first summer at Jewish camp or the thrill of your first trip to Israel? Do you remember the first time you asked the Four Questions at your family Seder at Passover?

 

These memories, beautiful in their tradition and reminiscence, are why we give thanks for being Jewish. Together, we can demonstrate our thanks by passing on opportunities to share the joy of being Jewish with our children and grandchildren, and by providing assistance to our own parents and grandparents.

 

For me, Maury, the earliest memory of the impact of tzedekah was my involvement in the Youth Division of the Jewish Welfare Fund as a teenager in the 1960’s. In fact, I co-chaired the Youth Division’s fundraising efforts at one point. Many of my friends also volunteered to help introduce younger teens to the power of charitable giving. I’ve proudly passed on that tradition to my own children and grandchildren.

 

As for me, Kathy, there’s a visceral memory of taking my children, David and Rachel, to help deliver Passover food baskets around the community each Spring. They knew that those boxes, which contained Passover supplies, were going to Jewish families, but they didn’t quite grasp that there could be Jewish families in need. David and Rachel were shocked and distraught as we delivered a basket of goods to a poor Jewish family living in a run-down trailer park.

 

We all have memories like this, where we remember the power of giving back, and paying forward our own blessings.

Why It’s Important to Give:
We can bring comfort to those who need it most. These funds have a daily impact on the education of children, the strengthening of family life, the care and comfort of the frail and elderly, and the sustainability of our partnerships here and abroad. 

Together, we can help feed the poor in overseas Jewish communities. We can provide them with basic necessities like adequate housing and with critical services like urgent medical care. We can provide relief to victims of natural disasters and global crises. We can fund our local agencies, all of which are committed to supporting and serving people in need within the New Orleans community. 

Whether it’s assisting an Ethiopian Jew integrate into Israeli society, offering counseling to the parents of troubled adults here in New Orleans through Jewish Family Services, or promoting the Senior Club program at the Jewish Community Center to value our older population, we facilitate a variety of programs aimed at nurturing the vitality of our community. 

Distribution of Funds:
For the 2017 Annual Campaign, we will continue our customary breakdown of 70% local, 30% overseas distribution of funds. Thanks to the involvement of many dedicated volunteers, Federation has low administration costs and is able to direct more than 92% of the Campaign dollars raised to people who need it most. 
 

Goldring Family and Woldenberg Foundations Match:
During the 2017 Annual Campaign, the Goldring Family and Woldenberg Foundations are generously matching all new gifts at 25%. If you are already a donor, an increase to your existing gift will be matched at 25%, with the remainder of your gift matched at 12%. Each dollar will make a difference in the lives of those who need it most.

Join Us: 
On behalf of our 2017 Campaign co-chairs, Kathy Shepard and Maury Herman, and the entire Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans, we invite you to join us by making a gift to the 2017 Annual Campaign.

 

Click here to make and/or pay your pledge to the 2017 Annual Campaign.