I^lllm^^n
CJA campaign underway
Chairs optimistic about reaching $4.6 million goal.
KYLE BERGER REPORTER
When the window for fund-raising for the 1999 Combined Jewish Appeal (CJA) campaign opened Sept. 1, campaign chair Ted Zacks and Women's Division chair Lynn Kagan deUvercd a strong statement about this year's campaign.
They annoimced a financial target $4.6 million, to be exact -$500,000 more than last year's total - and, according to Drew StaSenberg, executive director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, the minimvmi amount needed to support the commimi-ty's basic needs.
That*s what we have to raise based on the requests from [local] agencies and if we don't raise it then that means they're not going to get what they need as a minimum," he said. "If everybody stepped up to the plate and did what they could do, we could be raising $6 million or $7 million."
Deciding to announce their goal, Stafienberg said, means that the two campaign chairs are taking on the risk of appearing
unsuccessful if the goal is not reached when the fund-raising window closes Nov. 30.
However, Zacks, who has been involved with the annual campaign in Vancouver for 30 years, said it is actually up to the community to feel the pressure of reaching the $4.6 million goal
"It is achievable but I think it will take a lot of effort and a lot of members of the commimity stepping up to the mark to help meet the needs that they say they'd like to see met," he said. %Vhether it is throu^ schools or film festivals, summer camps or helping Jews in the former Soviet Union, we have a talmudic-based responsibility to do our share for those in need and the CJA is a way of helping Jews in need aroimd the world."
Kagan, who said that in years past she always ran to the back of the line when calls came for campaign volunteers, realized it was the right time in her life to accept the le^ership role Zacks had requested of her.
"As much as I hate fund-rais-
ing, we've got to do it," she said. "If we want these things for our community, then we have to raise the money for it to happen. We can't do what we want for our Jewish community and the Jews aroimd the world without the money to make it happen."
Although the campaign is still in its early stages, Staffenberg said the positive attitude of the two chairs has given him a strong sense of optimism.
"When you have people who care and are taking time out of their lives and their own families to say ni come and do this, if s a good feeling," he said To me, when they stepped up and said they would chair the campaign, after all the other things they've done, it was pretty speaal."
Zacks, who began his work with the CJA as the co-chair of the imiversity campus division in 1969, was ihc third president of the Jewish Federation, from 1990 to 1992. He was also the recipient of the 1997 Arthur Fouks Award for outstanding campaign
Women's Division chair Lynn Kagan and general campaign chair Ted Zacks.
leadership and is cvurently the vice-president of the newly merged United Israel Appeal Federations Canada.
Kagan is a past-president of the Jewish Family Service Agency, chair of the distributions committee of the Jewish Community Foimdation and a board member of the Hebrew Assistance Association.
Federation's director of campaign services, David ■Vmebcrg, said that although they have not yet distributed dl of the campaign's pledge cards, the major gifts that have already been promised have come with substantial increases from last year's donations. □
Cover sHl
MAYOR from page 1
tional Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons Appeal Secretariat and the B.C. Housing Management Commission.
He is a member of Temple Emanu-El and is on the board of both the Jewish Community Centre of Victoria and the Jewish Federation of Victoria and Vancouver Island.
Friedland said his Jewish identity will probably not be a big factor in the campaign, despite Victoria's reputation as a conservative WASP bastion. He acknowledged, however, that the issue has come up since he was first elected in 1993, even among some supposed political allies. "Certainly Tve encoxmtered anti-Semitism," he said. "I think it's a steady factor for some people, regardless of where they come from on the poUtical spectrum."
Three other sitting councillors are seeking to fill the vacuimi left by the retiring mayor. They are GeoffYoimg, David McLean and Alan Lowe, all of whom belong to the centre-right mzyority on council. As the election approaches, one or more of them may withdraw to narrow the field. Friedland expects his campaign for mayor will cost in the range of $50,000, which he intends to raise fixim political allies and fiiends in the commvinity. □
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You are invited to attend a community CJA celebration
Today in the Middle East
with special guest:
Thomas L. Friedman
Foreign Affairs Columnist, The New York Times Pulitzer Prize-winning Journalist and Author
October, 6, 1999, 7:30 p.m. Temple Sholom, 7190 Oak St.
Order your tickets today:
$18 +tax & service charge
280-4444
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