Launching a successful season

Together, As One

By Rosalee Bogo, Annual Community Campaign Chair

The month of October was filled with many of our most important and sacred Jewish holidays. As we begin a sweet new year, we wish you a L’Shana Tovah 5785. In this new year, we hope you will be participating in all that has been planned for the season ahead. Starting with the 2025 Annual Community Campaign being kicked off on Dec. 11, we have filled the season with meaningful programs, incredible speakers and special events.

A big thank you to those in our community who have agreed to be on the Campaign Cabinet. With a growing community, we reached out to more volunteers to help with calls, letter writing and meetings. The Annual Community Campaign is a whole community effort, and it truly takes a village.

As our slogan, “Together, As One,” indicates, we work as a team to fulfill our core mission to care for Jews locally, in Israel and in 69 countries around the world. We exceeded our goal in 2024. With this new cabinet and your generosity, we will exceed our 2025 goal of $1,850,000.

Annual Community Campaign kickoff

Our Annual Community Campaign’s kickoff will be at the beautiful Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center on Dec. 11 at 7 p.m. There will be a special VIP Patron’s event prior to the main event at Grey Oaks Country Club. Our guest speaker that evening is National Director and CEO of Security Community Network Michael Masters.

SCN is the official safety and security organization of the Jewish Community of North America. With the unfortunate and rampant rise in antisemitism, there could not be a more relevant speaker for these troubling times.

Reception and appreciation dinner

Our Major Gifts and Lion of Judah appreciation dinner is planned for Jan. 8 at the Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center. Our guest speaker, David Heller, has assumed the role of National Campaign Chair of JFNA. Prior to this event, Heller will speak at our Inaugural Silver Circle reception which is planned for 4 p.m. at the Naples Hilton Hotel; details and invitations will be forthcoming.

Silver Circle Society

The Silver Circle Society is a newly formed group of donors who have generously given to any Federation for 25 years or more. Silver Circle is another opportunity for us to show appreciation to the supporters who enable Federation to achieve its core mission. If you are a long-time donor of JFNA, here in the Greater Naples area or elsewhere, and would like to be recognized as a part of this group of esteemed donors, please let us know.

Upcoming events

In the next few months, we will share other events including the many that are planned for our Women in Philanthropy. This includes Lions of Judah, Pomegranates and our newest women's group, JeWEL Society. Any woman who donates to the Annual Community Campaign at the Women in Philanthropy Luncheon on Jan. 23 is invited. Women’s Division of our local Federation donated more than $830,000 — that’s 47% of our 2024 Annual Community Campaign.

As you read e-blasts, receive invitations or read announcements in the Federation Star for upcoming events, please make your reservations quickly. We have planned an exciting year to share with you, and we will look forward to being together again to be entertained, educated and share experiences all while doing Tikun Olam.