17 TEVET 5778 • JANUARY 4, 2018 • VOLUME XXXIX, NUMBER 19 • PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID, SYRACUSE, NY
Super Sunday is January 28 – answer the call BY COLLEEN BAKER The Jewish Federation of Central New York will kick off the 2018 Annual Campaign with Super Sunday on January 28, from 9 am-3 pm, at the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center, 5655 Thompson Rd., DeWitt. Volunteers will call about 2,000 members of the Jewish community to ask for their pledge throughout the day.
Campaign Chair Mark Wladis said, “The Campaign is off to a great start. To help keep that enthusiasm going, we need volunteers to help on Super Sunday. I hope you will stop by the JCC on January 28 and have breakfast or lunch with us. Make your pledge, make a few phone calls, stuff a few envelopes, spread the word about the great things we can accomplish with the Campaign. Bring your cell phone to
make calls, or if you don’t have one, we’ll provide a phone for you to use. I really look forward to seeing you and sharing the spirit of the Campaign.” Federation President/CEO Michael Balanoff added, “Please answer the phone when a volunteer calls to ask for your support. If we don’t reach you by phone that day, we will mail your pledge card.”
To make a secure online donation to the 2018 Annual Campaign before Super Sunday, visit www.jewishfederationcny. org and click on the tzedakah box on the home page. To volunteer, contact Colleen Baker at 315-445-2040, ext. 102, or cbaker@ jewishfederationcny.org, or visit www. jewishfederationcny.org. Training will be provided.
Federation at 100 – 1928-38 BY BARBARA SHEKLIN DAVIS THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF CENTRAL NEW YORK WILL CELEBRATE ITS 100TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2018 Editor’s note: To mark this milestone, the Jewish Observer will print a series of 10 articles highlighting each decade of the Federation’s work with and for the community. We hope you will enjoy this look backward as we continue to work to ensure a thriving future. THE NEXT CHAPTER: 1928-38 In the first half of the 20th century, Jewish community Federations around America were focused almost exclusively on meeting local Jewish needs and concerns – health care, child welfare, assistance for the handicapped and homes for the aged. Federations also helped establish Jewish Community Centers and educational and vocational training programs. Their primary goal was the assimilation and Americanization of the immigrant Jewish population into the larger community. Syracuse was no exception. But raising money is time-consuming, leaving less time for actually serving those in need. To resolve this dilemma, the Federation for the Support of Jewish Philanthropic Societies of Syracuse made the decision to partner with the Syracuse Community Chest. In so doing, the Federation was relieved of the need to fund-raise independently. An article in America’s only Jewish daily published in English, The Jewish Daily Bulletin, reported that “The Syracuse Jewish Welfare Federation was reorganized Tuesday night (March 26, 1935) on a democratic and efficient basis permitting closer cooperation with the Community Chest, which makes allotments to a number of local welfare agencies, and also providing for support from the Jewish Community for national and overseas causes. In addition to distribution of funds, the new Federation will also deal with local and national Jewish problems and public relationship.” A review of the Community Chest’s first budget in 1922 shows the range of social welfare activities supported by the Jewish community at the time. In addition to the 13 agencies of the Federation itself, there were other Jewish organizations that received direct support from the Chest.
The Syracuse Jewish Welfare Federation was reorganized in 1935, with the new board representing a cross-section of the Jewish community. At the annual meeting, 27 representatives were elected from all the Syracuse Jewish groups. Under the category of “Character Building and Recreation” were the Young Men’s and Young Women’s Hebrew Associations; other “Unclassified” support was provided to the Council of Jewish Women, the Free Bath Association, the Friendly Inn, the Hebrew Free Loan Association, the Hebrew Fresh Air Fund, the Jewish Communal Home, the Jewish Home for the Aged, the Syracuse Hebrew School and United Jewish Charities. But with the benefits of Chest affiliation came complications. As the national economy headed toward the Depression, the Community Chest asked its beneficiaries to cut their budget proposals and decided to cease supporting certain organizations – among them the Hebrew Free Bath (the mikvah), the Hebrew Free Loan Association and the Friendly Inn, which helped itinerant Jews. As a result of these cuts, which mainly affected Russian and Polish Jews, many Jewish donors cut their support. The Community Chest complained that it was giving more funding to the Jewish organizations than it was receiving in donations. Clearly, some reorganization was in order.
External forces in Europe, meanwhile, were jeopardizing Jewish lives. Nationally, Federations joined with overseas agencies such as the United Palestine Appeal and the Joint Distribution Committee to rescue and rehabilitate Jews
living in distress. The National Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds, an umbrella organization for Federations, was formed in 1932. In response to Kristallnacht in 1939, the United Jewish Appeal was formed, combining the national fund-raising efforts of the UPA and JDC. In Syracuse, the cumbersome early name of the Federation was shortened to “The Syracuse Jewish Welfare Federation” in 1935. While the early work of the Federation had been to help Jews living in America, it soon became clear that emergent needs abroad needed to be addressed. H. Hiram Weisberg, a self-made industrialist and civic leader, who had headed the very first Federation fund-raising campaign, was once again called into service to raise funds for overseas relief. The Joint Distribution Committee German Relief appeal, the Jewish Agency for Palestine, the Hebrew University and other non-local Jewish activities were the beneficiaries of a mass drive in 1933. The campaign goal was $15,000. The sense of urgency could hardly have been greater. Speakers stressed that “at this time, when Jews in Germany are objects of persecution and boycotts, there is need more than ever for the wholehearted cooperation of the entire community to administer financial aid to those unfortunate brothers across the See “Federation” on page 5
C A N D L E L I G H T I N G A N D P A R AS H A
January 5.......................... 4:26 pm.................................................... Parasha-Shemot January 12........................ 4:34 pm....................................................... Parasha-Vaera January 19........................ 4:42 pm............................................................ Parasha-Bo
INSIDE THIS ISSUE Battle of the Bands
Congregational notes
SJFS memory program
The JCC will host its 16th annual Local synagogues announce Syracuse Jewish Family Service Battle of the Bands for high upcoming children’s programs, will offer “An Arts and Minds concerts, talks and more. schoolers on January 13. Community,” as part of M-Power U. Stories on page 4 Story on page 3 Story on page 5
PLUS Classifieds................................ 5 B’nai Mitzvah........................... 9 Calendar Highlights............. 10 Obituaries.......................... 10-11