The Jewish News - April 2012

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Celebrating Jewish Life in Sarasota and Manatee Counties, Israel and the World FEDERATION NEWS

Serving our community for over 40 Years! Published by The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee www.jfedsrq.org

April 2012 - Nisan/Iyar 5772

Happy Passover INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

10A Community Focus 14A Jewish Interest 18A Commentary 22A Focus on Youth 27A Life Cycle 1B Jewish Happenings 10B Israel & the Jewish World 14B Recent Events

6A An evening with Dennis Prager

Volume 42, Number 4

Shapiros endow Federation Teen Engagement Program Staff Report

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he Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee is pleased to announce that Sam and Sally Shapiro have funded a wonderful legacy gift to our Federation to support our community and Israel in perpetuity. They have created the Sam and Sally Shapiro Teen Engagement Program (STEP) Fund, the most innovative initiative in their long history of support for our Federation and for Israel. The purpose of the STEP fund is to create, maintain and

Sam and Sally Shapiro

grow programs for teens and their families which are focused on Israel, the Holocaust and fighting antiSemitism. When interviewed about their generous gift, Sam said, “We established the Sam and Sally Shapiro Teen Engagement Program Fund at Federation because we believe in very targeted, effective and

Some of the initial STEP programs include:

ÎÎ Young Ambassadors ÎÎ March of the Living Mission ÎÎ Send-a-Kid-to-Israel Program (SKIP) ÎÎ MASA experiences in Israel ÎÎ Subsidies for leadership & Israel advocacy conferences ÎÎ Overnight Jewish Camping Incentive Grants

strategic philanthropy. We want to make certain that Israel and our Jewish people remain safe and vibrant. To that end we want to help move our teens and their families from being bystanders to being “upstanders” for our people. We hope our STEP program will help create “upstanders” in our Jewish community for many years to come.” Sam and Sally want to provide students with a strong Jewish identity to help prepare them to counteract anti-Semitic or anti-Israel rhetoric on campus. “It is a very hostile world out there for our children... we wish to help prepare our kids to face that world with knowledge, dignity and courage,” said Sally. “Our wish is for our friends to join us in this effort, and to also make a legacy gift to Federation to ensure a Jewish future for our children and grandchildren.” For information on how to join Sam and Sally in fulfilling their wonderful vision for the future, please contact Marty Haberer or Rich Bergman at 941.371.4546.

Committee approves $310,000 in overseas grants

26A

Sheldon Low rocks Temple Sinai

Staff Report

14B Recent event photos: Alice Cotman honored

A publication of The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee Klingenstein Jewish Center, 580 McIntosh Rd., Sarasota, FL 34232 Annual voluntary subscription: $25

Chaifetz, “I can’t think of a more important Federation volunteer assignment. Spending donor dollars is daunting, and it is a responsibility each of our committee members takes very seriously. We were asked for over $1 million in grant requests and had to make difficult choices in order to spend the $310,000 that was made available to us with as much impact and at the lowest cost possible.” Edie Chaifetz added, “What a pleasure and an honor it has been to co-chair this committee with such a distinguished volunteer as my co-chair Alan Ades. This was really a rewarding experience.” Special thanks to our Overseas Granting Committee participants: Ruth Ades, Renee Crames, Ina Rae Levy, Lori Liner, Sasha Rosin, Martin Ross, Stanley Siegel and Anne Stein. After hours of deliberation and homework, the

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he Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee has a clear and concise vision – a vibrant Jewish community. We also have developed a simple and repeatable mission – “To save Jewish lives and enhance Jewish life in Sarasota-Manatee, in Israel and around the world.” A number of years ago, our Federation moved away from a traditional model of allocating funds to agencies not specifically earmarked for particular programs and activities. In its place we developed two committees that handle the suggested disbursements of donor dollars in an effective, transparent and fiduciary manner. There is one committee designed to disburse funds domestically and another committee that handles Israel and overseas disbursements. The results can be downright exciting and invigorating. According to Alan Ades, second-year chair who co-chairs the committee with first-year chair Edie


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