By Reporter staff 

The Jewish Federation of Greater Binghamton is actively planning for Campaign 2024.”We are breaking with tradition,” said Shelley Hubal, president of the Federation, “by not holding a brunch for Super Sunday this year. Since we’ve held numerous educational, social and cultural programs over the past year, we’ve decided that Super Sunday should be devoted to Campaign calls. This means we are going with the old model and trying to call all donors of the Federation that first week. We will be urging the community to ‘answer the call’ so the events and organizations that mean so much to them and the community can not only survive, but thrive.” The date of Super Sunday will be announced at a later time. 

Campaign Chairwoman Marilyn Bell noted that the focus this year will be twofold: 1) asking people to pledge early before the phonathon, which takes place the first week of the Campaign, and 2) cultivating volunteers who will be asked to make calls. She noted there is also a need for volunteers to write thank-you notes once people have pledged. “Volunteers are the most important part of the equation,” she said. “We need them to help make calls and write thank-you notes. As our community has shrunk, so have the number of our volunteers, and that has meant for the last few years the burden of making calls has landed on just a few people. It’s very simple: we need help to survive.”

Hubal noted that those who don’t want to make calls during the phonathon can help in another way: “Pledge early,” she said. “It is a mitzvah to pledge early. Not everyone wants to make Campaign calls, but they can lessen the burden on others by pledging early. We will be sending Campaign letters and e-mails prior to Super Sunday. Responding to those means fewer phone calls and easier planning on the part of the Federation.”

Bell emphasized the importance of each and every gift. “Every gift is important and appreciated, no matter the size,” she added. “The important thing is that we are one community and we ‘take care of our own.’ Help us to keep this community strong!”