The beautiful, sunny afternoon was beginning to transform into evening and Sally Greenwald was about to give up. A first-timer at the massive, Super Sunday fund-raiser, she had placed close to 50 phone calls to potential donors with zero success.
But the 16-year-old brushed her lack of fortune aside and decided to make one more call.
She reached a woman who had never donated to the S.F.-based Jewish Community Federation before, and delivered her Super Sunday pitch.
“I told her every thousand counts,” said Greenwald, “so she gave $1,000.”
Greenwald was relieved and excited. Her accomplishment — met with a hearty round of cheers and applause from the hundreds of volunteers of all ages filling the Golden Gate Club in San Francisco’s Presidio on Feb. 24 — was just one of many contributing to this year’s $1.7 million grand total.
Youth also played an active role in the Jewish Federation of the Greater East Bay’s Super Sunday, where 35 volunteers, including — for the first time — members of the Berkeley Hillel, raised a total of $500,000.
“They pumped us up,” said campaign chair Melissa Batavia of the Hillel volunteers. “They just had no fear, they solicited regardless…and when they left, their auras remained. Just goes to show you how simple this thing is. Just speak from the heart and the rest will happen.”
The S.F. JCF’s all-day phonathon, also held in Palo Alto at the Albert L. Schultz Jewish Community Center, drew close to 1,000 volunteers from throughout the Bay Area working from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. to call close to 8,000 community members.
At command central in the Presidio, the room buzzed with the chatter of those on the phone as well as friendly conversations between reunited friends, who discussed everything from their families’ health to the scenic view of the boat-filled bay provided from this new Super Sunday locale.
In another room, kids decorated gift boxes filled with candy and hamantasch for the residents of Menorah Park. Although many of the kids, like 6-year-old Miriam Ginzburg and 9-year-old Maria Klinosky, weren’t really sure what Super Sunday was all about, (“Is it calling people to say ‘Happy Purim?'” asked Miriam), they agreed they were glad to be there.
“I wasn’t expecting it to be so fun,” said Maria.
Meanwhile, with only two days until Purim, glitter-covered masks, colorful beads and gold-colored paper Queen Esther crowns made their way into the adult volunteers’ hands. Rabbi Evan Goodman of Congregation Beth Israel-Judea, disguised as Haman in a cape and purple hat, casually sauntered through the aisles.
Seth Hamlin, 13, of San Mateo, worked diligently to keep the volunteers stocked up on bottled water and m&ms, while his mother tackled other tasks.
“There are more Jews in this one room than in my whole home town,” commented Harriett Michael, a Marin Women’s Alliance volunteer and a longtime active member of the Jewish community.
On the other hand, it was like old home week for Linda Kalinowski of the San Francisco Women’s Alliance and Brandeis Hillel Day School. “I always get a kick out of showing up and seeing people I know,” she said.
But this year Kalinowski, who has assisted at the past seven Super Sundays, noted a major difference when placing phone calls: She sensed an undertone of suffering, caused by the sour economy in the United States and the growing tensions in the Middle East.
“I had a couple calls where the people had experienced hard luck this year, and at least one who sounded like they were in dire straits,” she said. “I sympathized with them and suggested that we as a community have support for them.”
In fact, staff members from Jewish Vocational Service were on-site to field calls from those who had lost their jobs and were looking for help. By early afternoon, JVS had spoken with more than 25 unemployed people.
But despite any political concerns or financial setbacks, most community members still gave generously, several volunteers reported.
“There seems to be a feeling of solidarity between the Jewish people,” explained Peter Neubauer of San Francisco. Even those who are struggling right now, he said, are “very responsive to the needs” of the JCF.
“Everyone I have reached at home has either stayed level or increased their donation,” added Irwin Keller, from the federation’s new Gay and Lesbian Alliance phone contingent. Wearing a floppy sun hat, Keller added to that section’s festive theme, which included Hawaiian-style leis made of plastic, tropical fruit.
“People really have a sense of obligation — in a good way,” said Keller. “No one asks, ‘Why should I give?’ More struggle with, ‘How much?'”