Sunday, Jan. 22, 9 am – 1 pm
Super Sunday, the Tidewater Jewish community’s largest single fundraising day of the year, is as predictable as eating latkes during Hanukkah.
Volunteers from throughout South Hampton Roads will gather at the Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus, make phone calls to family, friends and other community members, and ask for donations that will improve Jewish lives locally and abroad.
But, just as latke recipes can differ from chef to chef and year to year, this year’s Super Sunday community phonathon is mixing up its decades-long formula to heighten interest, promote awareness and reach greater numbers of community members.
One of the changes is the date of the event—January 22. Traditionally, the event is held on the last Sunday of the month. This year, it was moved up a week.
“We wanted to try something new and bring the community together a bit sooner into 2017,” says Leah Abrams, director of the Young Adult Division of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater
“New Year’s resolutions often include a goal of getting more involved and helping others, and Super Sunday is the perfect way to turn these resolutions into realities.”
Leading the way for the slightly reimagined Super Sunday is a 12-member group of young, area Jewish adults. The YAD Super Sunday Steering Committee represents a cross-section of the community. Members are responsible for planning and logistics of the day. They have worked together since August to ensure the 2017 fundraiser is the most successful in the event’s 36-year history.
As rising local leaders, steering committee members are interested in discovering what makes others want to get involved in the Jewish community— as volunteers, donors or participants. They also want to share their motivations.
That desire to learn more about others inspired this year’s Super Sunday theme, “What Draws You?” The theme will be supported through a social media campaign on the UJFT Facebook page, and also shared in a display of original artwork at the Simon Family JCC.
Volunteer registration is open now. Help is needed: to make phone calls—to ask for donations or to say, “thank you;” to write thank you notes; and to provide other support during the day. Two shifts, 9–11 am and 11 am–1 pm, are available. Training, free babysitting, and light noshes are provided. All who want to help are welcome.
Super Sunday donations are already coming in. Whether given before, during or after Super Sunday, all gifts are essential to the success of the 2017 UJFT Annual Campaign. Funds from the Campaign are allocated to Jewish schools, agencies and organizations which meet Jewish needs in Tidewater, in Israel, in Ukraine and wherever a Jew is at risk in the world.
Coastal Home Mortgage Co., LLC is generously sponsoring Super Sunday for the second consecutive year.
To volunteer, donate, participate in “What Draws You?” and get more details, visit www.JewishVA.org/ SuperSunday, email labrams@ujft.org, or call 757-965-6127.
Super Sunday Steering Committee Members
Danit Drory
Mendy Fisch
Ethan Heben
Rachel Kane
Andrea Karelitz
Amy Kurfist
Eric Miller
Sam Molofsky
Brandon Terkeltaub
Pam Trompeter
Paul Weiner
Robyn Weiner