Attending the joint leadership training are, from left, MetroWest campaign chair Scott Krieger, Central federation financial resource development chair Julie Singer, Rae Ringel of The Ringel Group, MetroWest Women’s Campaign chair Leslie Danin Rosenthal, and Central federation Women’s Campaign chair Maxine Schwartz.
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September 16, 2009
Giving money to a good cause is a mitzva, and one most of us enjoy doing, but asking for that money is a different matter. Only a gifted few know how to do it willingly and without strain. Yet, as executive coach Rae Ringel pointed out at an event last week, those who ask for tzedaka are doing an even greater mitzva than those who give.
Ringel led a joint leadership retreat Sept. 10 at the Grand Summit Hotel in Summit for about 70 leaders of the fund-raising campaigns of the Jewish Federation of Central New Jersey and United Jewish Communities of MetroWest New Jersey.
The joint retreat is one of a number of ways in which NJ federations are collaborating, to cut costs and enhance their programs.
“It’s a challenging time to be asking for money — people are having a rough time, but it really was very inspiring,” said Amy Cooper, associate executive vice president and director of financial resource development for the Central federation. “Rae made us all stop and think about what we do, and realize that it is holy work.”
Ringel, the former director of professional and volunteer development at the national United Jewish Communities, led the participants through exercises in language. For example, she suggested that they consider themselves as ambassadors or emissaries for the campaign, rather than “solicitors.”
She also reminded them that among the Jews in the shtetls and towns of Eastern Europe, collecting money for charity was the work of the top people in the community and was regarded as a highly prestigious activity.
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