Dorothy Thompson, center, of Monroe was made a Ruby Lion of Judah — representing a $10,000 donation to federation in her name — as a birthday surprise by her husband, Edward, during the Middlesex federation’s June 15 annual meeting. Federation vice president Sandy Lenger presents Dorothy with an LOJ certificate. The Thompsons are both federation board members.
Photos courtesy Jewish Federation of Greater Middlesex County
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June 23, 2009
Despite tough economic times, the Jewish Federation of Greater Middlesex County is kicking off its year with new faces on the board, a new blog, and a renewed sense of commitment.
At its annual meeting on June 15 at the Jewish Congregation of Concordia in Monroe, the federation also honored those who have given of their time and financial resources.
“The coming year will not be bleak and I am not discouraged,” said president Lee Livingston in his state-of-the-federation speech. “The commitments of so many will not allow anyone to be discouraged. We will find the funds through foundations, endowments, and our campaign that will enable us to continue to remain innovative, creative, and vibrant.”
That upbeat tone was highlighted throughout the meeting as new board members were introduced by former president Philip Cantor.
Federation executive director Gerrie Bamira told the crowd, “This will pass and our values and how we behave now will be remembered.”
“The staff I am privileged to work with each and every day are not the staff of ‘no, we can’t,’” she added. “Instead, they demonstrate daily ‘yes, we can.’”
The federation expects to close its fiscal year June 30 with total revenue of $3.3 million, an increase of about 2 percent from the year before. It has been able to fund virtually all agencies and institutions at or above last year’s level while instituting new community initiatives.
The new initiatives funded include the PJ Library program, which provides Jewish reading material to 500 youngsters in the county. The “Middlesex Cares” initiative increases awareness of the resources of federation, along with its partner agencies, in providing career counseling, vocational training, and networking workshops to job-seekers in the community. Day camp scholarships were granted to families in financial need, permitting a parent to continue working throughout the summer.
Livingston said the recent demographic study demonstrated the diversity of the community. It showed it to be “a bit higher on the age curve, but not at all old in ideas, commitment, or dedication.” The survey also found about 8,500 Jewish children in the county.
“Statistically we may be an aging community, but we are not tired,” said Livingston. “There are values and commitments that define us. There are responsibilities we gladly accept and acknowledge. It is not an old-fashioned or nostalgic concept to believe that a Jewish community has a responsibility to take care of its own. It is not an outdated idea that we have a responsibility to our fellow Jews in Israel and throughout the world.”
Federation vice president Keith Zimmerman, center, presents a plaque to Howard and Sandra Wainer of Monroe for establishing a fund to provide kosher meals-on-wheels to Monroe seniors during the annual meeting.
Livingston also announced that in an effort to keep in closer contact with the community, a new “president of federation” blog has been established on the federation website, www.jewishmiddlesex.org.
Next year in his final report as president, he said, he hopes to be able to announce a partnership with the state of New Jersey for a Jewish home for those with special needs, permanent funding for the Holocaust survivors’ assistance program, and a long-range community plan.
Honored at the meeting were Howard and Sandra Wainer of Monroe, who with their daughter, Heather, established the Al and Kitty Wainer Fund for Seniors to provide kosher meals-on-wheels for Monroe residents. The fund is named in honor of Howard’s parents.
The Senator Laurence and Edith Weiss Jewish Activism Endowment scholarship was presented to Brooke Shapiro of East Brunswick to attend the four-week Jewish Activism Endowment for Panim Summer Jam in Washington, DC.
New board members installed were Linda Block, Deborah Friedman, Stephan Gross, Renee Juro, Leslie Listwa, Donna Webber, Ruth Bash, and Gail Shapiro-Scott.
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