Linda and Monte Block at the Jewish Federation of Greater Middlesex County Vanguard event, which they hosted in their East Brunswick home Aug. 12.
Photo courtesy Jewish Federation of Greater Middlesex County
Advertisement
Sharon Karmazin of East Brunswick joins federation president Lee Livingston at the Vanguard event, where she announced her family foundation would join with federation in underwriting a new teen philanthropy program.
Photo by Debra Rubin
August 18, 2009
In a night devoted to humor, some very funny Jewish philanthropists showed they were very serious about helping fellow their Jews.
Guests at the Aug. 12 Vanguard event, which kicks off its fund-raising year for the Jewish Federation of Greater Middlesex County, raised $1,152,250 and topped last year’s total of $1,129,000.
“I was very pleasantly surprised,” said campaign chair Keith Zimmerman. “Given the state of the economy, I was a little worried. But I’m happy our donors realized we need their pledges more than ever.”
The event, whose guests contribute $5,000 or more to the federation’s annual campaign, was held at the East Brunswick home of Monte and Linda Block.
Dubbed by Monte, who doubled as emcee, as “the great Jewish Joke-Off,” the event featured participants telling their funniest jokes. The only rules were that they had to stay fairly clean and anything involving Michael Jackson was out.
Sid Godis of Monroe was voted the best humorist for his three-joke performance. As his prize, $1,000 will be donated to the federation project of his choice.
“I’ll need a few days to think it over,” Godis said when asked what project he would choose.
And the worthy projects from which to choose are numerous, from helping Jews in Israel and around the world, to providing for those locally who have been hurt by the recession.
While the audience laughed and enjoyed good food, they were dead serious about helping others in tough economic times.
Laura Silverman of East Brunswick, Shabbat chair at Rutgers Hillel, and Kenneth Feibush of Watchung, its former Reform community chair, thanked the federation for a donation that enabled the campus group to provide Shabbat meals for hundreds of students.
Program participants also read letters received from those in the community helped by federation. These included a thank you from a young man who was able to spend a year in Israel, another from a family who received assistance after an expensive surgery, and another family who received food vouchers.
Federation president-elect Arlene Frumkin recounted the story of a 21-month-old East Brunswick girl who underwent successful treatment for a brain tumor, but whose teeth were damaged by radiation. The parents could not afford her dental care.
Frumkin said federation found a dentist to do the needed work and paid the bill.
“We fix the things others can’t do,” she said. “We are privileged to be here and we have a responsibility to help others who are not as fortunate. We are in the vanguard of the Jewish community.”
Comment: comments@njjewishnews.com
--TOP--