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February 2, 2001/Shevet 8, 5761, Vol. 53, No.18
Bloom and growEditorialWhat better time than Tu B'Shevat, the birthday of the trees, which begins this week at sundown Feb. 7, to reflect on the enormous growth of our Jewish community?And what better time to talk about the essential financial and human resources such growth requires? Community Editor Barry Cohen's page one story provides an inside look at the realities of Jewish federation funding and the immense challenges it presents. Contributions to the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix campaign, which closed last year at $5,122,000, help to fund its 11 constituent agencies, social service programs in Israel and rescue and relief operations in 59 countries around the world. It is an ambitious mission, and one which the Jewish community in Phoenix has been pursuing for 60 years. The Phoenix Jewish Community Council (which later became Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix) was founded Oct. 14, 1941. Less than 5,000 Jews resided in the Valley of the Sun; they raised some $14,000. It's estimated that between 80,000 and 120,000 Jews call the Valley of the Sun home, but last year only 5,468 of them contributed to the federation campaign. It doesn't take a financial whiz to see the tremendous gap created by an expanding community with ever-growing needs and an insufficient base of contributors to provide them. Enrollment is booming at our day schools. Our preschools have waiting lists and our social service agencies struggle to find adequate resources to help the elderly and infirm. The community wish list extends from new assisted living facilities for the elderly to a much-needed demographic study to innovative programming to reach the unaffiliated. Federation tries to keep pace, directing the annual campaign and the concurrent $25 million Jewish Community Campus capital campaign. As Tu B'Shevat reminds, communities, like trees, require careful tending and sustenance. Generous support for this year's campaign will allow us to sustain our growth and truly make our desert community bloom. |
