Staff and volunteers have been heavily focused on closing the 2002 Annual Campaign and the Israel Emergency Appeal over the past several weeks.

The Annual Campaign has crossed the $9 million mark and is making great strides due to a series of phonings in the past three weeks - more than 100 volunteers have turned out for nine phoning sessions. Several more phone sessions are slated through the end of May. The Israel Emergency Appeal has also seen impressive results with upwards of $2.5 million raised to date from more than 1,800 donors in our community. Many of our outlying communities were touched by the Israel Emergency Appeal last week - more than 100 community members in Butler came out to hear from retired Israeli General Freddy Zach. Zach also visited communities in Washington, Greensburg and the North Hills.

Many synagogues took advantage of high attendance during the Shavuot holiday to send a strong message of support for the Israel Emergency Appeal. In addition to guests speaking from the bima, many rabbis’ sermons were woven with messages of solidarity with Israel.

Sivan 5762 - May 2002