David Harris
“In Excellent Hands”: Jewish Federation’s Annual Florida Reunion
By Jim Friedman, Director of Gift Planning and Endowments, Jewish Federation of Cincinnati
See all the photos here.
March 12, 2017 — For the 17th consecutive year, Cincinnatians who spend part or all of the year in sunny Florida gathered at the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati’s annual Florida reunion at Admirals Country Club in Jupiter, Florida. The event, sponsored by Fifth Third Bank, was hosted by Elaine and Bob Blatt and Nancy and David Wolf. After catching up with one another during a social cocktail hour, Jay Price, Vice President of Development for the Jewish Federation, greeted our guests and thanked Kim Halbauer from Fifth Third Bank for their continuing support of the reunion. Jay shared the success we are enjoying in three areas of fund raising: Annual Campaign, Special Supplemental Gifts, and Create Your Jewish Legacy Endowment commitments. His main message is that our community is blessed with exceptionally talented, enthusiastic young leaders who have stepped up with vigor and therefore Cincinnati’s Jewish future is in “excellent hands.”
Danielle Minson, Federation’s Chief Development Officer, then offered an example of a young leader, Ari Guttman Cohen, who singlehandedly started an initiative that has successfully engaged 250 previously unengaged millennials through a series of small forums called “Beyond 2020.” Through this process great new ideas are surfacing about what is relevant for this emerging generation of young Jews who are seeking authentic ways to connect to the community.
Debbie Brant, Vice President and Campaign Chair, spoke about how the emergence of so many talented leaders has not been by accident. She cited many programs such as the recent two-year Wexner class, the Hineini program, and the ten years of LEAD classes as just some of the ways that Federation has generated so many individual who have taken leadership positions in the community.
Josh Blatt, who, along with his wife Chrissie, chairs the Major Gifts division of the Annual Campaign, talked about the new ways that an expanding group of young funders are supporting specific causes though the Federation’s Jewish Innovation Funds giving circle, which is now in its second year of funding new Jewish-oriented initiatives in Cincinnati, and even larger, up from $80,000 to $120,000 to grant.
Finally, Shep Englander, Federation’s CEO, briefed the group on how we are responding to the challenges of the increase in antisemitic threats. He reviewed the substantial added security measures that have been added at our agencies and organizations throughout the community with the support of the Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati. He also spoke of the wonderful collaboration that exists with law enforcement and the Jewish community to be out in front of these issues.
Overall, the update about Cincinnati’s Jewish community combined with the warm hospitality all around made for a wonderful event.
