This year’s UJFT Super Sunday was truly a Super Sunday unlike any other—prompting the question, “Ma nishtana ha-Super Sunday?” On a day that threatened not only bad weather but possible tornadoes, dozens of volunteers gathered at the Sandler Family Campus to make the calls that make a difference in the lives of Jews in Tidewater and in communities around the world.
This year’s event was abbreviated compared with previous years and took place in the afternoon rather than the morning to engage religious school students, as well as their families.
While volunteers made their calls from the Fleder Multipurpose Room, just outside in the Copeland Cardo, an interactive Agency Impact Fair showcased many of the organizations and programs supported each year through allocations from the Federation’s Community Campaign. The fair drew more than 100 participants—individuals and families who came to support their synagogues and agencies while learning about the breadth and depth of the programs and services their campaign dollars make possible, benefiting the entire community.
The fair also offered children clever crafts designed to nurture Jewish pride and identity while reinforcing the importance of tzedakah (charity), chesed (kindness), and mitzvot (commandments and righteous deeds). Since the beginning of the Torah was read that very week, these were especially meaningful lessons.
For those who strolled through the Cardo and visited the tables before making calls, the fair offered an opportunity to connect with the purpose behind their efforts. Seeing firsthand how campaign dollars are put to work in Jewish Tidewater brought deeper meaning to every call. It also illustrated the value and impact of each agency and program in helping to build and strengthen Tidewater’s extraordinary Jewish community.
The Federation’s overseas partners—the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), and World ORT—were also well represented. Professionals from each organization traveled to Tidewater to share in this special day.
The Federation is deeply grateful to all the volunteer callers, as well as to the synagogues, agencies, and programs that participated in the Impact Fair. What a wonderful day—and a meaningful way to come together as a strong, caring, and committed community.
As this article goes to press, Super Sunday has generated more than 100 individual pledges totaling $130,000. And, there is still time to add gifts to the total. The tally meter will be kept open for the next couple of weeks, with an updated total to appear in an upcoming issue of the Jewish News.
To make a gift online: visit www.JewishVA.org/Donate and enter SUPER SUNDAY 2027 in the comments box.
Amy Zelenka is United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s chief development officer.
