2008 Annual Report

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2008 Annual Report
Enriching Jewish life, building a better
Birmingham, helping those in need.
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The Birmingham Jewish Federation is the Jewish
communitys central fundraising, planning,
community relations and volunteer development
agency. We are dedicated to three
goals Strengthening Jewish life Helping all
people in need Building a better Birmingham  
Students at the N.E. Miles Jewish Day School,
one of the agencies funded by the BJF.
Members of Teen Tzedakah, a program that
promotes charitable giving among teens.
Board Members Dr. Dave Randi Landy at a
Birmingham Jewish Federation community program.
Eddie Ceitlins 102nd birthday party at the
Levite Jewish Community Center, one of the
agencies funded by the BJF.
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A Message from our President and Executive
Director
Dear Friends, This year has been a great year
for the Birmingham Jewish Federation. Our 2008
BJF Annual Campaign, chaired by volunteers Sheryl
and Jon Kimerling, raised 2,645,223, our highest
total ever.  We are a small Jewish community,
only 5000 individuals however, our Federation
fundraising campaign is one of the countrys best
per capita. Many other Federations look to us
for guidance and ideas. More importantly, our
campaign dollars enrich lives in Birmingham, in
other parts of Alabama, in Israel and in other
parts of the world through the 29 local, national
and international agencies and programs we
fund. In addition, our Federation has been the
catalyst for a historic Jewish community endeavor
known as Our Next 100 Years.  This fundraising,
planning and community engagement initiative will
affect Jewish life and strengthen Birmingham for
generations to come.  Already, more than 20
million in current and deferred gifts has been
raised thanks to the leadership of our
fundraising chair, volunteer Jimmy Filler. Our
activities continue to expand as well.  You
Belong in Birmingham has connected with more
than 250 young Jewish adults.  This new program,
an overwhelming success, was created to attract
more young Jews to Birmingham.  Another great
success has been our effort to encourage more
Jewish students to attend college in Alabama.
  In addition, dollars raised through our Annual
Campaign assist the Levite Jewish Community
Center, which is open to all Birmingham citizens
Collat Jewish Family Services, which helps all
people in need and our Jewish Community
Relations Committee, which strengthens ties and
understanding between the Jewish community and
broader Birmingham community. Funds raised by
the Birmingham Jewish Federation also have
improved the quality of life for Jews and others
in 59 countries, most notably the former Soviet
Union and Israel.  In Israel, our humanitarian
efforts not only have benefited Jews, but have
also improved the lives of Israeli Arabs as well.
We are proud of all that we have achieved and
 grateful for the support we have received, and
look forward to 2009 being another great year for
the BJF!
Richard Friedman Amy Saag
Sincerely,
Amy Saag President
Richard Friedman Executive Director
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2008 Annual Campaign
The 2008 Birmingham Jewish Federation Annual
Campaign, chaired by volunteers Sheryl and Jon
Kimerling, closed on February 29, 2008. We raised
2,645,223, along with an additional 391,000 in
donor-designated gifts for an overall total of
3,036,223. The campaign raised 280,000 more
than the 2007 campaign, an 11.8 increase. The
2008 campaign clearly was a grassroots effort. No
single gift accounted for more than 6 of the
campaign. The campaign made a special - and
successful - effort to reach out to the entire
Birmingham community. The BJF benefits so many
people throughout Birmingham and we wanted to
give everyone the chance to be a part of this
community effort, said Sheryl, reflecting on the
2008 campaign. The Kimerlings are also chairing
the 2009 Birmingham Jewish Federation Annual
Campaign. Update_at_bjf.org One way we are able
to reach out to the community is through Update,
a mini-newspaper that the Birmingham Jewish
Federation sends via email to 4,000 subscribers
six days a week (not Saturday). Update covers a
wide range of local, national and international
issues and features great human interest stories.
We have readers in Alabama, throughout the
South, across the country and in Israel. Many
Birmingham civic, political and media leaders
read Update. To subscribe, email the Federation
at Update_at_bjf.org or call 879-0416.
2008 Campaign Volunteers
Our community was great, our volunteers were
terrific, in particular Melba Epsman, and our
staff was superb. We thank everyone who
contributed to the 2008 BJF Campaign and
appreciate the tremendous support. Sheryl Jon
Kimerling
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Lion of Judah
Lion of Judah is made up of nearly 100 women
committed to the Birmingham Jewish Federation and
the important local, national and international
causes we represent. Lion of Judah members come
together throughout the year for educational
programming and national and international
experiences. To belong to Lion of Judah requires
a gift of at least 5000 to the Birmingham Jewish
Federation Annual Campaign. Lion of Judah
Endowment (LOJE) is a component of Lion of Judah.
A LOJE is created by establishing a fund of
100,000 or more in the Birmingham Jewish
Foundation, thus ensuring the perpetuation of the
donor's Lion of Judah annual campaign gift. LOJE
is a powerful statement of a donor's commitment,
providing a legacy for herself, her family and
her community.
Lion of Judah members Caryn Corenblum, Sheri
Krell Suzanne Bearman.
Dr. Robert Levin, Lisa Engel Amy Saag at a
Lion of Judah event for members and spouses.
Dr. Dave Landy, Steve Weinstein, and Lion of
Judah members Melba Epsman Randi Landy.
Sheryl Jon Kimerling with George Mamo, of the
International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.
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Federation Initiatives
You Belong in Birmingham was established to
encourage young Jewish adults, ages 22 to 35, to
make Birmingham their home. The program has three
purposes to encourage young Jews who moved away
from Birmingham to move back, to recruit young
Jews who have no prior connection to Birmingham
to move here and to connect young Jews who live
in Birmingham with one another. The goal is not
only to strengthen our Jewish community, but to
help build a stronger Birmingham. You Belong
in Birmingham for college students focuses on
staying in touch with college students away at
school, and providing information and assistance
as they think about their future and careers. We
want to keep Birmingham on their screens -
figuratively and literally - and encourage them
to move back to Birmingham. Teen Tzedakah is
an innovative Jewish youth philanthropy program
whereby any teen, grades 7-12, can start a fund
in the Birmingham Jewish Foundation. This fund is
then matched by the Frank and Fred Friedman
Family Foundation up to 250. Teen Tzedakah
participants take part in creative programming
and activities designed to teach them about
philanthropic giving and charitable work.
Hillel at the University of Alabama
continues to grow thanks to support from the
Birmingham Jewish Federation and Birmingham
Jewish Foundation. Hillel, the Jewish students
organization on campus, has a new program
director this year and the Universitys Jewish
student population has nearly doubled the past
few years. Strengthening Jewish life at the
University of Alabama and drawing more Jewish
students to the Tuscaloosa campus are important
priorities of the Birmingham Jewish Federation.
The BJF also works with Jewish students at Auburn
University, University of Alabama at Birmingham
and Birmingham-Southern College.
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Federation Initiatives
The Jewish Community Relations Committee serves
as a bridge between the Jewish community and
broader Birmingham community. The JCRC is
dedicated to educating and responding to social
issues important to the Jewish people, advocating
for Israel, and building partnerships to create a
more just world. Currently the JCRC is comprised
of four Resource Teams Speakers Bureau,
Coalition Building, Social Legislative Action
and Campus Watch. The Israel-World Jewry
Bureau is a forum that brings volunteers together
to advance the overseas agenda of the Federation.
Through the IWJB, for example, we work closely
with Birmingham's Sister City in Israel, Rosh
Ha'ayin encourage young Jewish adults to visit
Israel through an international program called
Birthright Israel promote economic development
between Israel and Alabama and fund a network of
programs that benefit Jews and others in Israel
and the former Soviet Union. Partnership 2000,
known as P2K, is a program between Birmingham and
our Sister City in Israel, Rosh Haayin, that
focuses on strengthening ties between our
communities through people-to-people exchanges.
The Jewish Federation of New Orleans also is
participating with Birmingham and Rosh Haayin.
Birmingham's relationship with Rosh Ha'ayin began
in the late 1970s when Tillie and Max Kimerling,
of Birmingham, donated funds to build a community
center in Rosh Ha'ayin. The city of Birmingham
has adopted Rosh Haayin as an official Sister
City.
Teachers from Rosh Haayin with Richard
Friedman, Sheryl, Joe Jon Kimerling.
Rosh Haayin Meitav Vocal Ensemble with
UABs Gospel Choir.
Joyce Spielberger, Cheryl Kidd,
Marjorie Perlman taking part in a JCRC
dialogue group.
Brittany Benamy, Andy Saag in Israel on
Birthright, a Federation funded program.
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2008 Beneficiary Agencies
Allocations to Birmingham Agencies
Programs Collat Jewish Family Services 279,822
N.E. Miles Jewish Day School 269,099 Birmingham
Holocaust Education Committee 5,411 Birmingham
Jewish Foundation (in-kind services) 61,292 Levi
te Jewish Community Center 346,143 Jewish
Community Relations Committee 116,087 Shalom
Birmingham 7,416 You Belong in
Birmingham 32,500 Project Abraham (financial
support to families) 25,000 Community Services
(Federation assistance to beneficiaries) 69,596 C
ommunity Internet Services 4,100 Youth
Education 1,000 Volunteer Enrichment 3,500
National Conference for Community
Justice 812 Regional Allocations Jewish
Childrens Regional Service - New
Orleans 6,493 Hillel-University of
Alabama 14,284 Hillel-Auburn
University 1,500 National
Allocations Anti-Defamation League 8,116 Jew
ish Telegraphic Agency 1,948 Jewish War
Veterans 1,082 Jewish Council for Public
Affairs 1,650 Association of Jewish Family
Childrens Agencies 250 National
Hillel 2,000
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2008 Beneficiary Agencies
Israel Overseas Allocations United Jewish
Communities 391,294 UJC Fair Share (dues
operations) 95,324 UJC Guarantee of Payment
(collection losses) 45,562 Israel-World Jewry
Bureau 12,670 Partnership 2000-Rosh
Haayin 50,000 Birthright Israel 20,000 H
unger Relief in former Soviet Union 73,000 Kob
y Mandell Foundation (for victims of
terror) 5,000 American-Israel Chamber of
Commerce-Southeast Region 8,500 Jewish National
Fund Alternative Spring Break 6,000 Ethiopian
National Project-Israel 6,000 Pardes
Institute, Jerusalem 2,500 Israel Crisis
Management Center 40,000 Friends of the
Israel Defense Forces 12,000 Table to Table
(hunger relief in Israel) 2,500 Mom to Mom,
Em le Em (support for new mothers in Negev
region) 3,000 Emergency Support for Sderot
region 100,000 Remaining to be
allocated 103,000 Management Fundraising
costs 409,772 Additional restricted
gifts 391,000 Overall Total 3,036,223
Does not include dollars raised through
Our Next 100 Years
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Community members discussing issues affecting
our future.
Our Next 100 Years
For three years our Montclair Road campus
agencies - Birmingham Jewish Federation,
Birmingham Jewish Foundation, Levite Jewish
Community Center, Collat Jewish Family Services
and NE Miles Jewish Day School - have been
working on a project called Our Next 100 Years.
It's a campaign, planning process, community
engagement strategy, broad initiative and
phenomenon all rolled into one. Put together,
it's an unprecedented effort that was unveiled
formally in spring of 2008 that will shape our
Jewish community for decades to come. A planning
group co-chaired by Jewish community volunteer
leaders Richard Pizitz, Jr., Stephen Dorsky and
Amy Saag and made up of Montclair Road agency
presidents and directors, along with other
volunteers, identified eight strategic
initiatives. These initiatives - or target areas
- are the areas that our planning group believes
must be addressed to sustain the continued
growth, viability and success of our Jewish
community. They are Ensuring that Jewish life
in Birmingham is accessible to all. Expanding
the Jewish population of Birmingham.
Maintaining superior facilities and expanding
membership and usage of our community agencies.
Strengthening Jewish education and culture and
sustaining Jewish continuity. Providing a
safety net for vulnerable Jews in our community.
Continuing to have our Jewish community play an
important role in the welfare of the broader
Birmingham community. Ensuring that Birmingham
Jewry remains meaningfully connected with Israel
and Jews worldwide. Preparing our community for
the increasingly turbulent world now unfolding.
Fundraising chair for Our Next 100 Years is
veteran Jewish community volunteer leader Jimmy
Filler. Birmingham Jewish Federation Executive
Director Richard Friedman is serving as Executive
Director of Our Next 100 Years, in addition to
his Federation duties.  Already we have raised
20 million in current and deferred gifts. More
than 300 members of our community have had the
chance to learn more about Our Next 100 Years
through personal visits. If you are interested in
learning more, contact the Birmingham Jewish
Federation and a representative of Our Next 100
Years team would be glad to meet with you. An
important part of Our Next 100 Years is
Choices for Tomorrow - a group of younger
community members, mostly in their 20s and 30s,
who are helping us chart the future of our Jewish
community. This group meets periodically to
discuss issues and trends and offer perspectives
about strengths and challenges facing our Jewish
community.  
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Audit Tax Exempt Information
The Birmingham Jewish Federation is audited
annually by an independent auditor. This years
audit was done by Larry Fine, CPA, LLC. Copies
of the audit are available for public
inspection. The Birmingham Jewish Federation is a
501 (C) (3) organization. Contributions are
tax-deductible.
Office Volunteers
We thank those community members who volunteer
regularly at the BJF, greeting the public,
answering the phones and helping with projects,
enabling us to hold down costs. Our 2008
volunteers are listed below.
Alex Epstein Julian Lichter Fred Kanter Hazel
Pizette Ann Cohen Marge Wein Helena Lubel Buddy
Sokol
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BJF Board of Directors
Officers and Executive Committee Amy Saag
President Sheryl Kimerling Vice President for
Fundraising Sheryl Jon Kimerling 2009 Campaign
Chairs Brenda Friedman Vice President for
Personnel Maury Shevin Interim Vice President
for Community Relations Louis Tuck Vice
President for Governance Maury Shevin Vice
President for Finance Melba Epsman Birmingham
Jewish Foundation President Stephen
Dorsky Presidential Appointee Lisa
Engel Presidential Appointee Steven
Brickman Ex-Officio Chair, Israel-World Jewry
Bureau Jimmy Filler President-Elect Joel
Karen Piassick Ex-Officio
Other Board Members
Term Expiring June 2009 David Abroms Steve
Altmann Nancy Goedecke Randi Landy Jack Levy
Judy Luks Richard Pizitz, Jr. Marge Wein Dan
Weinrib
Term Expiring June 2011 Lori Dorsky Norris
Friedman Ken Grodner Jerry Held Nancy Nagrodzki
Lenora Pate Lynn Raviv Drew Weil
Term Expiring June 2010 Barbara Aland Barbara
Bonfield Jeri Davis Edward Goldberg David
Landy Richard Lehr Bernard Nomberg Lauren
Perlman Marjorie Perlman Cynthia Tobias Diane
Weiner Brenda Weinstein
For more information please contact Birmingham
Jewish Federation P.O. 130219 Birmingham, AL
35213 [phone] or go to www.bjf.org