Super Sunday a 'team effort' - The Jewish Standard

Paramus resident David Goodman made telephone calls while holding his children, Laili, 3, and Miri, 6, in his arms. Gale Bindelglass of Franklin Lakes teamed up with her son Evan, ‘3. Paul and Marlene Klein, Wayne residents and Super Sunday regulars, turned up as well. In all, some 600 volunteers came to help at the annual fund-raising event of UJA Federation of Northern New Jersey.

Among the volunteers manning the phones are, from left, Sarah Pearlman, l6, a Jewish Students Union member at Teaneck High School, and Emily Winograd, l6, a student at Northern Valley High School, Demarest, and the Bergen County High School for Jewish Studies. PHOTOS BY KEN HILFMAn

"We’re here to raise more than $1million for all of our services," said Bindelglass during Sunday’s event, held at the Rosenbaum Yeshiva of North Jersey in River Edge. "It’s a family day; we’re here to help people."

Jonah Halper, Super Sunday coordinator, was delighted with the turnout. "It’s nice to see 600 volunteers coming together for a community-wide annual event," he said. "It’s a combination of volunteerism, community-building, and philanthropy. You put all of these things together, and it’s great."

The efforts of the volunteers resulted in pledges of $1,164,697, Halper told The Jewish Standard on Monday. "We’re more than pleased," he said, "and more will be coming in during the week. It was a team effort."

The funds will go toward UJA Federation allocations of about $9 million, to be distributed locally and overseas.

Sen. Frank Lautenberg considers questions posed by Alan Scharfstein, general campaign chairman.

During the course of the day, Super Sunday chairpersons Alan M. Gallatin of Wyckoff and Lauri Bader of Demarest<

U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg focused on the need for overseas assistance. "Israel is facing yet another crisis, this time from Iran," he said. "If you want our grandchildren to be Jewish, and to make sure there is a Jewish heritage, then you’ve got to do whatever you can for Israel. By strengthening Israel, we strengthen ourselves and our friends…. If it weren’t for Israel’s presence, we would see more American troops, more American ships, and more American airplanes in the Middle East."

Lautenberg added, "My grandmother used to say, ‘Shem zach nisht,’ don’t be ashamed to stand up for Israel. Do it!"

U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez was unable to attend. His senior adviser, Carolyn Fefferman, read his statement congratulating the volunteers and wishing them "a most successful event."

Gov. Jon Corzine, left, speaks with Melanie Sklaire, 17, of Paramus, and Evan Bindelglass, ‘3, of Franklin Lakes.

Other speakers included Assemblywoman Joan Voss, who mentioned the UJA’s 8′ beneficiary agencies, and Assemblyman Bob Gordon, who stated, "There is a limit to the funding from federal and New Jersey government sources, so efforts like Super Sunday are very important."

Other dignitaries in attendance included state Sen. Joseph Coniglio, Bergen County Executive Dennis McNerney, Bergen County Sheriff Leo McGuire, and David L. Ganz, Bergen County freeholder.

Training volunteers is an important job, said Oradell resident Jonathan Mate, co-chair of the Super Sunday committee. "This has always been one of my favorite events. It’s my ‘0th year as a participant, and it’s wonderful to see the community turn out for this important cause."

Not all volunteers helped by making telephone calls. A blood collection station at the event was administered by the American Red Cross. Among the blood donors were Myrna Block of Englewood and Paul Beck of Wayne.

"I give blood whenever I can," said Beck, who was there as a representative of the Gerrard Berman Solomon Schechter Day School in Oakland. "It’s an important thing to do. We’re a beneficiary agency of the federation, and we came down to help [at] Super Sunday, in any way possible."

Assisting the volunteers were runners/assistants Avishua Stein of Teaneck and Hadar Cohen of Fair Lawn, both 1′ years old.

Donations may still be made by calling the UJA Federation at (‘0l) 488-6800.