By Allen Soden, JFGA Volunteer

As the year comes to a close, I have had the chance to reflect on my recent volunteer work with our Federation. This year, I have been helping the community raise much needed funds by meeting with and talking to people about all the wonderful things that the Jewish Federation is doing.

I was first solicited for Federation’s annual campaign many years ago by Eliot Arnovitz at the IHOP next to the old JCC and Federation building on Peachtree. As a new college graduate just starting a family with my wife Judy and a new career in Atlanta, my small pledge was warmly embraced and I then began to learn about our Jewish community.

The next year I solicited Ralph Levy who took me to lunch in the private dining room of the venerable King and Spalding law firm. Wow, what a treat and how gracious Ralph was as I tried to tell our community and Israel story. Boy, was I mad that I only got a pancake breakfast from Eliot! This year as a volunteer working for Dr. Ramie Tritt, the chair of the Annual Campaign, and Federation’s Kenny Silverboard, I agreed that I would create a small team that would each solicit a handful of prospects with the condition that all of them had to be solicited in person. No phone calls, (sure it is easy) and no email, but meeting with them someplace face to face.

This year in addition to Mike Wien (Ironman extraordinaire), Richard Bressler (community treasure), Alan Cohen (there are several Alan Cohen’s…this is the good golfer) and Edwin Rothberg (there is only one Edwin!) there are hundreds of other volunteers in many divisions telling the Federation story. To the rest of you…if you can squeeze in just a few face to face meetings, you can get some of the same joy that our small team gets when we hear things like:

“Thanks for coming to see me…it feels good to know that my gift is that important.”

“I never knew that Birthright and PJ Library were operated and supported by JFGA…I strongly believe in those projects.”

“You actually came out past the Perimeter to see me…no one has ever paid me that type of respect.”

“Kenny Silverboard…guess what? My breakfast meeting resulted in a 15.38% increase and a big thank you from the donor for not doing it over the phone.”

Everybody is busy…no one likes to play phone tag. However, if you can…try to meet someone, show them respect and go to their business, their part of town, their favorite breakfast or lunch place and only good things will happen! There is nothing bad except a little drive and who knows, you may get lucky and make a new friend, connect our community, show respect and even get a great meal! As we approach the New Year – even if it is out of your comfort zone, soliciting someone on behalf of campaign is a worthy endeavor that does a world of good for the community and perhaps even for you.

Shabbat Shalom and Happy New Year,

Allen Soden
JFGA Volunteer