H eadlines
Super Sunday Revamps, Adds Interaction
L OCA L
ANDY GOTLIEB | JE MANAGING EDITOR
THERE MAY NOT BE any
in-person socializing, but the
organizers of this year’s Super
Sunday expect the signature
event to be as rewarding as its
predecessors. In 2020, 600 volunteers at
five locations across the region
made calls, wrote letters, sent
texts and posted to social
media to friends, neigh-
bors and their local kehillot,
exceeding the $500,000 goal for
Jewish Federation of Greater
Philadelphia’s largest annual
community fundraiser.

Volunteers spoke positively
about the camaraderie and
sense of community fostered
by the event. But call centers
are out of the question this year,
so Super Sunday will be spread
Melissa Greenberg
Courtesy of Jewish Federation
of Greater Philadelphia
three ways on March 6 and 7.

“This reimagined event is
what our community needs to
come together,” said Danielle
Weiss, a Super Sunday
co-chair, who is teaming with
Mitch Sterling.

The weekend kicks off from
Danielle Weiss
Courtesy of Jewish Federation
of Greater Philadelphia
7:30-8:30 p.m. on March 6 with
a virtual Havdalah featuring
Joey Weisenberg of Hadar’s
Rising Song Institute.

After that, participants are
urged to stay online and partic-
ipate in one of 36 “Schmooze
& Share Rooms” hosted by
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JEWISH EXPONENT
Volunteers from Congregations of Shaare Shamayim write letters to
potential donors at the 2020 Super Sunday, a couple weeks before the
pandemic took hold.
Photo by Matt Silver
leaders of area synagogues, day
schools, camps and nonprofits.

Participants will be able to
move from room to room.

“The team has done an
amazing job of finding ways to
engage the community,” Jewish
Federation Executive Vice
President Melissa Greenberg
said. Super Sunday itself will run
from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with several
dozen campaign members,
Jewish Federation employees and
a hired professional marketing
company making donation calls,
Greenberg said. The professional
marketers are expected to
make 6,000 calls. The goal is
again $500,000.

Would-be donors may
donate online at jewishphilly.

org/donate-super-sunday or
call 215-832-0899.

Also on Super Sunday,
there’s an opportunity to “Do
a Mitzvah.” Participants may
drop off a bag of food curbside
between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at
one of the five area Mitzvah
Food Pantries or Shir Ami
Congregation in Newtown.

Requested items include
Passover foods such as gefilte
fish, grape juice, horseradish,
matzah meal, matzah and
kosher for Passover cereals,
crackers and snacks, as well as
diapers and women’s feminine
hygiene products.

“No matter who is partic-
ipating, they can probably
find something that speaks
to them,” Weiss said of Super
Sunday participation.

Neither Greenberg nor
Weiss is concerned about donor
fatigue, despite other Jewish
Federation-led charitable drives
seeking to assist those strug-
gling because of the pandemic.

“We understand that a lot is
being asked of people philan-
thropically,” Weiss said. “As far
as I know, the community has
truly stepped up and rallied
around each other. ... We really
have been so moved by the
generosity of the community.”
“I am continually inspired by
the generosity of the members
of our community,” Greenberg
said, adding that the new format
“presents an opportunity to be
creative.” Jewish Federation will
keep offering virtual options
even after the pandemic ends,
as they break down barriers and
allow people in Florida, the Jersey
shore and the Poconos, among
other places, to participate.

“There are lots of different
ways for people to connect, and
we’ve really learned that this
year,” Greenberg said. l
agotlieb@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0797
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM