Filling up the shopping bag

Young Chang

A woman known only as Natasha lives with clothes, shoes, medicine and

a new Jewish identity in Israel, thanks in part to funds raised by the

Jewish Federation of Orange County.

She was found hiding in a Grozny basement with 50 other Chechen

orphans on a November night two years ago. A bombing during conflicts in

Chechnea had hit, literally, their homes.

Closer to Costa Mesa, where the federation is based, two children

named Jamie Lobel and Max Sass attend federation-supported education and

youth programs in Orange County to learn about Jewish values and

traditions.

“This is like a wonderful shopping bag of services that is available

for people,” said Bunnie Mauldin, executive director of the federation.

The shopping bag is, more specifically, the group’s annual campaign

fund. This year, the federation exceeded its goal of $2 million by

$44,838 for a record-breaking campaign. The sum exceeds last year’s

amount by more than $130,000.

With fewer donors than last year, but 800 new benefactors and a core

bundle of large contributions, 25% of the campaign sum will benefit Jews

in the former Soviet Union, Israel and other foreign countries while 75%

will benefit county residents.

“They understand the need,” said federation president Charles Karp of

this year’s donors. “They understand the importance of having an umbrella

organization than can fill so many niches.”

Karp heads a committee to raise “major gifts” of $7,500 or more and

admits he’s an active solicitor. About 65% of the donors come from the

Newport Beach and Costa Mesa areas, he said.

Beneficiaries of the federation include the B’Nai B’Rith Youth

Organization, the Bureau of Jewish Education, the Hillel Foundation, the

Jewish Community Center, Jewish Family Service, Jewish Day Schools, the

American Jewish Committee, the Anti-Defamation League and the United

Jewish Communities.

Funds from the past campaign year, which began in October and ended in

late June, were also given to groups including the Orange County Task

Force on Youth and Teens and the Jeremiah Society for people with

disabilities.

“It’s a milestone,” said Mauldin, of the $2 million plus. “And it puts

more money back in the community where it’s needed.”

The quarter that goes overseas is also necessary, added Karp,

especially with violence erupting in the Middle East.

“The [Israeli] government just has very limited dollars in these very

difficult times they’re living with,” he said. “And they just don’t have

the dollars available for social service.”