WEST HARTFORD, CONN. (October 11, 2018) – Generous attendees raised more than $1.2 million to benefit the Jewish community and its neighbors in need at an entirely new type of Jewish Federation program: HINENI: “Here I Am” – An Evening of Voices and Visions on Thursday, October 4.
HINENI focused on the tremendous collective impact that is possible when communities come together in times of need. More than 500 people attended the program, which featured personal stories from three American crises: the Marjory Stoneman Douglas school shooting in Parkland, Florida; Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Texas; and the resettlement of Hurricane Maria survivors in Hartford. Guest speakers gave powerful accounts of how Jewish Federations and Jewish communities across the U.S. help their neighbors move from tragedy to hope.
"HINENI [Hebrew for “here I am”] is Federation’s response to Jewish needs locally and beyond… here we are for wherever, whenever and whatever is required… doing good, bringing help, comfort, support, resources and love," said event emcee and co-chair Ron Schlossberg.
The program served as the kickoff to Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford’s 2019 Annual Campaign, which supports programs and services that touch nearly 15,000 Jewish households in Greater Hartford as well as international programs that provide humanitarian assistance, education and training to Jews and their neighbors in 60-plus countries worldwide.
“Many people don’t realize that the Federation system plays a role in crisis response. We play a vital role not just supporting our local Jewish organizations but also sending money, supplies and volunteers to locations all over the world where Jews and their neighbors are in need,” said Rachel Berezin, Vice President of Development at Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford. “We are so excited to share Federation’s amazing impact and we encourage everyone to get involved.”
HINENI was co-chaired by Shari and Michael Cantor, Alisha and Ron Cipriano, Kathy and Ron Fishman, Nancy and Jay Gershman, and Judy and Ron Schlossberg. Laurie Mandell is Federation’s 2019 Annual Campaign Chair and Dana Keller is the 2019 Women’s Philanthropy Chair. Cary Lakenbach is Federation’s Chair of the Board.
Sponsors of HINENI included Platinum Sponsors Manchester Funeral Home and Shipman & Goodwin; Gold Sponsors Bank of America, Hartford Distributors, Hebrew Center for Health & Rehabilitation, Hoffman Auto Group, the Judie and Coleman Levy family, J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., NEFCO, People’s United Bank, Pullman & Comley LLC, Reid and Riege PC, Retirement Visions, TD Bank, Trinity Health of New England/Saint Francis Care, United Bank Foundation Connecticut and Weinstein Mortuary; Silver Sponsors The Arlene M. Lipton Memorial Fund at the Jewish Community Foundation, CohnReznick, Hartford Hospital, KeyBank, Simsbury Bank and Webster Bank; Bronze Sponsors Connecticut Lighting Centers, Farmington Bank, Marcus Insurance Agency and Professional Business Insurers; Media Partners The Connecticut Jewish Ledger and Hartford Business Journal; In-Kind Sponsors Buds in Bloom, J. Fiereck Photography, P’Zazz and Victor Advertising; and Table Sponsor Jewish Family Services Tara's Closet.
To learn more about Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford, contact Rachel Berezin.