TORONTO — UJA Federation of Greater Toronto kicked off its 2009 fundraising campaign in grand style on Aug 19.

Subtitled “The Campaign for Our Jewish Future” the evening saw Israeli Idol winner Boaz Mauda, Canadian chanteuse Amy Sky,  and conservative Fox News commentator William Kristol converge on Roy Thompson Hall as the evening’s special guests.

Sky wrote a new song – One Song, One Voice – to sing in honour of the launch, and it was presented as part of a video montage.After the opening montage, depicting Israeli and Canadian Jewish imagery set to a stirring soundtrack, Mauda, 21 – the 2007 Israeli Idol winner who was granted special leave from his army service to attend the launch – performed a high-energy set. His first Toronto show was well received by the more than 1,000 people in attendance.

Campaign 2009 co-chairs Fran Sonshine and Henry Wolfond then reminded the crowd of the federation’s mission.

“We continue to energize the Jewish community and generations to come,” Wolfond said. “The campaign remains committed to creativity, assisting the vulnerable and connecting Jewish youth with their roots. By joining us here tonight, you are helping us do exactly that.”

The fundraising goal for the 2009 campaign is set at $70 million. As of last week, $16 million had already been raised, a federation spokesperson said.

“The Jewish world is changing and we are leaders in helping shape that world,” Sonshine said. “We’re moving from words into action. But we must raise [the $70 million] to engage in the fight for our Jewish future in full force.”

Sonshine and Wolfond asked annual donors to consider increasing their gifts by 10 per cent in order to keep pace with 2009 funding needs.

“We live in a different world today [than a decade ago] when it comes to Jewish security,” Wolfond told the crowd. “What will the next 20 years bring? What new threats might emerge and what dreams might inspire our future? To meet our challenges and… goals, we simply cannot accomplish what needs to be done without you.”

Federation president Ted Sokolsky briefed the crowd on developments in the Georgian Jewish community. He said the federation’s sister organizations – the Jewish Distribution Committee and the Jewish Agency – set up situation rooms and shelters in Georgia and began expediting requests for aliyah from Jews soon after the conflict between Georgia and Russia began earlier this month.

“While we’re here this evening, another 16 Jews landed in Ben-Gurion [Airport],” he said. “As of tonight, because of your support, no Jew in Georgia goes without food and shelter. All have been accounted for and are safe. This is because of the work you have done [as donors] to provide the funds for this infrastructure.”

Sokolsky then introduced Kristol, the evening’s keynote speaker.

Kristol, a native New Yorker and editor of the Weekly Standard, said he has “many friends” in Toronto and thanked its Jewish community for being “strong” before proceeding to discuss his life as a Republican supporter and strategist, saying he was relieved to be in Canada where he doesn’t have to worry about talking partisan politics.

“When I’m in the U.S., I have to make the case for Republicans to Jews… which is a hopeless case,” he said to light laughter.

He then regaled the audience with anecdotes about conversations with prominent U.S. politicians and made detailed observations about the ongoing presidential election race, sharing his views on the chances of Barack Obama and John McCain.

Kristol said he believes Obama “should” beat McCain based on his popular support, but that the Republican hopeful still has a chance to beat Obama if he appeals to the American public’s fear of unchecked power by the Democrats. He noted that the U.S. Congress is controlled by the Democrats and will be for at least two years.

He also conveyed the thanks of “the American public,” whom he said are  grateful that Canadian soldiers are “fighting alongside Americans in Afghanistan” and are “fighting aggressively and well.”

He added: “There’s a genuine respect for the Canadian military [in the United States].”

Kristol’s speech made only brief allusion to the local Jewish community.

“The Toronto community does great things. I salute you for what you’ve done,” he said toward the end of his talk, singling out what he called “the revitalization of Jewish youth here.”

Mauda capped off the night with an encore performance and a moving rendition of Hatikvah.

In its Campaign 2009 literature, the federation outlined some of its upcoming priorities and projects.

They include Project 25/35, “an incubator for social entrepreneurs in the 25-35 age range”; the Jewish Camp Incentive Program, formerly known as Campright, which provides grants to “qualifying” campers in grades 2 through 7; dedicating more resources to Jewish campus life in Ontario, as well as to helping Jewish seniors and the community’s indigent; and developing “specialized, culture-specific integration programs for Israeli and Russian [newcomers] to ease their transition” to Canada.

Federation said it will also continue to “stand with the people of Israel” by allocating more resources through UIA Federations Canada to vocational and social welfare programs in Israel, with specific emphasis on Bat Yam’s Ethiopian community and the communities of Sderot and the upper Galilee.

According to federation figures, the funding allotment for programs in 2008-09,  totalled more than $60.3 million, with the two largest items – “Israel/overseas projects” and “formal Jewish education” – accounting for more than half the budget, $17,662,000 and $14,308,000, respectively.

Other expenditures included $5,175,536 for “assisting the vulnerable,” $5,052,000 for administration, $4,817,000 for “other” community allocations, such as “pre-development costs for the campuses that we are building, allocations to a variety of programs and agencies from Jewish Foundation proceeds (this is the money generated by endowment funds that are not designated by the donor for specific purposes), donor designated allocations, other miscellaneous programs [and a] contingency reserve fund,” a federation spokesperson said.

Federation also allocated $3,895,000 for identity development among youth and young adults, $1,820,769 for newcomer integration, $1,413,701 for culture, $720,000 for community security and $554,359 for seniors.