Winnipeg CJA campaign falls short of target

WINNIPEG — Winnipeg’s 2008-09 Combined Jewish Appeal campaign may have fallen short of its target for the first time in 10 years, but campaign officials aren’t complaining.

Rael Ludwig

“Our campaign was flat last year, but we at least matched the dollar figures [$5.3 million] that we raised in 2007-2008,” said CJA Winnipeg executive director Elaine Goldstine. “Many other communities weren’t able to reach the totals they hit the year before.”

Goldstine said the goal for 2008-09 was $5.5 million. While the local line held its own, she added, contributions to Israel dropped slightly. (Winnipeg is the only Jewish community in North America that still has a two-line system, which gives contributors the option of allocating all or part of their donations to the local community or Israel.)

Rael Ludwig, a Winnipeg lawyer who is in his second year as overall campaign chair, said his committee hasn’t set financial targets for the 2009-10 campaign.

“People are assessing their portfolios and may not be able to increase their gifts,” he said. “We dodged two bullets last year. The economic collapse happened in mid-campaign, so we were able to break even. Also, we didn’t have any money invested with [convicted New York-based pyramid scammer] Bernie Madoff.”

Ludwig said that a March 30 campaign meeting generated a lot of enthusiasm among younger canvassers about next year’s drive.

“We brought in Susan Jackson [from the Toronto UJA campaign] to act as a facilitator to give us some new ideas for the campaign and how to motivate donors,” Ludwig said.

He recalled that, years ago, most canvassers were volunteers. Now, half the canvassing is done by paid staff.

“We would like to get back to where more of the canvassing is done by volunteers,” he said.

One of the issues that the campaign organizers are debating this year, Ludwig said, is whether or not to continue to operate a two-line campaign. Another change under consideration is whether or not to allow all donors to designate which beneficiaries receive their donations. In the past, only major donors have had that option.

The new chair of the campaign’s Women’s Division for 2009-10 is Marcia Cosman, a third-generation community leader. Cosman has been a CJA canvasser for 25 years. She joined the CJA management team two years ago.

“We are looking forward to having more programs this year to show women what we do and hopefully inspire them to give more,” Cosman said.

“We are optimistic that we can continue to raise the money we require to fund the services that our community needs,” Goldstine said.