The Combined Jewish Appeal launched a successful kick-off at the Journey to Churchill exhibit at Assiniboine Zoo on September 8, 2014.

The ambitious goal of the campaign, which is co-chaired by Bob Silver and Daniel Friedman, is to raise $5.95 million. This is more than $100,000 dollars higher than the goal of $5.817 million that was reached last year.

Prior to the event at the zoo, the CJA canvassers met in the multi-purpose room at the Asper Campus, where it was evident that many young people in their 20's and 30's were volunteering as canvassers. 

As Elaine Goldstine Director of Financial Resource Development for the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg noted, "This year we have 33 new canvassers, which is very exciting. I am most pleased by this. It is a measurement of the strength and vibrancy of the community. "

Silver, who is co-owner and director of Western Glove Works and Warehouse One, gave an inspiring and energetic speech to volunteers at the kick-off at the Journey to Churchill Exhibit (where the polar bears were hiding).  He noted how Winnipeg's Jewish community has come together to accomplish  things that we would not have thought possible for a community of our size, such as, building the Asper Campus.

Silver, who is also the President and beneficial owner of RIS Media Ltd,  spoke about the importance of  "getting more and more of our community involved"   and of measuring success  by ensuring that as many people as possible become donors to the campaign. "It's not who gave the most, but how many gave," Silver said, adding that "when young people are involved in the future of the Jewish community," then this is a very encouraging sign.

At the multi-purpose room at the Campus, Daniel Friedman, who is President and CEO of Pavilion Financial Corporation spoke of how seven years ago becoming a parent served as an impetus for taking his first steps in Jewish community involvement.

Friedman was born in Be'er Sheva, Israel and moved to Winnipeg about 17 years ago. (He has some family roots in the city - his mother was born here). He has a Bachelor of Law degree from Tel Aviv University and has a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Manitoba. Friedman became very active in the Jewish Federation's Ben-Gurion Society, which he is co-chairing for a second year.

Friedman told the Winnipeg Jewish Review that "increasing engagement of young people" is very important for the overall strength of the campaign, and noted the success that YAD – Young Adult Division – has had in bring in younger canvassers and participants into the campaign.

Goldstine told the Winnipeg Jewish Review that one of the goals of the campaign is to encourage younger and middle aged people not "to rely on their parents to make a gift for them, but to step up and make their own gift."   Goldstine said she is encouraged by the progress that the campaign has made so far. As of September 17, 43.2 percent of the goal had been reached. 

At the  journey to Churchill exhibit, Comedian Dan Ahdoot from New York entertained the crowd noting that "I have never had to compete before with a polar bear making an appearance," and asked "So Jews, how did you get to Winnipeg. You went too far. New York is over there." He also wanted to know how he could obtain a pair of jeans like the pair Bob Silver was wearing.

One of Dan's more memorable lines was, "What do you call an American having sex with Castro?  Answer: "Infidel."