YAD volunteers conquer fear of fund-raising to answer JCF’s Super Sunday call

Ilana Gauss has been trying to overcome her fear of the phones.

Well, that may be a slight exaggeration, but the 27-year-old environmental activist who is active with YAD, the Young Adults Division of the S.F.-based Jewish Community Federation, is gearing up to work the phones for the first time at the JCF's fund-raiser of the year: Super Sunday. She is also a YAD co-chair of the event.

The annual event, during which volunteers call to solicit money to support JCF's campaign, is Nov. 23 at San Francisco's Grand Hyatt Hotel. Volunteers will be working from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., in an effort to call every Jew in the S.F. federation's area — about 10,000 current and prospective donors — asking for a contribution.

And despite the lackluster economy, those at the federation believe it shouldn't impact their projected goal.

"We're very optimistic that we'll exceed last year's Super Sunday total of $2.3 million, which was our most successful Super Sunday ever," said Stacie Herschman, director of campaign.

Of the expected 1,000 or so volunteers, 180 of them will be representing YAD.

A native of San Francisco, Gauss comes from a family that has always been involved with JCF. She has been to two Super Sundays, but this will be her first time working the phones.

And to prepare, she attended a workshop at a recent conference, called "Overcoming your fear of fund-raising."

"Asking people for their money is an uncomfortable place to be," she said. "But when you really think about it, and where the money is going, it's going toward something that those people are a part of anyway. It supports other Jews who may be in need."

Joining Gauss on the phones will be Rachelle Diamond, a 31-year-old marketing manager, who has competed in two marathons and 10 triathlons.

Diamond, who has lived in San Francisco for the past seven years, came to be involved with the JCF three years ago.

Before that, "I had never been connected to the Jewish community," she said.

Almost on a whim, she decided to visit Israel for the first time in 2000, on a national United Jewish Communities singles mission. Calling it "a life-changing experience," it determined much of what happened in her life when she returned.

While in Israel, Diamond visited Kiryat Shmona, in the partner region of the JCF, and while there, she dropped in on a dance program supported by JCF money.

"I was really moved to see something funded by our money over here, and I felt really good about it," she said.

Asking others for money was hard, at first, she said. But she quickly got used to it.

"Now I see what it actually does," she said. "Now I'm in charge of campaign, which requires asking a ton of people for money. By experiencing and knowing where the money goes, rather than to this big umbrella organization and black hole, people just get it."

For Keith Goodman, taking the phones at this year's fund-raiser shouldn't be a problem.

"I'm a stockbroker, so all I do is solicit money." Of soliciting for the Jewish community, he said, "it should be very similar."

The 34-year-old San Francisco native is also a club owner by night, giving a venue for young Jews to meet. In December, he'll head the JCF's Latke Ball.

But for now, Goodman is looking forward to putting those telephone skills to work.

"It's a great way to inspire others to make commitments to keep our Jewish community alive and flourishing," he said, adding "participating in events that promote Jewish tzedakah is paramount."

Husband and wife Steve Lee and Alyson Geller are co-chairs of this year's Super Sunday, and if anyone has a good story about participating, Lee does.

Lee has been participating in Super Sundays since before he became a bar mitzvah. When he was just 12, he placed a call to a doctor, who pledged $25. "Twenty-five dollars!" the young Lee exclaimed. "I'm only 12 and I can give more than that! And you're a doctor!"

The doctor was so humbled, that by the time he hung up the phone, he had given $1,000.

Will Lee be able to repeat his fund-raising prowess? Stay tuned.