Jewtopia-related Event Raises $1.56 Million for Jewish Federation
On September 16, 1,400 members of the Jewish community packed Benaroya Hall to see the comedic duo of World of Jewtopia and help kick-off the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle’s annual Community Campaign. The 1,400 member crowd at “Laugh Your Way to Giving” was not only the Jewish Federation’s largest audience, but Jewtopia’s largest audience ever as well.
The event was a departure from the normal sit-down fundraising, $90-a-head dinner. Instead, the event boasted $36 tickets with a lavish dessert reception following the show. The previously untried format was a success, with a staggering $1.56 million raised, including 147 new gifts.
The Jewish Federation’s Community Campaign raises approximately $6 million a year to support dozens of local and international Jewish organizations working to help create a vibrant, connected Jewish community and aid individuals and families in need worldwide.
World of Jewtopia stars comedians Bryan Fogel and Sam Wolfson who combined scenes from their original off-Broadway show Jewtopia, interactive audience participation (i.e. the Jewish “Apollo”), stand-up comedy and a multi-media presentation for a funny, one-of-a-kind event. Their emphasis on the quirks of Jewish culture had everyone crying with laughter: hard not to laugh when they’re cracking jokes about how a Jew’s purpose in life is to fit as much food as possible in the freezer or engaging the audience to help them explain why each and every table in a restaurant is the “wrong” table. Incorporating a local spin during their segment on a Jewish singles event, Bryan boasted “making out with Becky Benaroya,” who was in present in the audience.
The Sulman family, Barbara and Stuart Sulman, Scott Sulman and Carin and Scott Jacobson, chaired the event. Shelley Bensussen, the Community Campaign Chair, implored the large audience to “give for those that barely have enough for food and shelter, for youth at risk, for kindergartens dealing with trauma in Israel. This is the time and the stakes could not be higher. Please give as generously as you can, for our generation and for future generations.”
The Jewish Federation added extra laughs as well with the use of a two-person costumed camel, who made guest appearances on-stage to help promote Israel Unplugged, our Seattle community-wide trip to Israel May 23-June 1, 2010.
The post-show dessert reception, catered by Nosh Away, provided an opportunity to recap the jokes, schmooze and eat at one of the dozens of dessert stations including chocolate fountains and an ice cream buffet.
Sixty Jewish attorneys gathered at a pre-reception in the Founder’s Room to network and listen to Justice Bobbe Bridge who spoke about the collective impact of giving, especially through the Community Campaign.
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