The Super Sunday workshop was our first meeting after the Shabbaton. Essentially, it was our first meeting as a truly solidified cohort. However, while we waited for the workshop to begin, a slightly uncomfortable silence hung in the air. The connections we made during the Shabbaton were certainly not lost, as we had all been engaging in consistent contact via social media, however the rapid escalation of our relationships in such a short time followed by a drought of human interaction with one another perhaps caused an awkwardness when we reconnected in person. After beginning the workshop, though, we were given an opportunity to rekindle the connections we made over the Shabbaton through guided interaction.
During the workshop, we began the initial planning of our Self-Management Shabbaton. After being assigned to our committees (content, food, morale, logistics and Shabbat spirit), we composed a mission statement, a vision, and a set of goals. This process was challenging as most of us were eager to contribute our ideas and, as a result, there were lots of side conversations and many layers of voices, all trying to be heard. Having twenty strong leaders work together is not always easy. We managed to overcome this, however, and the final product was one that seamlessly combined each of our own hopes for the Shabbaton along with the Diller pillars and values. This strong starting point has personally made me very enthusiastic about the prospect of planning our own Shabbaton, tailored to what our cohort most wants to achieve. I feel that this Shabbaton will be the most rewarding as, if it is successful, we will have provided ourselves with a memorable experience that will benefit each individual as well as the entire group.
After our mini workshop, we began Super Sunday. For those that do not know, Super Sunday is an entire day devoted to raising funds for the Federation. This day is essential to the continuation of all of the amazing programs that the Federation supports, one of which is Diller. For those that do know what Super Sunday is, you have most likely received a phone call requesting a donation for the Federation. However, what goes on behind the scenes of these phone calls is incredible; hundreds of local Jews gathering to make phone calls to urge donations. Intimidating, defeating, frustrating and rewarding are all words that one may use to describe the phone-calling process. Most people do not answer the phone calls, this is the frustrating part. When people do answer the phone, many can be rude or terse, this is the intimidating part. Often times, people decline the request of a donation, or, better yet, hang up the phone mid-sentence, this part is defeating. However, many people are very generous and appreciative of the work being done for the Federation, and this is where the rewarding part comes into play. Knowing that we are giving back to the community that is providing us with so much is an amazing feeling, and it was overall a very rewarding experience.
Alexandra Constantinides
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