Campaign for Jewish Buffalo
KICKOFF EVENT 2027
Wednesday, September 23, 2026 | UB Center for the Arts
EVENT
DETAILS
AWARDEE & SPEAKER
Register
for kickoff
CORPORATE
SPONSORS
2027 Kickoff Event – Wednesday, September 23 at UB Center for the Arts
Join us as we gather for an evening of celebration at the 2027 Campaign Kickoff Event, Rooted in Joy, Connected in Community. Together, we’ll celebrate the vibrant spirit of Jewish Buffalo and the relationships that sustain us, inspire us and help us flourish.
Through your support of the Campaign, Jewish Joy grows stronger, ensuring our community remains resilient, inclusive and thriving for years to come.
Reconnect with old friends, meet new ones and celebrate all that makes Jewish Buffalo so special.
Event Details
Date | Time | Location
Wednesday, September 23, 2026
5:30 – Cocktails & Food Stations
7:00 – Program in the Theatre
7:45 – After-Party including more cocktails, desserts and a book signing with Sarah back in the atrium.
Dietary Laws will be observed.
UB Center for the Arts | 103 Center for the Arts, Buffalo, NY 14260
Event purpose
For 120 years, the Buffalo Jewish Federation has been the voice and the backbone of the Jewish community in Western New York. Our mission is to weave threads of Jewish connection, raise and allocate resources, convene and represent Jewish Buffalo and secure Jewish life.
With the support of the Campaign for Jewish Buffalo, Federation is committed to funding our organizational and agency partners, strengthening the fabric of community, and inspiring individuals to access Jewish tradition in powerful and transformative ways.
Tickets
Tickets: $100 | person
– Payment for event is not tax deductible –
This Kickoff is a fundraising event for the Buffalo Jewish Federation. We ask that all attendees make a 2027 Campaign gift, if you have not done so already.
Your support is deeply appreciated!
Honoring
Patty Simonson
Judith and Daniel Kantor Professional Service Award Recipient
Patty Simonson will be honored with the Judith & Daniel Kantor Professional Service Award in recognition of nearly 50 years of dedicated service to the Jewish Community Center of Greater Buffalo and the broader Jewish Buffalo community. Since joining the JCC in 1979 and becoming CEO in 2023, Patty has demonstrated exceptional leadership, helping shape the organization through innovation, community partnership, talent development, and a steadfast commitment to creating meaningful experiences for generations of families. Widely respected for her collaborative approach, vision, and commitment to strengthening Jewish life, Patty has helped ensure the JCC remains a welcoming and vibrant hub where generations of individuals and families can learn, connect, and thrive.
Featuring
Sarah Hurwitz
Award-winning author and former White House speechwriter
Sarah Hurwitz is an acclaimed author whose work invites readers into a deeper connection with Jewish identity, tradition, and purpose. In her newest book, As a Jew: Reclaiming Our Story from Those Who Blame, Shame, and Try to Erase Us, she offers a powerful and accessible exploration of Jewish wisdom, resilience, and belonging. Sarah will engage in a thoughtful conversation on how reclaiming our shared story can be a source of pride, strength, and Jewish joy, especially in challenging times. Together, we’ll celebrate joy, community, and how your support of the Campaign helps fuel this work; strengthening and ensuring a vibrant Jewish Buffalo for generations to come.
SPONSORS
For 120 years, the Buffalo Jewish Federation has been at the center of building Jewish community in Western New York. With generous support from our corporate sponsors, we can strengthen our partner agencies, offer opportunities to families, teens, and adults to live & learn Jewishly, be part of building a more civil and caring community, address antisemitism, support Jews and their families in need locally and across the globe, and so much more.
2026 KickOff Event Recap
On Tuesday, September 16, 2025, More than 500 community members gathered to celebrate Jewish Buffalo, the impact we make together, and the vital resources needed to ensure a flourishing Jewish future for generations to come. The evening provided an opportunity to reconnect with old friends, make new connections, and celebrate the strength and vibrancy of our community.
The event began with cocktails and food stations, giving guests time to mingle and enjoy the festive atmosphere. Attendees then moved to the main stage theatre for a special program featuring a conversation with Jonah Platt and the presentation of the Ann and Meyer Riwchun Men’s Emerging Leadership Award to Corey Auerbach.
2025 KickOff Event Recap
On Tuesday, September 24, 2024, we gathered for the biggest party of the year to celebrate Jewish Buffalo and two extraordinary leaders who have made a significant impact. The evening began with cocktails and food stations. We then moved into the main stage theatre for a 45-minute program honoring Marni Marciano and Hadar Borden, listened to powerful impact stories, and celebrated a new direction for the Buffalo Jewish Federation. The after-party was filled with more cocktails, desserts, and music back in the atrium. If you missed schmoozing with 500 of your closest friends (and making new friends) our 2026 kickoff event will be held on Tuesday, September 16, 2025.
2024 KickOff Event Recap
On Wednesday, September 20, 2023, over 450 Jewish Buffalonians gathered at UB Center for the Arts for a memorable evening to celebrate Gary Greenfield receiving the Nathan Benderson Community Service Award & Randi Morkisz receiving the Judith and Daniel Kantor Professional Service Award. The program concluded with a moving documentary film, created by Jewish Buffalonian Brenda Feldstein, highlighting stories of three unique transformational “moments”. Moments where the Buffalo Jewish Federation …. our people, our projects, our vehicles for giving … transformed lives.
It’s Moments Like This…
2023 KickOff Event Recap
On September 14, 2022, the Buffalo Jewish Federation held the 2023 Campaign for Jewish Buffalo Kickoff Event. The event featured a special video tribute to Leslie Kramer, z”l, Federation’s immediate Past President and beloved community member who lost her courageous battle with cancer earlier this year (video directed and produced by Brenda Feldstein). The evening also featured New York Times columnist and author, Bruce Feiler.
