I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity Wednesday evening to interview Shimon Peres, former president of Israel and the senior statesman of the Jewish people. There is so much we can all learn from this hero of our people. Amazingly, despite this summer’s crisis in Israel and threats from an increasingly volatile region, President Peres is an optimist. He genuinely believes that the best chapters in Jewish history are yet to come — and we are the ones to write them.

The interview took place at an event, hosted this year by Phyllis and Bill Mack, which gathered the top philanthropists in the New York Jewish community to lay the groundwork for UJA-Federation of New York’s 2015 Annual Campaign. Essentially, this evening was about the leaders of our community endorsing what we represent and what we make possible with their generosity, inspiring others to do the same.

In the weeks leading up to this event, my first as CEO, I met with many of our major donors to ask them why they care about UJA-Federation. Over the course of these meetings, my understanding of why people give has deepened. The truth is, people come here for a variety of reasons. Some are passionate about alleviating poverty in New York. Others, troubled by the Pew report, are focused on Jewish engagement. Still others want to ensure the quality of our agencies so that we can respond on a moment’s notice during times of crisis and on a daily basis.

In reality, every one of them is right. What connects donors to UJA-Federation is that we touch all the issues they personally care about — and so much more. Our donors want to be part of the global safety net for the Jewish people. They know that because of the support they give our annual campaign, when crisis hits, as it did this summer in Israel and Ukraine, our beneficiary agencies are already there doing what needs to be done. And they know that we are, at the same time, making life better for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers and investing in the Jewish future.

The 150 people gathered Wednesday represent our major donors, who together gave a record-setting $48 million this year, leading the way for more than 50,000 donors who will carry this campaign forward to even greater heights. Every single gift, whatever the amount, matters. UJA-Federation is unique in the way we bring together people of widely different backgrounds to compound our impact.

President Peres has often explained why he is optimistic about America’s future. He says that unlike many other great countries, we did not acquire our power by taking, but rather by giving. The same can be said for those involved with UJA-Federation — we are stronger because of what we give.

With those words as inspiration, I look forward to all that will take place before our campaign closes on June 30. Between now and then, we have to tell our story and rally our community — those who have been part of UJA-Federation for generations and those who have never stepped through our doors — to join us and make us stronger yet. Like the indefatigable former Israeli president, all who come to UJA-Federation represent a forward-thinking vision and the optimism that together we can shape what comes next.

Shabbat shalom