The turnout for Super Sunday, the federation’s annual phonathon, overwhelmed Essex County freeholder Pat Sebold, who had a hard time finding a parking space.

“I think it’s a wonderful sign of how people feel about this day,” said Sebold, who sat beside other elected officials on the dais of the Gebroe and Hammer Families Conference Center. “I’ve never had a parking problem in the past, and I think Super Sunday has become a real happening in the MetroWest area.”

In a nonpartisan spirit, Democrat Sebold was joined by Republican freeholders Susan Zellman of Sussex County and Jack Schrier of Morris County in making calls to potential donors in the Jewish community.

For Schrier, it is an annual event he wouldn’t dream of missing.

“This is a wonderful cause, and this is a wonderful opportunity to get the community involved in what the JCC is all about, what UJA is all about,” he said.

“Even people who have committed funds in the past need to be reminded from time to time of what they do. The reception I get on the phones is generally wonderful, welcoming; in many cases people increase their commitments from prior years,” said Schrier.

“What brings me here,” said Zellman, “is working to help the Jewish community, which helps so many people throughout the northwest part of the state and helps so many community organizations fulfill their needs.”

Her appearance especially pleased Merle Kalishman of Livingston, president of the Community Relations Committee of UJC MetroWest, who noted that Zellman represents precincts on the western border of the federation’s catchment area.

“We are looking forward to making people in these towns aware of what we offer so that we will be able to bring them into the federation system,” Kalishman said

From Congress came Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-Dist. 11); from the State Legislature, Assemblyman Tom Giblin (D-Dist. 3) and State Sen. Tom Kean, Jr. (R-Dist. 21).

Kean referred to his appearance as “an annual ritual. It is a great opportunity to be able to raise some money together to help people in this country and throughout the world.”

Since his defeat for New Jersey’s United States Senate seat by Democrat Robert Menendez, Kean said, he has been “spending a lot more time with my family and making a few more of my daughter’s soccer games.” He called his campaign “a great experience,” but said his future plans “right now are about preparing for the holidays with my family.”

Unable to return to the fund-raiser he had attended in previous years as a U.S. senator, NJ Gov. Jon Corzine sent written greetings that Kalishman read happily while telephone solicitors buzzed in the background.

“I am with you in spirit and you know how strongly I applaud your efforts to support people in need in our state and throughout our nation,” wrote the governor. “You have set yourself a high goal. But from my experience, what you accomplish is extraordinary on a daily basis.”

Corzine’s attorney general, Stuart Rabner, said the day was “about helping the Jewish community and doing whatever we can to assist in the many worthwhile projects we are raising funds for today.”

And, gesturing toward his brother, Howard, associate executive vice president and chief financial officer of UJC MetroWest, Rabner said, “It’s also about listening to him. Howard said, ‘You’re coming, aren’t you?’”

From the ranks of area mayors came Renee Green of Livingston, Michael Luther of Parsippany, Fred Profeta of Maplewood, and Joe Tempesta of West Caldwell.

“Super Sunday is about putting in some effort for a worthwhile cause,” said Profeta. “This is an agency that helps a lot of causes in Essex County — like JESPY House, the Daughters of Israel, Jewish Family Service, the Jewish Vocational Service. They have a lot of relevance for the people of Maplewood.”

Gary Aidekman, the Madison resident who serves as the UJA MetroWest campaign chair, said the day’s success was in part a reflection of the increased activism that followed Israel’s war in Lebanon this summer. Aidekman also chaired the Israel Emergency Campaign, launched in August to help Israelis recover from the shelling and displacement that they sustained.

“I do not want to take a war and say it’s a benefit. It is not. War is a terrible thing,” Aidekman said. “But it does raise people’s consciousness and causes them to reflect about being Jewish. We have found people have not backed off and we’re doing nicely this year.”

UJC MetroWest executive vice president Max Kleinman said the almost $6 million Israel Emergency Campaign was affecting Super Sunday “in a positive sense. I think many members of the community recognize that we responded quickly toward the emergency that existed in Israel. We received some very nice increased gifts,” he observed.

Super Sunday cochair Susan Weinstock of Montville called it “a great day. We have a full room. Our numbers look great. We have a lot of teens here — more teens than we have room for at the tables.”

To Kleinman, the day took on an almost religious overtone.

“It is a mitzva for us to raise money, to ask people to give tzedaka. The federation has a responsibility to involve the entire community to fulfill the mitzva of tzedaka, as well as doing other good deeds.”