Karen Secular, Create a Jewish Legacy Program Coordinator with the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater MetroWest NJ, spoke at the inaugural Legacy Circle Shabbat at Congregation Agudath Israel (CAI) in Caldwell on April 11, 2015. Fourteen legacy donors were present and called up for a Legacy Circle Aliyah. After the aliyah Karen delivered these remarks. She was introduced by Pamela Goldstein, CAI’s director of development.

Thank you for the introduction, Pamela. And thank you, Rabbi Silverstein, for suggesting this day for Legacy Shabbat. Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach.

I can only imagine the pride you felt seeing your friends and fellow congregants being honored during the Legacy Circle Group Aliyah. It was beautiful.

This morning I will share some details with you about the Create a Jewish Legacy program, thoughts about why it’s important for CAI, and how easy it is for you to become a member of CAI’s Legacy Circle.

Many of you have already heard or read something about Create a Jewish Legacy. Perhaps you saw our Pesach ad  in last week’s New Jersey Jewish News with the big picture of the family tossing hail at their Seder table (here). My family does that, too.

This is the season of re-telling our story, of reminding ourselves and teaching our children — and perhaps grandchildren — about the legacy of our ancestors. About what enabled us to get to this place.

I ask you to think about something: What is YOUR place at the table? You probably once ASKED the questions. Today you ANSWER. What do you tell them in words? What do you tell them in deeds?

I understand many of you grew up here at Agudath Israel. Even if you arrived more recently, you’ve likely celebrated major lifecycle events with your CAI family. You’ve danced, you’ve mourned, you’ve learned, you’ve grown, you’ve sung your heart out. This place touches your life on a regular basis.

So what is a legacy gift and why should you create one for your synagogue, and for all the organizations in our community that you care about?

A legacy, or planned gift, is something you set up today that is only realized in the future, after you pass away. It becomes part of your estate plan. It directly benefits the organizations you specify.

Unlike an annual or capital campaign gift, with a legacy gift there’s no check writing today, no credit card number to be given. You create a meaningful gift that only gets paid out in the FUTURE. Yet you’ll receive all the kavod — all the honor — and be celebrated for it TODAY without reducing any of the funds that are available to you during your lifetime.

This is an equal opportunity way of giving. Unlike the donor recognition lists most of us are used to, there are no levels of giving here. Let’s be honest. Many of us look at the usual donor lists and maybe wish we could be in a higher category. Here, everyone is celebrated the same way.

You’re never too young — or too old — to make a planned gift, though the way you choose to structure your gift may vary. It can be as easy as changing a beneficiary form for your IRA, 401(k) plan, or insurance policy and naming the synagogue as one of the beneficiaries. You can make provisions through your will, if you have one, or in other ways if you’d like.
    
Through your estate plan you’re going to take care of your family first. Of course you are. But think about it. Can your family make do with 95% of your estate? 90%? Maybe your adult children are turning out to be even more successful than you imagined they’d be and they’ll need less from your estate.

Remember, with a legacy gift all of your funds will still be there to take care of the expenses you anticipate — and can’t anticipate — during your lifetime, things such as camp, day school, college, medical bills, vacations, elder care, LIFE!

This is for everyone — those who regularly support all the CAI fund-raising efforts and those who never thought they had the ability to leave a meaningful gift. Remember, when it comes to a Create a Jewish Legacy gift all are recognized equally in one list of generous, forward-thinking donors — regardless of type or amount.

I’d like to tell you two stories about legacy gifts, both from Create a Jewish Legacy partner organizations.

A woman who has been very involved with her synagogue for more than 30 years was talking with her rabbi about her love for the congregation. She told him how much she wished she was in a financial position to write a bigger check for the annual appeal. She didn’t think she had much in the way of assets to even leave something she considered significant in her will.

As they spoke, conversation turned to the condo she owns, which she intended to leave to her three grown children. The rabbi asked if she would consider splitting it four ways, instead. The woman told him she’d have to check with her children, which she did. Their reactions? “Of course, Mom, you should do it! The synagogue has been your life for so many years. You’ve held every volunteer position. You’ve been on the Kiddush committee for as long as we can remember.”

So the woman changed her will, leaving the proceeds from the sale of her house equally split, four ways, between her children and the synagogue. With tears in her eyes she went back to her rabbi to tell him what she had done, and to thank him for doing the mitzvah of helping her discover how she could leave a meaningful gift to the place that means so much to her.

In the second story a volunteer at a local Jewish agency asked me about the various ways one can leave a legacy. When I mentioned life insurance, a light bulb went off for him. He remembered a small policy he bought a long time ago that he hadn’t even thought about in years and doesn’t really need any more. He wound up making the agency its sole beneficiary.
 
Why should you consider leaving a gift for the future?

• Because you want to always have this strong Conservative synagogue here.
• Because you want to preserve the terrific programming at CAI.
• Because you care about a Jewish future.

When you leave a legacy you’re passing along your funds AND showing your family and your community what you value.

You’ve put a lot of money and energy into creating this gorgeous building and sanctuary, this wonderful and robust Jewish community we call Greater MetroWest. You’ll want the security of having a large endowment fund to maintain it.

Leadership changes over time in every organization. The things you’ve built here and want to continue for future generations are really independent of specific individuals.

As Pamela said, you are one of only 15 organizations in this community-wide effort and so far it is a successful one! In less than nine months more than 180 people have created legacy gifts in Greater MetroWest. Some people have arranged for gifts to more than one organization. You can do that, too. Perhaps Jewish Family Service (JFS) has enhanced the life of one of your family members and you want to help ensure those services continue to exist for others. You can leave a gift to both your synagogue and JFS.

Your own Legacy Circle now boasts 20 members, half of whom we’ve seen today. You can see all their names in the handout Pamela prepared for you.

With 20 gifts you’ve exceeded the first year’s goal! And for that CAI will receive $10,000 from the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater MetroWest. When you exceed next year’s goal you’ll receive another $10,000 from JCF.

And you’ll do it. I mean, look at you! You’re a strong, vibrant congregation, 920 families strong. You have the ability to meet the goal again next year and to keep going. Every legacy gift helps ensure CAI will continue to thrive for future generations.
    
Two final thoughts…

First, please don’t run from Esther Kartus (legacy team chair) and your other legacy team members when you see them in the parking lot or supermarket. They’re putting themselves out there to ensure that Agudath Israel continues to thrive long into the future. Listen to them. Join them. Most of them have already made their legacy gifts.

Secondly, as we prepare to recite Yizkor we remember our parents and grandparents, those who taught us through their words and deeds. Who planted seeds for us. Who built a rich Jewish community for us. In whose seats, perhaps, we sit. Let’s honor their memories and continue the story. Let’s pay it forward by leaving our own legacies to ensure vibrant futures for the organizations that touch our lives today.

I echo Pamela’s wish that next year the Legacy Circle Group Aliyah will overflow your bimah! Thank you.

To learn more about JCF’s Create a Jewish Legacy program, please contact Karen at (973) 929-2918 or ksecular@jfedgmw.org.