Second Quarter 2014
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15 Synagogues/Organizations Selected to Participate in Create a Jewish Legacy Program
You may recall that a few months ago we announced the creation of the Create a Jewish Legacy (CJL) program, an innovative new initiative to help the Jewish community secure resources to remain vibrant for generations to come. Now we are pleased to announce that 15 local synagogues/organizations have been selected to participate in CJL’s inaugural class.
Locally, CJL is coordinated by the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater MetroWest NJ. We are proud of the fact that Greater MetroWest is one of only 15 communities across North America selected by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation to participate in its LIFE & LEGACY partnership program (known locally as Create a Jewish Legacy).
The program is designed to teach local synagogues, day schools, and social service organizations to obtain commitments of legacy gifts from donors of all ages, life stages, and interests, thereby ensuring their future financial vitality. Through CJL people will learn how they can continue to support the places they care about through their wills and other estate planning options. Support from the Grinspoon Foundation makes it possible for JCF to provide generous incentive grants to its community partners, which help to defray some of the costs associated with getting a new program up and running.
“We were very pleased with the quality — and quantity — of the applications received and applaud all the organizations for their thoughtful effort. Federation and JCF look forward to working with our new partners to prepare them in creating legacy gifting strategies that will help them ensure a strong Jewish future. We held the first training session in late May and were so impressed by the turnout and enthusiasm from our new partners. They dove right in!” said Kenneth Heyman, CJL chair.
“Each of the selected partners has created a Legacy Team comprised of at least four volunteers and one staff member. As we said to the 15 teams — almost 80 people — assembled for our first training session, now the real work begins! As a community we are very fortunate that so many talented people are putting their skills to work for the institutions they care about,” said Karen Secular, CJL program coordinator. “Most people don’t think they have the means to leave a gift that can have a lasting impact. Our legacy teams are learning how to help people see the many ways in which they can.”
Here is the inaugural class of Create a Jewish Legacy partners: Congregation Agudath Israel, Caldwell; Congregation Beth Israel, Scotch Plains; Congregation B’nai Israel, Millburn; Jewish Educational Center, Elizabeth; Jewish Family Service of Central NJ, Elizabeth; Jewish Family Service of MetroWest NJ, Florham Park; Jewish Service for the Developmentally Disabled of MetroWest, West Orange; Morristown Jewish Center Beit Yisrael; Mt. Freedom Jewish Center, Randolph; Oheb Shalom Congregation, South Orange; Temple Beth Ahm Yisrael, Springfield; Temple Beth-El Mekor Chayim, Cranford; Temple Emanu-el, Westfield; Temple Sinai, Summit; and the YM-YHWA of Union County, Union.
Learn more about Create a Jewish Legacy by contacting Karen Secular at (973) 929-2918 or ksecular@jfedgmw.org.
Bringing the Meaning of the Holocaust Home: Just One Example of What an Advisory Council Can Do
Last month, the Morris Rubell Holocaust Remembrance Journeys Fund finished its year of programming by welcoming more than 100 high school students from diverse towns in New Jersey to meet with almost a dozen Holocaust survivors.
After a morning of interactive learning and programs to strengthen tolerance and understanding these young people — most were born just 15 years ago — heard Leo Schenker tell his story of surviving the Holocaust with his brother by posing as German soldiers, eventually making his way to America. Today Mr. Schenker is 92, yet he captivated the students with his story, answering their questions [“did you ever give up hope?”] before excusing himself for his afternoon tennis lesson.
It was quite a day, yet just one of the many great days brought to our community through Advisory Council Funds at the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater MetroWest NJ. Our Advisory Councils support local day schools, connect families with enriching Jewish summer camp experiences for their children, train teens to be philanthropists, and help improve the health and well-being of seniors in our community.
Some Advisory Councils, like the Morris Rubell Holocaust Remembrance Fund, have specific missions, while others work like a giving circle, enabling like-minded individuals to research giving opportunities and collectively award grants and scholarships. Through these Funds, we support women and girls, economic development in the Negev, and so much more.
But all JCF Advisory Councils benefit from the professional asset management and grant management JCF provides. We strongly believe that giving together magnifies the power of philanthropy, significantly increasing our impact on the Jewish community.
To learn more about JCF, visit our website, www.jcfmetrowest.org, or call (973) 929-3113. We’d love to hear from you.