2nd Quarter 2015
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A Joyful Obligation:
A Donor Profile of Ruth and Ben Perlmutter
by Eileen Russ Heltzer, JCF Development Officer
“Tell me about yourselves,” I said, as I sat down with Ben and Ruth Perlmutter in their cozy Maplewood kitchen. “How did you come to be so involved with the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ (Federation)?”
It began this way... Ruth grew up in East Orange and West Orange, the daughter of Cecil and Hannah Lurie, both of whom were active in the Labor Zionist movement. Cecil was the president of the former Jewish Education Association, while Hannah was involved with Hadassah.
Ben was the youngest child of Rebecca and Harry, immigrants that were “always involved in Zionist causes, synagogue life, and what have you.” Ben remembers his father building a business with the help of a loan from Hebrew Free Loan. Ben was always working: selling shoes, delivering vegetables, ushering at the local movie house. He was president of the student council at Weequahic High School, and he continued his education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). But “the Navy had taken over the dormitories,” Ben said, “so I was stuck sleeping on a porch in town. I was miserable, but I called home and a suggestion was made that I speak with the Hillel Director at UNC. I did, and he received permission from the national organization for me to move into the house. I lived there my freshman year.”
After his military service, Ben returned to UNC where he became president of the Hillel Foundation and the first chairman of the inaugural UJA drive at the UNC campus. In addition, he was the initiator of the Council for Religion in Life, a social group that worked to promote greater cooperation among religious groups at the university. They held dinners and charity events and, in 1947, brought Dorothy Maynor, the acclaimed African-American singer, to perform for an integrated audience. “You have to remember,” Ben said, “that this was 20 years before the march at Selma. Most of the South was totally segregated.” Ben believes that this may have been the first major integrated audience in the South.
After Ben graduated from UNC, he returned to Newark to attend Rutgers Law School. He was the recipient of the Julius Cohn Award for outstanding young volunteer in our Jewish community. At the same time, Ruth was a concert soloist, performing in Newark and Manhattan. Ben was looking for a date for a B’Nai Brith dinner, and once she agreed to that, well, the dye was cast. He and Ruth were married, and throughout their life together they have embraced Federation, their community, Israel, and family. Ben has continued to lead numerous Federation committees and campaigns, has served on the boards of many Federation partner agencies, and has served as chairman of many UJA divisions.
Ruth is a passionate advocate for animals and was a recipient of the renowned Jefferson Award as an outstanding volunteer in New Jersey. Additionally, she was a dedicated volunteer at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital in New York City for many years.
Together Ruth and Ben went to Israel with Federation just after the 1967 War. They befriended their tour guide, and for many years after the trip, Ruth arranged for him to speak about Israel at Columbia High School in Maplewood and at other local venues.
As they raised their family, the Perlmutters remained leaders in the community. Inspired by the work of the Hebrew Free Loan, Ben and a few friends established a scholarship loan fund at Jewish Vocational Service (JVS), a Federation agency. Since the fund began 37 years ago, it has given more than 1,500 interest-free loans totaling more than $2.5 million to help Jews in need with their higher education expenses. “We’re helping people improve their lives. It’s tremendously rewarding,” remarked Ben.
In addition to being steadfast supporters of the UJA Annual Campaign, Ben and Ruth are valued members of the Lester Society, and several years ago they decided to simplify their annual giving by opening a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) at JCF. Through the DAF (which was funded in part with appreciated securities), they can make grant recommendations to Federation and other 501-c-3 organizations, including the hospital that cared for Ruth’s father, Ben’s beloved Hillel, and the Center for Jewish Studies at UNC.
“It’s really about giving back and making sure everyone has the opportunities to succeed,” said Ben. “The campaigns, the clubs, the loan fund, the Dorothy Maynard concert, it was all to bring people together.”
For the Perlmutters, being involved with Federation is a Jewish way to make a difference. “We want to inspire others, because no one can do this alone. And no one has to,” Ben said with a smile.
“It’s a blessing to be able to help others, to bring joy,” Ruth added. “But you know what else? It’s also an obligation. A joyful obligation, to be sure, but something we all must do.”
Donor Advised Funds: Support Your Favorite Charities Without Starting a Foundation
by Jordan Kestenbaum, Summer Intern
A Donor Advised Fund (DAF) at the Jewish Community Foundation (JCF) can help make the most of your charitable budget. If you’ve considered starting your own foundation but want to avoid the administrative hassles of a private foundation, a DAF might be the way to go.
With a contribution of $10,000 or more, you can establish and name your own Fund at JCF. You can donate cash or marketable securities like stocks and bonds and can start your fund when it is most advantageous for tax or other purposes. The benefits are numerous: funds held in your account will grow tax-free, you will avoid excise taxes associated with a private foundation, and the JCF staff will handle all the legal and accounting responsibilities.
When you want to recommend a grant to a qualified 501(c)(3) charity, simply submit a grant recommendation to JCF. JCF confirms the nonprofit status of each organization (JCF cannot send grants from DAFs to individuals) and communicates with the charity on your behalf. Say, for example, a loved one was going through a crisis and benefitted from counseling at Jewish Family Service of MetroWest NJ (JFS). You can show your appreciation of the services JFS provided, and help its continuing efforts to provide quality mental health care to the Jewish community by making a grant recommendation from your DAF. Submit your recommendation and JCF will handle the rest.
DAFs are also a wonderful way to keep your philanthropic legacy alive for generations. Many families encourage their children or grandchildren to make recommendations from their DAF, which instills a passion for philanthropy in younger family members.
Opening a Donor Advised Fund will make supporting multiple charities much easier. You can help your favorite organizations while encouraging younger generations to find charities to passionately support. For more information, visit our website, call us at (973) 929-3113, or send an email to jcf@jfedgmw.org. The JCF staff is ready to make your charitable vision a reality.