President
Robert G. Kuchner, CPA, PFS, is a partner at Marks Paneth LLP. He serves a diverse spectrum of privately-owned companies and their owners as well as clients in the theater, media, and entertainment industries. He also provides business management and family office services to a varied client base.
He was the managing partner of Rosenberg, Neuwirth & Kuchner, CPAs, P.C., a Manhattan-based accounting firm that he founded in 1990. He played an active role in that firm’s growth and development until it combined with Marks Paneth LLP in 2013. Prior to forming Rosenberg, Neuwrith & Kuchner, he was employed at a Big Four accounting firm as the director of small business services for its middle market services group.
Robert has been awarded the personal financial specialist (PFS) designation by the American Institute of CPAs). He is a member of The All-Star Financial Group, LLC, a national association of CPAs who specialize in financial and tax planning for clients with high-net-worth and/or unique circumstances.
He chairs the Jewish Agency for Israel’s Audit Committee and is a member of its Budget and Finance Committee. He also holds or has held leadership roles at Hofstra University, Rutgers Hillel, UJA-Federation of New York, the Jewish Federations of North America, and North American Friends of Amcha Israel. He is a past president of Jewish Federation of Central NJ.
At Large
Sandra Sherman is a founding partner and co-chair of the Tax and Trusts & Estates Group of the firm of Sherman Wells Sylvester & Stamelman LLP in Florham Park, NJ, and New York City. She lectures frequently on tax, trust and estate, and nonprofit topics, and has published her work on multiple occasions in national journals devoted to those topics.
Sandra has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America since 2006, and was named to the Worth Magazine list of 100 top attorneys in the U.S. in 2007 and 2008. She was selected as one of the Best 50 Women in Business in NJBIZ in 2008.
Sandra serves as a trustee, secretary, and executive committee member of the New Jersey Health Foundation, and a board member of the Foundation Venture Capital Group, LLC. She is a member of the Professional Advisory Board of the Community Foundation of New Jersey, and a member of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra’s Planned Giving Tax Force. She is a director of the F.M. Kirby Foundation.
“I’m Confident in the Future of Our Community”
Martin Fox comes from a family of Federation leadership. “My father was a VP of Federation close to 100 years ago,” he says. “I remember as a kid, Federation talk around our dinner table was common. I was taught that involvement and contributing was part of the essence of our being.”
As an adult, Martin was busy day and night with Federation business. “I loved it, it was wonderful, it was fun,” he says. He served on every committee, eventually taking on the role of Federation president. His spirit of involvement extended to the general community: “I was twice a Democratic candidate for Congress, and I volunteered during civil rights movement.”
Martin was thrilled to pass down this legacy of Jewish engagement to his two daughters, a doctor and lawyer, and to his grandchildren. He’s proud that all of them are involved in Jewish life.
“JCF is essential to the future of the Federation and our community,” he says. “Pressures on giving in the general community are growing. Having an endowment will preserve the Federation from the variabilities of fundraising. It’s important to build endowment by gifts during life and from estates.
“I’m confident in the future of our community, because I’ve seen how it continues from generation to generation. Federation has changed with the times, but as a place for exchanging ideas and finding solutions, it’s more important than ever. It’s almost 100 years old, and it still works.”
“I Felt Personally Responsible for Making My Mark Now”
Rebecca Gold has been an active volunteer with Federation for 18 years, and it was her dedication to Federation brought her to the Jewish Community Foundation.
She chaired the Federation’s Golda, Pomegranate, and Lion of Judah Campaigns. She is the immediate past president of Women’s Philanthropy. She helped developed the Philanthropy 101 program, and was an active facilitator and trainer for this outreach and education initiative. She’s an alumna of both National Young Leadership Cabinet and the Wexner Heritage Leadership Program.
She became a Lion in 2006. “I was very aware of the Lion of Judah Endowment (LOJE) for a long time. But I really thought of it as something people do later in their life.
At 54, though, Rebecca decided she didn’t want to wait until later. “It was important for me to demonstrate the power of a woman’s gift, and set an example for other women who were still actively working—don’t wait for retirement! And I wanted to set an example for my children.”
Rebecca created her LOJE through an insurance policy, and it was easier than she expected. “I look at it as an investment in my community—I felt personally responsible for making my mark now, rather than leaving it for my children to do on my behalf, after I’m gone.”
As someone who cares about social action, she wants to do that work through a Jewish conduit. “I care deeply about Jewish community, here and all over the world,” she says. “Through our local agencies and our overseas partners like the Jewish Agency, JDC, and ORT, I can reach more people than in any other way. Giving through our Federation is the best bang for my buck.”
“My husband says, ‘Hope is not a strategy.’ It’s not enough for me to hope our Jewish community will thrive. I felt it was time to make a permanent gift. And it’s important for me to protect and build on my own investment by encouraging others to join me. By supporting the Jewish Community Foundation, I am part of ensuring our success.”
“Leaving a Legacy is For Everyone”
Joan Levinson’s commitment to the Jewish community began when she was growing up in Plainfield, NJ. Her parents, who were both actively involved in their synagogue and the JCC, planted the first seeds at an early age. When Joan and her husband Les moved back to New Jersey from New York City as young newlyweds, it felt natural for her to get involved in the Federation.
She became active in the Young Women’s Division, attending many program and making lots of friends, and she ultimately served as president of the group from 1990 to 1992. At the end of her term, she became the first recipient of the Rhoda Rosenbach Young Leadership Award, earning a space on a national women’s mission to Israel in March 1993.
“I was 37 years old when I took that trip,” Joan says, “and that experience sealed the deal for me. It wowed me.” It wasn’t her first trip to Israel, but she was able to see for the first time how an individual could have a profound impact on others through their caring and, of course, their generosity.
“Most of the women on that trip were similar to the people I know – not necessarily affluent in their communities. What they did have was a lot of heart, a lot of passion, and a lot of dedication, and they had all made the choice to do whatever they could to help. I wanted to be just like them.”
Joan had planned for many years to become a Lion of Judah ($5,000 donor), and in 2006, right around her 50th birthday, she did it. She was so proud of this accomplishment and of being a part of this incredible group of committed and dedicated women. Several years later, she became aware of the concept of endowing her Lion gift, learning that you can endow a gift at any level and that then, upon your death, your gift will continue to be given forever. This means that each year, when the campaign begins on July 1, the Jewish Federation starts out with almost $2 million, due to the foresight of donors who left a legacy for the future of your Jewish community. Joan was blown away by this supreme level of commitment.
“Legacy Giving Ensures a Vibrant Future for Our Jewish Community”
It all started with Steve, whose involvement with the Greater MetroWest Jewish community stretches back to the late 1970s. “It’s a long-term relationship,” he says. When he was president of Jewish Family Services in the late ‘80s, through working with donors and showing them projects, Steve was introduced to JCF. He served on the Foundation’s board for several years, and he continues his commitment to JCF as a long-time member of the Investment Committee.
Meanwhile, Lori was busy raising the kids—until, she says, “I got bit by the bug, thanks to a few persistent women.” She became involved in the Federation’s Women’s Division, which is now our Women’s Philanthropy, taking on progressively more responsible roles culminating in terms as Federation president and chair of National Women’s Philanthropy. “Steve ignited the spark in me—he’s the enabler and empowerer. It’s become a family business.”
Steve and Lori established a small donor-advised fund and involved their daughters, who now have children of their own. As a family, they review grants and make allocations on an annual basis. Steve advises others to follow their example. “I’ve had the opportunity over a lot of years to be a salesperson for the Foundation,” he says. His pitch is a business approach: “Donor-advised funds are simply a very effective way to give.”
“It’s important to us as a family to be engaged Jewishly,” Lori said. “We want to maintain that legacy, and legacy giving ensures a vibrant future for our Jewish community.”
Lori and Steve believe that the role of the Foundation is critical to the future of the Federation and the future success of the Jewish community. “Maintaining relevance and having the flexibility to change require investment, and we’re proud to be among those setting an example. Leadership is about keeping an eye on the horizon, focusing on the future of our community, and motivating others to share that vision. We feel privileged to have the opportunity to inspire involvement and build connections toward a bright Jewish future for our children, our grandchildren, and generations to come.”
Jewish Responsibility, and Keeping an Eye on the Future
Sanford “Sandy” Hollander grew up in the rural town of Newton in Sussex County, where he still lives today. His father, an immigrant from Czarist Russia (now Belarus), settled there because he liked the bucolic landscape. He built a family and a small house painting business. There were a handful of Jews in the town– most of them poor. But on the High Holidays, Sandy recounts, the congregants in the small shul would bid for the honors during the services.
“The biggest honor of them all,” he said, “was to open the ark during the Yom Kippur afternoon service. Year after year, that honor went to Schmya, a poor but pious rag trader in town.” One year, when Sandy was eight or nine years old, there was a rumor that Nathan, the nonobservant wealthy baker, was going to bid against Schmya. In the bidding war that ensued, Sandy’s father outbid Nathan and paid $100 – an astronomical sum at that time – then handed the honor over to his friend Schmya. That evening at home, Sandy listened as his mother scolded her husband for spending money they couldn’t afford. His father calmly responded, “What better thing could I do with our money?”
This was the first time he saw an example of “Jewish responsibility” – he prefers this phrase to “philanthropy” – demonstrated by his father. Sandy uses this, along with many other memories and his phenomenal gift for storytelling, in one of his proudest roles: as a volunteer fundraiser for Jewish Federation for more than 50 years.
After graduating from Columbia University, becoming a lawyer, and meeting his wife Roz, Sandy moved back to Newton to build his own family and career. He discovered the UJA Annual Campaign when he took on legal representation of a local Jewish businessman who conducted the campaign in their area. When this man died, Sandy inherited the role, and, as with any responsibility he’s faced, he took it very seriously. In his first year, 1967, he raised $13,000 in Newton, making him “a bit of a legend” in the New Jersey Jewish community. This promising young fundraiser was invited to participate in the Young Leadership Cabinet Mission to Israel, launching his life-long love of the country.
As a small-town attorney, Sandy often felt intimidated by the large gifts many of his colleagues, major donors, were able to make, but he soon realized that each person is responsible for making a quality gift within their own means. As long as he was doing so, he felt comfortable asking others to do the same.
Sandy served in many Jewish communal leadership positions, including on the Executive Committee of National UJA and as a member of the Jewish Agency for Israel Board of Governors. He was also one of the founding members of the Morris Sussex Jewish Federation, working with Seymour Epstein and Dan Drench to build the small organization that merged into the much larger Federation of MetroWest in 1983.
When Seymour passed away, the Epstein Fund was established, dedicated to developing a leadership mission in Israel to engage the next generation of community leaders. Participants learned the value of sharing personal stories when soliciting gifts. Sandy participated in each of these missions, teaching the next generation to take the reins of leadership.
Throughout his 50+-year involvement in our Federation, and now, as a proud member of the Ner Tamid Society, Sandy Hollander has always kept an eye on the future. He’s passionate about his work with future leaders and about his involvement in the Ness Foundation, which is dedicated to the development of the Negev region in Israel and is critical to the future of Israel. And he is passionate about endowing his gift.
“Roz and I decided to endow our gift to Federation as an extension of what we’ve always been doing. We are committed to the Jewish community. We are committed to the survival of the Jewish State and of the nearly 9 million Jews living there. We are committed to taking care of the Jews still living in the former Soviet Union. We are committed to a thriving and creative Jewish life in the United States. As Jews, we have a responsibility for all of these things.”
Sandy’s endowed gift will ensure his impact on the Jewish community for generations to come.
“Leaving a Legacy is For Everyone”
Joan Levinson’s commitment to the Jewish community began when she was growing up in Plainfield, NJ. Her parents, who were both actively involved in their synagogue and the JCC, planted the first seeds at an early age. When Joan and her husband Les moved back to New Jersey from New York City as young newlyweds, it felt natural for her to get involved in the Federation.
She became active in the Young Women’s Division, attending many programs and making lots of friends, and she ultimately served as president of the group from 1990 to 1992. At the end of her term, she became the first recipient of the Rhoda Rosenbach Young Leadership Award, earning a space on a national women’s mission to Israel.
“I was 37 years old when I took that trip,” Joan says, “and that experience sealed the deal for me. It wowed me.” It wasn’t her first trip to Israel, but she was able to see for the first time how an individual could have a profound impact on others through their caring and, of course, their generosity.
“Most of the women on that trip were similar to the people I know – not necessarily affluent in their communities. What they did have was a lot of heart, a lot of passion, and a lot of dedication, and they had all made the choice to do whatever they could to help. I wanted to be just like them.”
Joan had planned for many years to become a Lion of Judah ($5,000 donor), and in 2006, right around her 50th birthday, she did it. She was so proud of this accomplishment and of being a part of this incredible group of committed and dedicated women. Several years later, she became aware of the concept of endowing her Lion gift, learning that you can endow a gift at any level and that then, upon your death, your gift will continue to be given forever. This means that each year, when the campaign begins on July 1, the Jewish Federation starts out with almost $2 million, due to the foresight of donors who left a legacy for the future of your Jewish community. Joan was blown away by this supreme level of commitment.
“I hope to live for many more years,” said Joan, now 63, but after a breast cancer scare more than 15 years ago, she knows there are just no guarantees in life.
Joan has worked her entire adult life in the field of early childhood education. She and her husband live in the same home they purchased 30 years ago, and there are still renovations she would like to make. They have put two daughters through college. The money she gives to the Federation each year is money that they could easily spend on something else, but she has always been acutely aware of the value of supporting the Federation. “There are a lot people who think that charitable giving is for the wealthy alone,” Joan says. “I’m here to tell you that leaving a charitable legacy is for everyone.”
“Leaving a Legacy is For Everyone”
Joan Levinson’s commitment to the Jewish community began when she was growing up in Plainfield, NJ. Her parents, who were both actively involved in their synagogue and the JCC, planted the first seeds at an early age. When Joan and her husband Les moved back to New Jersey from New York City as young newlyweds, it felt natural for her to get involved in the Federation.
She became active in the Young Women’s Division, attending many programs and making lots of friends, and she ultimately served as president of the group from 1990 to 1992. At the end of her term, she became the first recipient of the Rhoda Rosenbach Young Leadership Award, earning a space on a national women’s mission to Israel.
“I was 37 years old when I took that trip,” Joan says, “and that experience sealed the deal for me. It wowed me.” It wasn’t her first trip to Israel, but she was able to see for the first time how an individual could have a profound impact on others through their caring and, of course, their generosity.
“Most of the women on that trip were similar to the people I know – not necessarily affluent in their communities. What they did have was a lot of heart, a lot of passion, and a lot of dedication, and they had all made the choice to do whatever they could to help. I wanted to be just like them.”
Joan had planned for many years to become a Lion of Judah ($5,000 donor), and in 2006, right around her 50th birthday, she did it. She was so proud of this accomplishment and of being a part of this incredible group of committed and dedicated women. Several years later, she became aware of the concept of endowing her Lion gift, learning that you can endow a gift at any level and that then, upon your death, your gift will continue to be given forever. This means that each year, when the campaign begins on July 1, the Jewish Federation starts out with almost $2 million, due to the foresight of donors who left a legacy for the future of your Jewish community. Joan was blown away by this supreme level of commitment.
“I hope to live for many more years,” said Joan, now 63, but after a breast cancer scare more than 15 years ago, she knows there are just no guarantees in life.
Joan has worked her entire adult life in the field of early childhood education. She and her husband live in the same home they purchased 30 years ago, and there are still renovations she would like to make. They have put two daughters through college. The money she gives to the Federation each year is money that they could easily spend on something else, but she has always been acutely aware of the value of supporting the Federation. “There are a lot people who think that charitable giving is for the wealthy alone,” Joan says. “I’m here to tell you that leaving a charitable legacy is for everyone.”
“No matter what happens to any of us, the synagogue is a constant.”
Shai Kartus has always had a special relationship to her Judaism and her synagogue, Congregation Agudath Israel in Caldwell. “I was always more connected than almost any of my peers,” she said. “I always loved going to my synagogue. When my mom became president, it was a really big deal for my family. I was super inspired.” Shai, now 26, became president of her USY chapter, where she met her best friends and her first boyfriend. “It gave me my own experience of leadership apart from my parents and jumpstarted my passion for being involved in the Jewish community.”
At Binghamton University, Shai got involved with Jewish community service projects on campus through Hillel and Chabad. And when she graduated, she chose to make Jewish communal work her profession—she started her first job, at UJA-Federation of New York, the day after graduation. And on her first day at work, she did something that surprised everyone, even her parents.
“She came home from work and said, ‘I want to leave a legacy gift to Agudath Israel. I can put them as beneficiary on my insurance policy,’” Shai’s mother Esther Kartus reported. “She had all the paperwork. My husband and I were blown away.” Agudath Israel is one of 23 local organizations participating in Greater MetroWest’s Create a Jewish Legacy program, a community-wide partnership that helps Jewish organizations approach their donors for legacy gifts in order to ensure that their valuable work can continue far into the future.
“I hadn’t thought about speaking to Shai or my sons about a legacy gift yet—it wouldn’t have occurred to me,” Esther added. She and her husband had made their own legacy gift to Agudath Israel from their IRAs and are planning to add an additional legacy when they redo their wills.
Jewish communal involvement is Shai’s family legacy—and Esther’s as well. “Growing up, I can’t remember a time my mother wasn’t at the shul, cooking,” Esther recalled. Her mother was a past president of her synagogue’s Sisterhood and an incredible role model for volunteering, as were all of Esther’s aunts, who lived in the same town and participated in activities like cooking for seniors in the local nursing home.
When Esther married and moved to Caldwell, it was natural for her to start volunteering. And the fact that the Kartuses found Congregation Agudath Israel so warm and welcoming made it easy for them to feel a part of the community. Twenty-eight years later, after raising three children there, Esther said she still feels the same—and hears that sentiment from newcomers and long-time members alike.
All three Kartus children went through nursery school and Hebrew school at Agudath Israel. “I grew up knowing this was important,” Shai said. “I knew about Legacy Circle because my mom helped to start it after her term as president. I knew the ins and outs of what it meant to leave a legacy gift. So that’s why it struck me right away.”
The Agudath Israel development director helped Shai accomplish her goal of creating a legacy through her life insurance policy. For Shai’s parents, it was an incredible moment. “You want to be a role model for your children, want them to be connected to Jewish community, and you hope they’re paying attention.”
Shai still works at UJA, where she oversees a variety of leadership development and content programs, including a Third-Generation Holocaust Survivors & Supporters group. She hasn’t changed her mind and her passion hasn’t diminished. In fact, she’s working on sharing her enthusiasm with others. “I hope it inspires other people,” she said.
She has taken part in Congregation Agudath Israel’s organized Legacy Shabbats, with hopes to present the Create a Jewish Legacy program to her peers. “It’s a philanthropic opportunity anyone can participate in, a fundraiser everyone can be involved in, because you don’t have to give money now, you can leave a legacy gift,” Shai said. “Through a legacy gift, members who might only be able to give a small amount each year can give back to the community they love so much, in a more meaningful, lasting way.
“The synagogue is the place where I was always most comfortable and always felt at home—my favorite place to be. I want to make sure that people can always feel that way at Agudath because it’s always meant so much to me. No matter what happens to any of us, the synagogue is a constant, and it’s up to our community to make sure it stays that way for generations to come.”
It is the Jewish Way
Jerry Grunt often contemplates the impact of Judaism on his life. As a Conservative Jew comfortable with his Judaism, charitable giving is part and parcel of his nature: a sacred act that one should do without being asked. “I like what my people and my religion stand for,” he said. “It was something that I was brought up with. My parents… believed in tzedakah at multiple levels… When it became my responsibility to carry on as a young adult I just did it.”
When Jerry was first solicited by a member of his synagogue, the person told him “tzedakah is something one should give until it feels good.” This mantra has stuck with Jerry for his entire adult life, evident as he and his wife, Barbara, have been consistently giving to the Jewish Federation for almost 60 years. They have managed their tzedakah through their Jewish Community Foundation Donor Advised Fund for over 20 years, making a legacy bequest in their will to Federation even earlier than that. “It is who we are,” Jerry said. “It was something we did without being asked to do. To me that is the better part of tzedakah.”
While Jerry has maintained his commitment to the Jewish people with his unfailing annual UJA gift, he can thank daughter, Deborah Lubetkin, and his grandson, Josh, for his more recent understanding of Federation’s far-reaching arms. Through his daughter’s involvement in Yoga Living Bridges in Ofakim, Israel, Jerry learned of the work that our Federation was doing with partner agencies there. When it came time for his grandson to become Bar Mitzvah, the family chose to celebrate in Ofakim, in part because of the connection that Deborah made through her experience. Resulting from this Federation-Israel relationship and experience, Josh chose to raise money to build a new school soccer field in Ofakim as his mitzvah project. To Jerry, the dedication of the soccer field, including a plaque with Josh’s name, was one of the “most moving experiences” he had ever experienced. Together, Josh and his mother form the living bridge that inspired Jerry to become more involved with Federation, attending more events and eventually becoming part of the New Century Fund Leadership Team.
It was serendipitous when, recruiting volunteers, they were one of the first couples to be asked to be part of the New Century Fund (NCF). The world was in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and the couple was ready to give even more to charitable organizations. They took this opportunity through NCF to reaffirm their legacy commitment to Federation by formalizing the bequest in their will to ensure that the sacred act of tzedakah would continue in perpetuity. Even though this was a new gift in the eyes of Federation, Jerry and Barbara’s gift was already committed in their hearts. “Tzedakah is the right thing to do,” Jerry said. “Tzedakah is as much a part of our culture as any part of my Jewishness.”
From Generation to Generation
James Shrager grew up watching his parents enthusiastically build Jewish organizations in and around Plainfield, NJ. With his formative years at the feet of his parents’ dedication to Temple Beth El, the Jewish Community Center of Plainfield and the Plainfield Hebrew Institute, Jim naturally followed in their footsteps.
Jim took that dedication to heart when he and his wife, Bonnie, moved their family back to his hometown and quickly connected with the Jewish community, joining Federation’s Young Leadership Program in the 70’s. “It was a terrific program, 12 couples, and then we went to Israel for two weeks. That cemented everything.”
Jim joined the board of his childhood temple and the Plainfield JCC. He later served as president of his temple, of the JCC, and of the Jewish Association of Centers and Ys (JACY). He became president of the Jewish Federation of Central NJ in 1987. Later, in 2021, the Central Federation merged with the then MetroWest Federation to become today’s Federation of Great MetroWest NJ.
When Jim was asked to consider legacy plans at the inception of the New Century Fund , he had already set up, what he calls his charitable IRA. “I guess I was ahead of the legacy campaign because then the phone calls came in and asked if I would be willing to consider it and I said sure because I already had.”
As Jim spent his life in dedication to the Jewish community, he knew he wanted to ensure that the work could continue. He understood that he and his family were able to benefit from the Jewish organizations in their community because generosity of past community members. Jim wanted to ensure that generations to come would similarly benefit from the organizations in the Jewish community. “[W]hat inspired me to do it is appreciation for the fact that the past is what made my use of these institutions possible, and it was my obligation, duty, to do that for the future.”
Today, Jim remains engaged with Federation, serving on the boards of the Mack Ness Foundation, the Jewish Historical Society of NJ, and the Hebrew Free Loan Society. He is also a volunteer with the New Century Fund . Federation has “done a terrific job and it bodes well for the future. Fundraising is strong, and we have reason to be optimistic for the future of Federation,” said Jim. “My hope is that we would stay true to our mission and 100 years from now we would still be here helping other Jews.”
What’s Your Stradivarius?
Marty Barber was an accountant by trade. He is also a long-time community leader and fundraiser. Serving as president of JCF, treasurer of Federation, vice president of Daughters of Israel, and president of Temple Beth Shalom, he has taken great pride in advising people on how to “do very good things with their money.”
Marty made his first gift to the UJA Annual Campaign in 1959, shortly after he was married, in the amount of $25. “That was a lot of money at the time,” he notes. He has given every year since then, making him a Ner Tamid Society member of 61 years!
In 1970 he drastically upped his gift to $500, to the dismay of his wife, Ruth z”l, who would have preferred to spend those funds on a new sofa for the living room. He did find the money to partly furnish the living room AND continued increasing his gifts to the UJA. Several years later, he brought the entire family on a Federation mission to Israel. “From that point on, Ruth was sold too,” he said, and the two made giving to Israel – and to the Jewish community as a whole – a priority.
“I recognize that everyone needs to do philanthropy in their own way,” Marty said. Many people worry that if they give, they won’t have enough to live on in retirement and won’t have anything to leave to their children and grandchildren. “I advise them that legacy giving has a major advantage in this way.”
“I once attended a UJA fundraising training and heard a story about a donor who, while he had little disposable cash, owned a Stradivarius violin!” he recounted. “If he had sold it or left it to his children, he would have paid more than half the value in taxes. Instead, he donated the Stradivarius to Federation and was able to receive a sizeable tax deduction and create an income stream for life!” Of course, not everyone has a masterfully-built antique violin in their possession, but many people have something of value that they can gift through a bequest when they’re gone to perpetuate their giving.
“I understand how important legacy gifts are to the Campaign, and ultimately, to the Jewish people in New Jersey, in Israel, and all around the world,” Marty said. “We must step up to take care of one another – we can’t expect anyone else to do it for us.”
At the age of 83, Marty has much to be proud of. He just made his second bar mitzvah, in Florida, with his whole family in attendance. He’s instilled in his family an understanding of the importance of giving. He’s lived the epitome of a good life – based on Jewish values.
Modeling a Commitment to Philanthropy
Two weeks before Carol I. Cohen was to be married, she manned the phones at her local JCC, making calls to raise money for the United Jewish Appeal in order to support Israel during the 1967 Six Day War. “I also made my first gift then,” she recalls. “It would have been a very small amount at that time, but I was committed to giving whatever I could to support Israel and the Jewish community.”
It actually started even before then, as a girl growing up in Jersey City and being very active at her local JCC. She and her former husband eventually ended up in Westfield where she was a social worker, raised two sons, returned to school to study law, and eventually served as a Union County Freeholder, County Counsel, and Administrative Law Judge.
Throughout it all, Carol’s commitment to her Jewish community and the institutions she loves has been unwavering. She was one of the founding members of the JCC of Central NJ (originally in Westfield). She’s been a member of Temple Emanu-El for more than 50 years, serving on the board and “chairing almost every committee at one time.” Her sons attended Solomon Schechter Day School and she contributes to Jewish Family Service of Central NJ.
“I donate to a number of causes,” Carol said, “but I feel most strongly that we, as a Jewish people, have an obligation to support the Jewish community. And even after I’m gone, I want people to know how much I care, how committed I am to the Jewish state and the Jewish people.”
For that reason, Carol made a provision for Federation in her will many years ago. “It was a done deal long before they even came up with legacy giving.” It wasn’t until Carol received a letter from the Jewish Community Foundation (JCF) a few years ago asking Ner Tamid Society members to consider endowing their long-term gift-giving, that she reached out to JCF to let them know of her plans.
“I know many people want to leave their money to their family, but I think there’s something much more important I can leave my children and grandchildren. I want to leave them with the knowledge of how strongly I felt about my commitment to my Jewish community.”
Our Jewish Federation and community have been there to support Mindy Kirshner and her family for her entire adult life. “I purposely wanted to raise my children in a vibrant, multi-layered, multi-faceted community,” explains Mindy. Our strong Jewish community suited Mindy specifically because of the infrastructure already in place to support a growing family such as hers. As life continued, Mindy found that she turned more and more to the Jewish Federation for support during difficult times. “I had no idea I would come to need this community as much as I have,” stresses Mindy. “You never plan for these things. But they happen.” And Federation stepped up with support every time.
When her two-year-old son was newly diagnosed with a speech-delay disability, Mindy agonized about how he would know that he was a Jew. A unique camp program at the MetroWest JCC for children with special needs assuaged her fears. As she watched her son learn the hand motions for Bim-Bam through the viewing window at camp, Mindy had an epiphany. “For the rest of my life,” she realized at the time, “I knew that I would always support our community because they supported me when I needed them most.”
After Hurricane Sandy, our Federation found out that Mindy’s sister lost her home in the newly adopted community of Union Beach. Stacey Brown called Mindy right away to find out ways in which they could help. Volunteers checked in on Mindy’s sister and arranged for the correct professional help to support her in rebuilding from the storm’s damage.
Upon needing to relocate her elderly father to Greater MetroWest, Mindy’s family chose Federation housing for him because it offered the Jewish lifestyle that was most familiar. When he needed special medical accommodations after suffering an accident, the Board of Directors at Daughters of Israel gave special dispensation to allow Mindy’s father to stay there indefinitely. “With the enablement of our community, I was able to do right by him,” states Mindy.
Without the help of Federation over the years, Mindy may not have been able to give the care to her family that they needed. “We are not wealthy,” Mindy says, “but we are not what you envision what a person in need would be. But you do not know when you need the organized efforts of a community. There are certain situations that, without the existence of organized community, you would not be able to solve an issue.”
With all her gratitude for the past support from Federation Mindy did not hesitate when asked to be a part of the New Century Fund. “It is a concept whose time has come!” says Mindy. She feels strongly that only Jews take care of Jews. In order to have an even greater financial impact, Mindy decided to create a “living legacy” of a cash gift now. As living proof of our Federation’s care for a family in need, Mindy knows that securing that care for the future is the right thing to do. “I have always believed in community. I feel strongly in supporting the Jewish community.”