The Jewish community is taught from an early age that giving back is not optional. Values such as tikkun olam and tzedakah shape how families show up for one another and how the community strengthens Jewish life for future generations. In retirement, those same values often take on new meaning. With more flexibility in time and, for many, greater stability in finances, retirement can open the door to deeper, more intentional philanthropy—giving that reflects both a lifetime of values and the legacy a person hopes to leave behind.
Tidewater Jewish Foundation believes this season can be a powerful opportunity to connect purpose with impact. With thoughtful planning, charitable giving can become a steady source of meaning in retirement, while also protecting the vitality of Jewish life in Tidewater.
Here are three ways TJF helps retirees turn intention into lasting impact:
1) Check in on tax and charitable planning
Retirement brings shifts in income, taxes, and long-term financial plans. TJF works alongside donors and their advisors to ensure charitable giving fits into the bigger picture. This may include strategies such as giving more in certain years, using a donor-advised fund to support organizations steadily over time, or exploring other tools that align with personal financial goals.
2) Involve the next generation
With more time in retirement, many donors find new opportunities to include children and grandchildren in giving conversations. TJF can help families use donor-advised funds to teach values, strengthen relationships, and pass down a tradition of generosity. Donors may also name children or grandchildren as successor advisors, so the family’s philanthropic spirit continues.
3) Build a legacy that strengthens Jewish life
Retirement is often when estate plans are updated—
making it an ideal time to consider a legacy gift. Donors may choose to name a fund at TJF as a beneficiary of retirement assets, create a permanent endowment to support community needs, or establish a family legacy fund that carries Jewish values forward.
“Retirement creates space for reflection and a powerful opportunity to be intentional about the legacy someone wants to leave,” says Naomi Limor Sedek, Tidewater Jewish Foundation president and CEO. “For many donors, philanthropy becomes one of the most meaningful ways to strengthen Jewish life today while ensuring the future is even stronger.”
TJF welcomes conversations with retirees and those planning for retirement who want to explore how charitable giving can bring clarity, purpose, and lasting impact to this next chapter.
Contact Naomi Limor Sedek at nsedek@tjfva.org or 757-965-6111 to begin the conversation.