Tidewater Jewish Foundation hosted the Life & Legacy Plus Leadership Launch on Thursday, August 15. The event brought leaders of Tidewater’s Jewish organizations, agencies, and synagogues together, and marked the beginning of a renewed commitment to securing the future of Jewish life in the area through legacy giving. The evening’s keynote facilitator was Kathy Sarlson, the new Life & Legacy national director and skilled endowment professional.
The Life & Legacy Plus program, administered by TJF in partnership with the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, is designed to help organizations focus on sustainable legacy-building by providing the tools, resources, and strategies necessary for community partners to engage in meaningful conversations about planned-giving and to build endowments that will support their missions.
Aaron Kass, a member of the board at Strelitz International Academy and Congregation Beth El, says, “For me, Life & Legacy Plus is an exciting next step in our community’s philanthropic journey – focusing organizations on how they can best, and sustainably, secure legacy donors and invest in the future of Jewish life in the area.”
Leaders from diverse segments of the community gathered with a shared pur- pose: to ensure that their organizations can thrive long after the current generation has passed on. Hillary Kleinman of B’nai Israel Congregation, says, “Hashem gave us the mitzvah of tzedakah and instilled a desire in every Jew to give and help others. Looking around the room, filled with representatives from so many of our community’s organizations, this truth was evident.”
“This program offers us a unique opportunity to work together, share resources, and support one another in a way that benefits the entire Tidewater Jewish community,” says Amy Zelenka, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s chief development officer. “This sentiment was echoed throughout the evening as attendees discussed how Life & Legacy Plus would strengthen bonds between organizations and enhance their collective impact.”
Amy Weinstein, TJF development strategist, emphasizes the importance of the partnership between TJF and community agencies. “Through reinvigorating this program, we are equipping our partners and community leaders with the knowledge and tools they need to build lasting lega- cies. Together, we are creating a
strong future for Jewish life in Tidewater.”
The Life & Legacy Plus Leadership Launch was more than a kick-off event; it was a call for Tidewater’s Jewish community to come together with a clear message: by working together and embracing the principles of legacy giving, the community can ensure that its values, traditions, and institutions will endure for future generations.
