to Legacy, a magazine for the modern philanthropist. We hope you find it engaging and informative as you consider your charitable planning. For strategic philanthropic advising, please contac t our giving exper ts at development@jewishfoundationla.org.
V I S I O N THE
Smar t philanthropy elevates us all
M I S S I O N
We provide L A Jewish philanthropists with the counsel, resources, and net wor ks to elevate their giving We leverage decades of exper ience to strengthen Jewish Los Angeles and Israel.
R E F L E C T I O N S
From the President & CEO
Power and Responsibility : Harnessing Philanthropy to Shape Our Future
Tzedakah, derived from the Hebrew root tzedek, means justice or righteousness. I t is a cornerstone of our Jewish tradition, with a dual focus on building a stable and suppor tive society while also honing our charac ter
In modern times, we often talk about charity as a way of deriving meaning and a sense of purpose in our lives, which is wonder ful. However, Judaism’s framing is different we give because we are obligated to do so.
Regardless of the motivation, giving to others has always been central to our community In ever y corner of the globe and ever y denomination, Jews have leveraged our resources to uplift the needy and address social challenges.
Today, especially in the aftermath of 10/7, our philanthropic calling is critical. Jews worldwide are tak ing a stand, using our voices, and direc ting suppor t to drive impac t in areas that are urgent for our shared well-being, locally and in Israel.
At The Foundation, we have helped many of you ac t decisively and with convic tion to face alarming
Together, let ’s imagine the world we want to live in and leverage our resources to build what is needed to get there. “
antisemitism and tack le ex traordinar y needs. You have suppor ted orphans and others traumatized by war, safeguarded communal institutions, and spoken the truth about who we are as a Jewish people. Thank you!
In this issue of Legac y, you will meet donors who have utilized The Foundation for assistance in creating smar t and effec tive giving strategies to uplift the causes they care about most
Perhaps their stories will inspire you to introduce your family, friends, and colleagues to us so that that they too can implement their philanthropic mission more effec tively and efficiently.
Together, let ’s imagine the world we want to live in and leverage our resources to build what is needed to get there As Jews, we have the oppor tunity and the responsibility to be a blessing, caring for our world now and for generations to come.
Tzedakah is core to who we are. Let us embrace our philanthropic tradition, give with intention, and seize this moment with purpose and dedication
Rabbi Aaron B. Lerner
Pr e s i d e n t & C E O
Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles
M E E T RABBI LAURA GELLER
“ The Foundation is an obvious par tner because it ’s a place where Jews with different ideologies can exchange ideas and work together in pursuit of common goals.”
I’ve k nown about The Foundation for a ver y long time In 2015, my congregation (in par tnership with another congregation ) was for tunate to be the recipient of a Cutting Edge Grant to explore the formation of what we call Chai Village, a vir tual community for the older adults of the congregations who want to “age in place“ and stay in the homes they love by deepening the sense of community and caring. The Foundation was the first major institution to recognize the impor tance of addressing the social, emotional, and cultural needs of ac tive older adults. ChaiVillageLA has made a huge difference in the lives of its members.
The Foundation’s suppor t inspired me, and it helped influence me to open a Donor Advised Fund recently. I wanted to show my appreciation for the organization’s vision and courage its ability to think outside the box about where the Jewish community should be focused.
My Donor Advised fund is new, and I’m grateful to be in a position to consider how I’d like to direct my philanthropy. The Foundation is an obvious par tner because it ’s a place where Jews with different ideologies can exchange ideas and work together in pursuit of common goals I t helps me think about philanthropy in new ways
I plan to use my fund to suppor t the coexistence of Israelis and Palestinians, to advance women’s rights, to feed hungr y people in Gaza, and to help Israelis displaced and devastated by the horrors of Oc tober 7. I also want to continue my work creating community across generations to combat the epidemic of loneliness that affec ts millennials and ac tive older adults alike. Much needs to be done, and I am thrilled to be par t of the effor t through my fund.
M E E T
BECKY & EREZ KABAKER
We met in college and have lived together in Los Angeles and Jerusalem. We’ve always had a keen appreciation that we live a privileged life and that privilege is accompanied by a responsibility to help improve the community around us
Our biggest philanthropic focus by far is the Jewish LA Special Needs Trust (a Foundation grantee) Both of our kids have var ying levels of deafness, and they rely on cochlear implants As a result, we’re highly attuned to ways we can help suppor t people with special needs who are among the most vulnerable members of our community.
One of the things we love about our Donor Advised Fund is how quick ly it allows us to have an impac t Becky
teaches at Adari El and I’m a wealth manager at BNY Wealth, so we lead ver y busy lives and needed to streamline our giving The Foundation makes it easy Once we put money into our fund and make a grant recommendation, The Foundation distributes it out super fast, so we can tell the Special Needs Trust and other nonprofits we suppor t that they ’ll be receiving our grant promptly.
We also like that The Foundation offers clients a quick and easy way to think about charitable giving holistically, instead of just mak ing individual grants. I t ’s a lot of work to create a family foundation or a complex charitable trust, but with a Donor Advised Fund at The Foundation, ever ything is smooth, simple, and hassle -free.
“ One of the things we love about our Donor Advised Fund is how quick ly it allows us to have an impac t.”
Photo by Zachar y Veilleux
M E E T
S U S A N F I N K & R O B E RT S M I T H
We’ve had our Donor Advised Fund at The Foundation for about a year. In the past, we donated direc tly to organizations. But we liked that using a Donor Advised Fund for our contributions also helps the Foundation’s mission of suppor ting impor tant causes that we might not even k now about.
Although we belong to an Or thodox synagogue, that ’s not our only charitable focus. There’s a wider Jewish community out there, and it ’s impor tant to us to suppor t all par ts of that community. The Foundation can provide us with ex tensive exper tise in helping identify a wide range of nonprofits wor thy of assistance.
We have four adult children (and seven grandchildren!), and we’d like to involve them in our giving as well. We raised our kids to understand the value of being financially and socially responsible. When they were young, if they wanted to buy something for themselves, they had to put aside an equal amount of money in their savings account and an additional 10 percent for tzedakah. Now that they ’re raising families of their own, we hope to use our Donor Advised Fund to spark conversations
“
The Foundation has ex tensive exper tise in helping identify a wide range of nonprofits wor thy of assistance.”
and be a vehicle for them to work together to identify causes they believe we as a family should suppor t.
O f course, there are other benefits of work ing with The Foundation, including tax advantages and having access to great educational and network ing oppor tunities like their online lec ture series on philanthropy and in-person special events for clients But the greatest benefit to us is k nowing that we are modeling a philanthropic legac y that our children and grandchildren can par ticipate in.
C A N TO R
M I C H E L L E &
DA N STO N E
Giving back has always been a central par t of our identity. In our family, it ’s a generational endeavor: Our three k ids engage in tzedakah along with their grandparents, aunts, and uncles. For us, this is what Jewish life is all about.
We direct most of our charitable contributions to synagogues, schools, and other Jewish institutions, both locally and in Israel. As our careers have progressed, we’ve given more to charity both in terms of the amount and the number of organizations we are suppor ting and it was becoming unwieldy. There was a lot to keep track of! Then we opened a Donor Advised Fund at The Foundation, and ever ything became easier.
Work ing with The Foundation is amazing. Their people are fantastic, and they make the process incredibly straightfor ward Opening our Donor Advised Fund was simple; using the online por tal is intuitive, and finding the charities you want to suppor t is a breeze, thanks to their ex tensive online grantee archive and exper t advice.
For us, being Jewish and feeling connec ted to Israel means that now is a critical time to step up our philanthropy The Foundation has been an essential resource, and the Donor Advised Fund has made the entire process seamless.
“
Being Jewish and feeling connec ted to Israel means that now is a critical time to step up our philanthropy.”
by Steve G amer Vice President of Advancement
Maximize Your Charitable Giving with Appreciated Stock & Cr ypto
Why donating appreciated assets is a smar t move right now
If you own appreciated stock or cr yptocurrencies like Bitcoin, you have a smar t, tax- efficient way to have a bigger impac t with your charitable giving. By donating appreciated assets direc tly to charity, you can avoid capital gains taxes and maximize your gif t ’s value.
Here’s why it ’s a smar t move:
n Tax Benefits: When you donate appreciated stock or cr ypto that you’ve held for over a year, you won’t pay capital gains tax on the growth. Plus, you’ll get a tax deduc tion for the full market value of the stock .
n Increase Your Charitable Giving Power: Donating stock or cr ypto lets you give more than you could with cash alone. Since you’re contributing assets that have appreciated, the value of your donation is often far greater than if you were to donate cash after taxes. This means your favorite causes receive a larger gift, helping you make an even bigger impac t on the issues that matter to you
n It ’s Easy : We’ve helped clients use appreciated stock for their charitable contributions for decades. We handle all the details; you simply transfer the stock usually into a Donor Advised Fund, an increasingly popular charitable giving account and we handle the rest
With the stock market up significantly this year, now is a great time to leverage the advantages of appreciated assets and have more charitable resources to suppor t your favorite causes.
Ready to get star ted?
We specialize in assisting clients with charitable gift planning. Contac t the exper ts at The Foundation today to explore how donating appreciated stock can enhance your giving and benefit you.
Michelle’s Stor y: A Simple Switch That Made a Big Difference
Take Michelle, for example. As an executive at a large media company, Michelle received stock grants as par t of her compensation. O ver the years, her shares had grown substantially, but selling them meant facing a hef ty capital gains tax bill on the appreciation.
Af ter talk ing to her advisor, she learned that by donating her appreciated stock instead of selling it, she could conver t the full market value of her stock to fulfill her charitable ambitions and ultimately give more to charity without losing a chunk to taxes. Michelle now makes an annual donation of stock to her Donor Advised Fund at The Foundation, maximizing her charitable impac t while enjoying significant tax savings. She’s able to offer more suppor t to causes that are close to her hear t all while keeping her cash flow intac t.
Donate appreciated stock or cr ypto
Strengthening Our Community
Suppor ting Over 200 Nonprofits with $7 Million
The Foundation’s grantmak ing in 2024 provided crisis response and crucial suppor t to sustain our Jewish community in Los Angeles and in Israel. Our grantmak ing, largely made possible through the many endowments entrusted to The Foundation, suppor ted a record 229 nonprofit organizations and totaled nearly $7 million.
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Thanks to The Foundation, our work teaching and connec ting leaders and sharing resources will go from strength to strength.”
Gali Cooks, President & CEO, Leading Edge
S P O T L I G H T : Jewish Family Ser vice
A single mother who sur vived domestic violence became homeless. She was referred to Jewish Family Ser vice for counseling, which then facilitated an introduc tion to a par tner agenc y from which she secured low- cost housing. With emergenc y assistance administered through a Foundation Hardship Relief Grant, she furnished her new home with a couch, dining table, and basic cookware, getting herself off to a strong new star t.
Resetting the Table
Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Los Angeles
2024 Grantmaking At-a-Glance
Essential Operating Suppor t
Vital investments in our local social ser vice organizations to ensure the Jewish community met critical needs.
Care for Professionals
Investments in staff to strengthen professional teams and recognize their continued courage, compassion, and vision.
Combatting Antisemitism
Essential suppor t to counter the impact of antisemitism and hateful rhetoric to organizations work ing in advocac y, college campus suppor t, and education
Tzedakah in Ac
Suppor t for a Nation at War
Crisis response to suppor t emergenc y needs, mental health, JFEDLA’s emergenc y campaign, and to improve social cohesion
Strengthening Security in Local Community
Amid the rising threat of antisemitism, The Foundation par tnered with JFEDLA and Tepper Foundation to fund enhanced security at Los Angeles Jewish organizations
Vital suppor t to organizations that provide last-resor t assistance to individuals facing urgent financial
Rapid funding to organizations offering critical suppor t for essential ser vices, seek ing sponsorship for community events, and providing community resources at holidays.
Hillel at UCLA
How Can I Inspire My Loved Ones to Make a Difference?
Engaging the nex t generation in philanthropy is one of the most meaningful ways to strengthen family bonds, instill shared values, and empower young people to see themselves as change agents. By involving children and teens in giving, families can foster a legac y of compassion and responsibility that continues for generations
I nvite them to par ticipate with you and show them the impac t of your giving.”
– Steve Gamer, V Advancement
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hare your stories and the why behind your giving! The more you share, the greater the chance that your legac y of giving will be passed down from generation to generation, l’dor v ’dor.”
– Naomi Strongin, VP, Center for Designed Philanthropy
“Philanthropy and tzedakah are learned behaviors. By setting an example and sharing the profound joy one gets from giving, you amplify the good you are doing!”
– Dan Rothblatt, Executive Vice President
G R A N T S M A N A G E R
Meet Sarina Raby, dedicated leader of the Grants Management Depar tment at The Foundation, where her passion for charitable giving shines through in ever y interaction With a focus on mak ing the grantmak ing process seamless, Sarina and her team help clients navigate their philanthropic journeys, ensuring their generosity aligns with their personal goals. In this Q&A, Sarina shares insights into her role, the common questions she encounters, and the meaningful connections she forges with clients as they create lasting legacies.
QWhat ’s the role of the Grants Management Depar tment?
I t ’s really simple: Our job is to make charitable giving easy for our clients. We are focused on streamlining and making grantmak ing more efficient. We help ensure all grants comply with legal requirements and The Foundation’s policies We also verify payments are sent to the correc t organization and help people determine where to give that best aligns with their charitable goals
to organizations as clients direc ted. When there’s a crisis, the Center for Designed Philanthropy quick ly creates a list of relevant, vetted organizations we can refer clients to. I t ’s a strategic and efficient collaboration that helps people give smar tly and efficiently.
QWhat is an example of a par ticularly meaningful way you help clients?
QWhat are the most common questions from clients?
Ever y day is different, and that ’s one of the best things about my job. Sometimes it ’s technical questions about how to give from their Donor Advised Fund online Sometimes it ’s more personal, like connec ting clients with exper ts at our Center for Designed Philanthropy for guidance about which nonprofits are doing the best work in an area of interest or referring them to our Development team for advice about how to make a complex grant, or how to optimize their tax benefits.
QHow does the Grants Management team interac t with all depar tments?
We work with ever y single depar tment ever y day, like with Finance to confirm that payments were distributed
Ever y grant helps make a lasting impac t on the community and is meaningful. I t is touching when there is also a personal connec tion for mak ing a grant, such as when someone honors someone who has passed away or is celebrating a milestone. The trust, respec t, and k indness evident in our relationship with clients means a lot to me. I t is always hear twarming to have a conversation with a daughter wanting to honor her mother who passed away from cancer, for example. Hearing their stor y is power ful, and I’m so pleased to be able to help.
QHow do these stories about why people give and how they create personal legacies impac t you and your team?
Sometimes, clients tell me why they have been giving to a par ticular organization for decades Their ongoing suppor t and dedication to mak ing the world a better place are inspiring. We feel honored to help. Clients bring the resources and passion to give; we do all the rest.
Israel Consul General Visit
Consul General Israel Bachar visited The Foundation and shared an insider ’s look at the current situation in Israel and how society has been coping since 10/7 His unique insights prompted a lively Q&A
N o v a Fe s t i v a l E x h i b i t i o n
The Foundation co -sponsored the Nova Festival Exhibition in Los Angeles The installation, an in- depth remembrance of the brutal massacre at the Nova Music Festival on 10/7, empowered visitors to bear witness In early September, the Foundation hosted an exhibit tour with a hear tbreak ing account by a sur vivor.
(L-R) Glynis & Selw yn Gerber, Counsel General Israel Bachar
(L-R) Dan Rothblatt, Consul General Israel Bachar, Naomi Strongin, Rabbi Aaron Lerner, Lew Groner
JDC Luncheon
The Foundation hosted an intimate lunch and conversation with representatives from the Joint Distribution Committee ( JCD) to discuss the situation in Israel and Uk raine and the JDC ’s emergenc y responses in both conflic t zones.
David Zackon, executive direc tor of global resource development, and Efrat Stern, direc tor of JDC Israel Unlimited, shared stories of on-the - ground crisis inter vention and trauma and mental health issues affec ting those in the regions.
N a t a n S h a r a n s k y
B r e a k f a s t
Foundation clients had the rare honor of meeting and hearing from one of the most renowned Jewish leaders of our time, Natan Sharansk y, former Deputy Prime M inister of Israel and Prisoner of Zion, renowned human rights icon and chair of the advisor y board of the Combat Antisemitism Movement Justin Jampol, founder and executive direc tor of The Wende Museum of the Cold War, moderated a spirited and inspiring conversation with a large crowd of Foundation clients and several trustees after a sumptuous breakfast. We are grateful to Combatting Antisemitism Movement, our grantee, for helping to bring Natan to The Foundation.
Read an ar ticle in the Jewish Journal about the event
(L-R) Dan Rothblatt, Zev Yaroslavsky, Natan Sharansky, Rabbi Aaron Lerner
(L-R) Natan Sharansky and Justin Jampol, founder and executive director of The Wende Museum of the Cold War
6505 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1200
Los Angeles, CA 90048
Doing G ood Together at Our Big Kitchen Los Angeles
Foundation staff spent the day at Our Big Kitchen Los Angeles, preparing meals for those facing food insecurity in LA As a proud suppor ter of OBKLA, The Foundation has provided significant funding over the years to help fur ther its mission of bringing nourishment and compassion to our community.
Chair Evan Schlessinger
President & CEO
Rabbi Aaron Lerner
Vice Presidents
Abby L T Feinman
Mark N Schwar tz
Eugene Stein
Adlai W Wer tman
Secretary Marcia Weiner Mankoff
Treasurer
Anthony Chanin
Executive Vice President
Dan Rothblatt
Chief Financial Officer
SVP, Finance & Administration
Deborah Johnston
Vice President, Finance & HR
Rober t Aver y
Vice President, Advancement
Steve Gamer
Vice President, Marketing & Communications
Lew Groner
Vice President & General Counsel
Ellen Rosen
Head of Strategic Implementation
Doris Schwar tz
Vice President, Center for Designed Philanthropy
Naomi Strongin
TEL 323 761 8700 jcf la.org
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