Generations: The JFCS Permanent Endowment Fund Update Summer 2012

THE JFCS PERMANENT ENDOWMENT FUND NEWS

SUMMER 2012

8 Raquel H. Newman 1 Creates an Enduring Legacy at JFCS

8 What Is an Ethical 3 Will and Why Make One?

8 Building for the 4 Future of Our Community

8 Because of Their 6 Bequests, Future Generations Will Benefit

8 Ask Our Experts 8 8 RAQUEL H. NEWMAN BEQUEST: SUSTAINING THE JEWISH COMMUNITY OVER TIME

Raquel H. Newman Creates an Enduring Legacy at JFCS For three decades, Racky Newman has invested her time, caring, and resources in JFCS. It’s an institution she came to know and love after meeting Executive Director Dr. Anita Friedman through their work together in resettling Jews from the Former Soviet Union in the late 1970s. Over the years, Racky has served on JFCS’ Board of Directors and as President of the Board, a position she describes as an

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8 RAQUEL H. NEWMAN BEQUEST CHARITABLE GIVING AND SERVICE TO OTHERS.

Newman Creates Enduring Legacy CONTINUED FROM COVER honor because “it gave me an opportunity to see how all of the parts of the organization fit together.”

Now, after years of dedication to the agency—during which she established two donoradvised funds—Racky has notified JFCS of her intentions to leave it a significant gift in her will. “JFCS serves the community in a way that no other agency can,” she says. “It is always there for people in times of crisis and need, and the quality of its programs and services is top-notch.”

Charitable giving and service to others are second nature to Raquel Newman. She was born and raised in an assimilated Austro-Hungarian Jewish home in Chicago. While tzedakah and tikkun olam were not discussed at the dining room table, young Racky was sensitized early to helping others. Even as an elementary school student, she would make toys for children who otherwise would go without gifts at the holidays.

A PASSION FOR PHILANTHROPY But it was after her move to Omaha, following her graduation from Radcliffe College (where she majored in political science), that Racky’s passion for philanthropy became fully developed. She married Calvin “Nick” Newman, and became enamored of her mother-in-law’s engagement in many civic and Jewish causes. Nick’s family owned supermarkets, and Racky says, “Nick and I figured out early on that we were very privileged, and we wanted to give back.”

The couple got involved in the Jewish Federation of Omaha, the Anti-Defamation League, civil rights issues, and their

“JFCS SERVES THE COMMUNITY IN A WAY THAT NO OTHER AGENCY CAN. IT IS ALWAYS THERE FOR PEOPLE IN TIMES OF CRISIS AND NEED...”

Racky Newman

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synagogue, and Racky became active in Planned Parenthood.

Research from her master’s degree thesis at the University of Nebraska also helped in efforts to desegregate Omaha’s schools.

SUSTAINING JEWISH COMMUNITY After 24 years in Omaha, the Newmans and their four children planned to move to the Bay Area, where Nick had gone to school at Stanford.

Sadly, Nick died of colon cancer at 47, before they could make the move. But Racky realized their dream and relocated the family to Northern California in the mid 1970s. Here, Racky established herself in charitable causes, became a philanthropy consultant and author, and earned her doctorate in education at the University of San Francisco.

Her generous bequest to JFCS will ensure that one of her main concerns—sustaining the Jewish community over time—will be addressed for years to come. H

What Is an Ethical Will and Why Make One? One of the many meaningful Jewish traditions is writing an ethical will. This is a personal document or letter that embodies the values you hold most dear and hope to pass on to your children, grandchildren, and loved ones. The tradition dates back to biblical times. As Jacob was approaching his death, he gathered his children to pronounce his blessings over them and his final wishes.

Today, an ethical will remains a tangible way to pass down your accumulated wisdom, values, and hopes and dreams, which are as much a part of your legacy as material possessions. Your ethical will can become part of your family’s archive and an opportunity to speak to a generation that you may not live to see.

NO FORMAL REQUIREMENTS There are no formal requirements or parameters for how an ethical will should be written or what it should contain. Ethical wills often address issues such as tzedakah, observance of holidays, the centrality of family to Jewish life, or sometimes a specific mitzvah or practice that is particularly important to you.

You should be willing to ask yourself: What do I consider the essential truths that I have learned in life? What are my convictions, values, and important life lessons?

What role has Judaism played in my life? What are my spiritual beliefs? What are my hopes for the future?

Ethical wills are important legacies to future generations, passing on the wisdom of the ages.

Call JFCS Rabbi Daniel Isaacson to learn more about ethical wills and gain assistance in writing one: 415-449-3879 or DanielI@jfcs.org.

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8 JOSEPH AND MERI EHRLICH BEQUEST

Building for the Future of Our Community In every sense, Joseph and Meri Ehrlich were pillars of the Bay Area community. Long regarded as one of the pioneering “Silicon Valley” architects, Joseph Ehrlich designed the Hewlett-Packard headquarters and other advanced-technology facilities. Professionally, Joseph is remembered as an architectural innovator, creating buildings that are both aesthetically pleasing and

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environmentally sound. But his greatest legacy is what he built with Meri—a family and community.

Although both are deceased —Joe died in September 2010; Meri in March 2011—their legacy of helping others remains a powerful testament to their caring and generous spirits. Now, thanks to their significant bequest to

THE POWER OF PHILANTHROPY.

JFCS, they will positively touch many more lives: those in need of the agency’s services.

“My parents were very civic-minded people who were concerned about others,” says son Jeff Ehrlich. “They were involved in Palo Alto politics.

My father ran for City Council, and my mother was active in many campaigns, including efforts to ban housing discrimination.”

In addition to their involvement in public issues, the Ehrlichs for many years worked behind-

the-scenes to ensure the well-being of the people they cared for. “They were very generous, but completely unassuming,” says Jeff. “When my father talked about his work, he used to say, ‘I’m not in it for the glory.’”

COMMITMENT TO PHILANTHROPY Perhaps the Ehrlichs’ only demonstration of pride was their display of love for each other.

Theirs was a whirlwind romance. They met at a camp in upstate New York run by the Workmen’s Circle, a Jewish fraternal society, at which Meri had a summer job, and they were married three weeks later. Jeff says that his parents’ partnership grew stronger as the years passed. “Though they had many friends,” he says, “they were pretty content just being with each other most of the time.”

The Ehrlichs made almost every important decision together, including how they wished to express themselves philanthropically. For almost 25 years, Joe and Meri made gifts to JFCS. Though not observant Jews themselves, the couple had a strong attachment to Jewish culture. “My mother spoke Yiddish and was proud of it,” says Jeff.

Having grown up in poor Jewish immigrant families in New York during the 1930s, the Ehrlichs were also keenly aware of what it was like to live without—and their charitable giving was informed by their early experiences.

“The Depression always loomed large in their consciousness,” Jeff says.

Jeff is grateful for the values that his parents instilled—“I can’t believe my luck that they were my mom and dad,” he says—and hopes to follow in their footsteps. H

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CARING FOR OUR COMMUNITY — NOW AND FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

Because of Their Bequests, Future Generations Will Benefit They come from different walks of life. But they share one common intention: to create a stronger and better community for those who follow. We celebrate those who have passed on and those in our midst who continue to do good works: they are all compassionate people who put their trust in JFCS’ ability to create a better future for generations to come.

For some, part of their satisfaction has come from notifying JFCS during their lifetimes of their future intentions.

For others, JFCS learned of their bequests after they passed.

A TALMUDIC STORY TELLS OF A MAN WHO PLANTED A CAROB TREE. ASKED WHEN HE THOUGHT THE TREE WOULD BEAR FRUIT, HE REPLIED, “AFTER 70 YEARS.” ASKED WHETHER HE EXPECTED TO LIVE THAT LONG, HE RESPONDED, “I DID NOT FIND THE WORLD DESOLATE WHEN I ENTERED IT, AND AS OTHERS PLANTED BEFORE ME SO DO I PLANT FOR THOSE WHO WILL COME AFTER ME.”

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Bequest Commitments

BILL AND MARILYN SUGAR GIVING IS BETTER THAN RECEIVING

Marilyn and Bill Sugar have never forgotten the hardscrabble lives of their families, European Jews who escaped the antiSemitism of the Old World and struggled to learn English and make ends meet in the United States. From their parents’ and grandparents’ hardships emerged an important lesson for Marilyn and Bill: that coming together to help those in need makes for a stronger community.

Following the path of their forebears—who supported their communities through Jewish benevolent societies in Seattle and Akron, Ohio, their respective hometowns—Marilyn and Bill are making a generous bequest to JFCS in their will.

This gift is in addition to the charitable gift annuity they have already established. “We like that JFCS is all-encompassing, that it’s there to take care of people when they need help,” Bill says.

“Life is not always easy.”

Both Bill, who owned a home improvements business, and Marilyn, who worked for many years selling dairy products to local groceries, have long been active in Jewish philanthropy.

“My father, who started out in America as a peddler, always said that it’s better to give than to receive,” says Marilyn. “Bill and I believe that it’s a privilege and a duty to give back.”

KAREN HIRSCH AND JIM CONDIT

LIVING YOUR JEWISH VALUES Coming of age in the San Francisco of the 1960s and 1970s, Karen Hirsch explored her identity through the antiwar, civil rights, and women’s movements. Yet after she married, had a child, and purchased a business with her husband, Jim Condit, she returned to core values from her Jewish roots and sought ways for her family to become involved in the Jewish community.

Karen became active in her synagogue, Congregation Kol Shofar, where she now serves as president. For many years, Jim has volunteered with JFCS, most notably in the Special Delivery Grocery Program, shopping for frail clients who no longer can run errands on their own, and has developed strong bonds with them.

When Karen and Jim recently redid their trust, they decided to leave a generous bequest to JFCS. “We’re not rich people,” says Karen, “but we respect and admire JFCS’ core services and how it serves individual needs.

As an interfaith couple, we also like that JFCS provides services to non-Jews as well as Jews. The agency is a blueprint of how to live the values of being Jewish— tzedakah and tikkun olam.”

JFCS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Bequests That Honor Their Memories

MAX AND LILLI FRANK

BEQUEST TO HELP CHILDREN Theirs was a love story that spanned 69 years of marriage and three continents. Born in Germany, Max and Lilli Frank met 75 years ago at Lilli’s Sweet 16 party. When Lilli’s family moved to Palestine in the early 1930s, the two kept in touch through letters until Lilli returned and they married in Holland in 1939. The couple moved to Great Neck, New York a decade later and had two sons. With family roots in California, they moved to San Mateo in 1993.

Described by his son, Ralph, as a humanitarian and a pacifist, Max had a simple mantra: “Whatever you do, it should be to the good of yourself as well as other people, and it should not do any harm. If everybody would follow this principle, we would have the ideal world.” This timeless truism was also the core of Max’s belief that family takes care of each other. Indeed, his granddaughter, Johanna, recalls her businessman grandfather as a role model and a “rock in a world where everything changes so quickly.”

The Franks’ generous bequest to JFCS will create a permanent fund to provide services for children in our community. Says Ralph: “It is a nice present for my parents’ grandchildren and greatgrandchildren to know that this is helping other children.”

Vivian made her generous bequest to the scholarship fund set up by her parents, Henry and Tilda Shuler.

VIVIAN HENDRICKSON PLANTING FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS

When Vivian’s family fled the prewar turmoil in Europe, they came to the United States for a better life and future. Vivian’s mother, Tilda Shuler, credits their success in their new country to the help they received from the Eureka Benevolent Society (later to be called JFCS) when they first arrived in San Francisco, and to low-cost educational opportunities.

Vivian’s mother earned her degree in social work in 1952 and worked for the San Francisco Department of Social Welfare for many years. With this firsthand knowledge of the importance of education and community, Tilda wanted to give back by establishing the Henry and Tilda Shuler Scholarship Fund at JFCS, in memory of her late husband, Henry.

Following in her mother’s footsteps, Vivian graduated from San Francisco State University and worked for San Mateo County as a social worker. She also made a generous bequest to her parents’ scholarship fund at JFCS, continuing the tradition of providing educational opportunities for the community and perpetuating the values instilled and cherished by her parents.

VIRGINIA LADENSOHN VALUE IN VOLUNTEERING

A proud third-generation San Franciscan, Virginia Ladensohn graduated from Girls’ High School in San Francisco in 1926 and married Burton Ladensohn in 1935. She was an active volunteer in the San Francisco community and the chairperson of her Girls’ High School reunions. When she needed some assistance herself, she knew that she could turn to JFCS for help.

A lover of the written word, Virginia was devastated when her vision began to deteriorate and she could no longer read.

Luckily, she connected with JFCS’ Senior Companion program, which places volunteers with seniors to offer friendship and companionship. She was connected with Diane Katz, who visited every Saturday to read books and magazines aloud to Virginia. Over their four-year relationship, Diane and Virginia became friends and confidantes, reading books together, sharing meals, and taking walks. Diane describes Virginia as “sharp as a tack, smart, and well-read,” well into her 90s. Virginia passed away in 2010 at the age of 101.

Out of gratitude for the services she received from JFCS, Virginia left a bequest to the agency in her will. Just as JFCS greatly improved the quality of Virginia’s life when she needed it most, her bequest will ensure that JFCS can continue to improve the lives of others in need.

PRESIDENT Nancy Goldberg VICE PRESIDENTS Paul Crane Dorfman Michael J. Kaplan Susan Kolb TREASURER Mark S. Menell SECRETARY Claire M. Solot DIRECTORS Joseph Alouf Ian H. Altman Suzy Colvin Tammy Crown Don Friend Lynn Ganz Marsha W. Jacobs, MFT Michael Janis Ronald N. Kahn Scott C. Kay Sharon L. Litsky Alexander S. Lushtak Jan Maisel, MD Galina Miloslavsky Karen Pell Lela Sarnat, PhD Zoe Schwartz James Shapiro Candice Stark Ronna Stone Stephen Swire Ingrid D. Tauber, PhD Luba Troyanovsky Douglas A. Winthrop EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Dr. Anita Friedman

ENDOWMENT COMMITTEE

CHAIR Paul Crane Dorfman Carole Breen Harry Cohn Nancy Epstein Cindy Gilman Redburn Nancy Goldberg Judy Huret Michael J. Kaplan Jesse Levy Siesel Maibach Daryl Messinger Dr. Raquel Newman Joyce Rifkind Alison Ross Lela Sarnat, PhD Harvey Schloss Stephen J. Schwartz Vera Stein Bonnie Tenenbaum, PhD Luba Troyanovsky Bernard Werth

JFCS PERMANENT ENDOWMENT FUND

Barbara Farber, Director Tamara Wallenstein, Associate Director DESIGN: SF Art Department 7

www.jfcs.org

LIFE INCOME GIFTS.

ASK OUR EXPERTS

I’d like to make a gift to JFCS, but I’m retired and living on a fixed income. Is there a way I can support JFCS while also increasing my income?

You may want to consider establishing a life income gift, such as a charitable remainder trust or a charitable gift annuity.

Both allow you to make a charitable gift to JFCS but retain an income stream (for yourself and/or others) for life or a fixed number of years. After your lifetime, the remaining assets pass to JFCS. A life income gift can help you meet three important goals: maintain a continuing source of income, provide an opportunity to receive tax benefits, and support JFCS.

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The Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT) provides both a gift and an income. Many donors have found that a CRT is a great way to achieve their charitable goals while retaining an income for themselves and security for their families. Through a CRT, you can convert appreciated, lowyielding securities or property into a sizeable income stream and at the same time avoid potential capital gains taxation on appreciated property.

A CRT provides an income for one or more named individual beneficiaries for a term of years or for life. Many donors name themselves as the beneficiary of the CRT and receive a regular income for the duration of the trust. The assets remaining when the trust ends are disbursed to JFCS and/or other charitable beneficiaries.

You will receive a tax deduction for the present value of the remainder interest to go to charity.

Establishing a CRT requires an attorney and a trustee.

The trustee is responsible for selling or maintaining property transferred to the trust. Because of fees associated with the administration of the trust, it is generally not practical to fund these types of trusts with less than $100,000.

Charitable Gift Annuities (CGA) are similar to charitable

remainder trusts, but are simpler. The CGA is a simple contractual arrangement between the donor and JFCS (unlike a charitable remainder trust, which is a legal trust), whereby JFCS, in exchange for a transfer of cash, stock, or real estate (minimum $10,000), agrees to pay a fixed sum of money for a period measured by one or two lives. A CGA pays a guaranteed fixed sum each year for the life of one or more beneficiaries at favorable rates.

The payout rate is determined by your age—the older you are, the higher the rate. You will receive a tax deduction the year you make the gift, and a substantial portion of your payments are tax-free. H

SAMPLE GIFT ANNUITY PAYMENT RATES Single Life Annuity AGE

CURRENT RATES*

65

4.7%

70

5.1%

75

5.8%

80

6.8%

85

7.8%

90+

9.0%

Prospective donors are encouraged to seek the advice of their professional advisors. Please contact us for a complimentary, personalized illustration of tax benefits and rates. *Rates effective as of January 1, 2012