Remembering This Summer 100 Years From Now
>PROBLEM THAT NEVER GOES AWAY
From today's Jerusalem Post: "The south of Israel has seen a serious escalation in violence in the past three days, beginning when terrorists staged a three-stage attack just north of Eilat on Thursday afternoon. Since then, at least 100 rockets have rained down on the South from Gaza, the IDF has attacked terror targets in the Strip, and victims have been buried."
As always, The Birmingham Jewish Federation remains deeply concerned about Israel and the safety of its people. The BJF will continue to monitor the situation, help people better understand Israel's difficulties and dilemmas, and provide financial and moral support in the event these terror attacks accelerate.
Above photo was taken at the funeral of one of the victims of Thursday's terror attacks. (Reuters/Baz Ratner)
Click for more from today's Jerusalem Post.
JOEL ROTENSTREICH TO BE HONORED TODAY
Reflections on Israel from Dan Tourtellotte, the Levite Jewish Community Center's Sports & Fitness Director; presentation of the Tikkun Olam Community Service Award to longtime volunteer leader Joel Rotenstreich (pictured here); a thank you to Sheryl Kimerling for her past two years of serving as chair; and the installation of new chairs Lisa Engel and Amanda Weil will highlight this year's annual meeting of The Birmingham Jewish Federation's Jewish Community Relations Coalition (JCRC).
The meeting will be today at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. There will be a reception at 4:30 pm and the program will begin at 5. The public is invited.
Click and scroll down for more information.
REMEMBERING THIS SUMMER 100 YEARS FROM NOW
By Richard Friedman, Executive Director
It's been a remarkable summer at The Birmingham Jewish Federation as more and more donors have either stepped forward to make or are considering making financial commitments through "Our Next 100 Years." This BJF-led initiative is designed to develop new ideas and concepts and raise substantial money to enhance our Jewish community for generations to come.
Our goal this summer has been to meet with every Federation board member, to explore making an endowment commitment through The Birmingham Jewish Foundation that will benefit The Federation and the network of agencies it funds in perpetuity. And the momentum continues to build.
A great conversation was held recently with one of our young board members and the person's spouse. We explored the idea of their purchasing a $100,000 second to die insurance policy with The Federation as the beneficiary. The premiums at their point in life are low and they are considering it.
Another uplifting conversation took place a week ago with a board member who has been a great BJF donor for years. This person agreed to consider a $50,000 endowment commitment which would establish a fund to insure the continuation of this donor's campaign gift in perpetuity. The income from the fund -- which would equal the annual BJF gift -- would go to The BJF Campaign each year in this person's memory.
In addition, one of our veteran Jewish community volunteer leaders, knowing of our current Next 100 Years outreach effort, stopped me at the Levite Jewish Community Center the other day to tell me that his goal is to leave us $200,000 in his estate to permanently endow his $10,000 BJF Campaign gift.
"I know y'all have been working on this and I know it's important," he said.
"Yes and yes," I answered as I thanked him.
ALL THINGS
Another great conversation took place with one of our major donors this past week who said he would begin thinking about leaving a major portion of his estate to The Birmingham Jewish Foundation. The money would likely be used to establish a fund in this person's name that could then provide support for all of the things that have been important to him over the years, both within the Jewish community and the broader Birmingham community. (You can do both through The Birmingham Jewish Foundation.)
In another development, a nice email came from the wife of a couple that my wife, Sally Friedman, who is Executive Director of The Foundation, and I met with earlier this summer. "Just to let you know....We are working on firming up our details for Our Next 100 Years," this friend wrote. "We have not forgotten or put this on the back burner. We have an appointment with our lawyer and accountant. We will keep you posted."
This friend was true to her word. A few days later we got a second email telling us that they were planning to gift a $150,000 insurance policy to the Birmingham Jewish Foundation with two-thirds designated for the Birmingham Jewish Federation and one-third for the Levite Jewish Community Center.
GROWING NUMBER
We thank all of the donors mentioned above -- as well as so many others. If you would like to join the growing number of families who've already enhanced the future of our community through Our Next 100 Years, please contact me at richardf@bjf.org to arrange a time for me, Sally or one of our volunteers to meet with you.
As so many people have discovered, Our Next 100 Years offers community members at every financial level relatively easy ways to make major, tax advantageous endowment gifts that will benefit our Jewish community for generations to come. In fact, think about contacting us between now and Rosh Hashanah, which begins Wednesday night, Sept. 28. What a great way that would be to start the New Year.
Our future is already unfolding; it is full of promise, and opportunities abound. The things we are doing this summer will be remembered and have an impact 100 years from now. We've been given a unique opportunity to reach across the generations, put our arms around the shoulders of those who will come after us and say to them, in perpetuity, we are with you.
Click for more on Our Next 100 Years.
