The Jewish Community Foundation (JCF) is launching “Create A Jewish Legacy,” a program designed to enable donors of any age to support the visions of the community and leave a legacy with ease. By promoting bequest giving, the program highlights how donors can support an agency, organization, day school or congregation they care most about while maintaining their assets during their lifetime.

Harvey Brown, a retired partner with RubinBrown LLP, and his wife, Edith, have gifted a sizeable bequest from their estate payable upon their death. The amount of the gift is stipulated in their will to go into Jewish Federation’s Unrestricted Endowment Pool. The Browns also know the will can be modified, if need be, throughout their lifetime. As dedicated supporters of Jewish Federation, Harvey Brown said, “Edith and I wanted leave a legacy to the community to help ensure the important work of Federation and its agencies continue forever.”

Regardless of age or income, anyone can set up a bequest and create a philanthropic legacy. “The beauty of including a bequest as part of an estate plan is that it’s about making a commitment to the future of the Jewish community without giving cash now and reducing current assets,” said Ruth Lederman, Jewish Federation assistant executive VP and development director. “A bequest also means you can leave a charitable gift to ensure a more secure Jewish community, support programs you care about and make sure your voice continues to be heard. It’s giving that accrues long after each of us is gone.”

Wendy Rosenblum, Federation assistant director of development who manages the operations of the JCF, along with Lederman and Ken Weintraub, Federation senior development officer, are working with 13 agency and day school professionals, as well as a cadre of key development volunteers, to encourage donors to consider bequests. “It’s all about matching up donors with the organizations they wish to sustain ad infinitum,” said Rosenblum.

Creating a Jewish legacy is critical to the future survival of our agencies and the community, said attorney Cathy Steele, current president of Jewish Family & Children’s Service. “Planned gifts are part of an overall financial plan for a community agency. The concept of bequests or deferred giving looks at a number of building blocks to ensure financial stability of the agencies and, in turn, the Jewish community.”

If interested in more about “Create a Jewish Legacy” or to set up a bequest or other estate gift, contact Rosenblum at 314-442-3740 or [email protected].

The Jewish Community Foundation of St. Louis is a Jewish Federation service created to serve as a central place for long-term planned giving, attract more endowments and build permanent community resources within one endowment structure. Visit www.jewishinstlouis.org/jcf for more information.