On Sunday, Nov. 2, more than 120 members of New Haven’s Jewish community, representing 20 local synagogues and Jewish agencies, gathered at the Omni Hotel to celebrate the success of Create a Jewish Legacy New Haven – a program that aims to assist local synagogues and Jewish agencies launch successful endowment and bequest campaigns. Rabbi Steven Leder, senior rabbi of Wilshire Boulevard Temple, Los Angeles, was keynote speaker.

One year into the two-year program, Create a Jewish Legacy New Haven has exceeded its goal, finishing its first year with 176 Legacy commitments representing more than $4 million.

Through funding provided by the Jewish Foundation of Greater New Haven and the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, the program provides funding, professional resources, training and mentoring to its 12 participating organizations. The agencies will receive incentive grants totaling over $200,000.

“New Haven is one of the first four communities nationally to exceed its year one community legacy commitment goal and it was an honor to be able to attend the celebratory event to mark this achievement. The Harold Grinspoon Foundation looks forward to our continuing partnership and to fully integrating legacy giving into the philanthropic culture of the New Haven Jewish community,“ said Arlene Schiff, national director of life and legacy at the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. “Maintaining the vibrancy and strength of Jewish communities across the country continues to be a concern for those of us involved, whether professionally or as lay leaders. We are addressing this issue and transforming Jewish communities, by ensuring that the variety of Jewish organizations that make up the fabric of our communities are financially stable and able to meet current and emerging needs, by securing current and after-lifetime commitments that will grow endowments.”

“The programs and services we provide are part of the glue that holds us all together,” said Dr. Jeffrey Hoos, Foundation Board chair. “Lisa Stanger, director of the Foundation, led our successful Create a Jewish Legacy initiative as well as this wonderful celebratory night that brought our community together and showed how planning for the future is something in which our community believes. We have stepped up to prepare for our great grandchildren’s future.”

For more information on Create a Jewish Legacy New Haven visit www.jewishlegacynewhaven.org, call (203) 387-2424 ext. 382, or email lstanger@jewishnewhaven.org.

PHOTO CAPTION: Members of Temple Beth David of Cheshire at the Create a Jewish Legacy celebration: (l to r) Larry Tannenbaum, Maddy Tannenbaum, Ronda Hendel, Barry Feldman, Dori Cobern, the congregation’s spiritual leader Rabbi Joshua Whinston and Fern Feldman.