Investing Through RJF to Strengthen our Community Today and for Generations to Come

Please click HERE to register for the event.

Invest Israel

“Technology companies and global investors are beating a path to    Israel, and finding unique combinations of audacity, creativity and drive everywhere they look.” – from Start-up Nation, the bestselling book by Dan Senor and Saul Singer.

With the continued growth and success of the Israeli economy and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, Richmond Jewish Foundation (RJF) made its first  investment in the newly created I² (Invest Israel) Fund. “The Invest Israel option offers RJF a way to show our pride in the State of Israel by participating in the dynamic growth of the Israeli economy,” said RJF Chairman, Stuart Cantor. Cantor added that, “New and existing donors can now recommend that up to 5% of their funds be invested in the Invest Israel portfolio with a minimum investment of $1800. This includes donor advised funds, agency funds, special purpose and field of interest funds.”

According to Adam Ploktin, RJF Investment Chairman, “Our board and investment committee feel very strongly about our Jewish heritage and connection to Eretz Yisrael, and we have for some time been discussing the optimal way to ensure that like-minded charitable individuals, families and other foundations might have an opportunity to express those beliefs with their charitable dollars. In conjunction with Glenmede, the RJF investment committee and executive committee worked to structure a prudent investment option for both the RJF Genesis Fund and other investors who appreciate the opportunity and the longer term risks and potential.  We now have such an investment – a balanced approach withIsraelonly investments in stocks, bonds and private equity as well.  I’m very proud of the process we have undertaken, but am especially proud that RJF is leading the way for anyone so inclined.”

Israelis one of the most successful countries in theMiddle Eastand the world. In just a few decades,Israelhas transformed itself from an agriculture based economy to a hi-tech powerhouse with leadership positions in software engineering, computer component manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and medical technologies. This vibrant economy offers many excellent opportunities for investors. Widely praised as a “start-up nation”,Israelhas the highest number of companies listed on the NASDAQ afterCanadaand theUSand the highest level of venture capital as a share of GDP.

With the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) recently setting record high levels and natural gas discoveries off Israel’s shores capturing investor interest around the world, Israel’s economy is well suited to continue its upward. Additionally, Israel was recently reclassified as a developed market from an emerging market which opens up Israel to a broader range of potential new investors and flows of capital.

What Your Will Reveals About You

Your will says something about you. First, it says that you care about your loved ones. You want to make it easier for them by taking care of legal matters relating to the transfer of your estate. You want your affairs handled smoothly and without undue inconvenience to those who will be experiencing grief.

Second, having a will means that you sought to conserve your estate. You can reduce taxes and probate costs by designating what things will go where and who will be responsible for handling the details. The cost savings resulting from a carefully constructed estate plan means that more of your estate can go to family members and the charities of your choice.

Third, your will provides insight into your lifetime involvements and concerns. Bequests to family members tell of your love and concern for their welfare. And bequests to organizations speak volumes about your values.

For example, when you include Richmond Jewish Foundation in your will, you reveal that caring for others is worthwhile and you affirm your belief in the mission of RJF which is to serve as the endowment and planned giving branch of our community.

Finally, when you include RJF in your will, you tell us at RJF that you want us to continue to fulfill the mission of RJF in this world through your instructions by creating a fund that carries out your philanthropic intent. You reveal your vision for our future! You encourage us to be good stewards of the new resources you place in our hands.

Your will says other things as well about your interests and values and commitments. And because it says so much, you are wise to think it through carefully.

If having a will says so many good things about you, what does the absence of a will reveal?

We at RJF want you to experience the good feelings of having a well-considered and well-crafted will (or other comprehensive estate planning document). We encourage you to take care of this very important matter. And to help you, we offer a secure online interactive “wills guide” which can be accessed at here.

We are also available if you want to talk with us about finding an advisor or about how to leave a bequest to RJF to support the causes you care most about.

2012 Study in Israel Scholarship Application

To download an application for a need-based scholarship to study in Israel please click the link below:

2012 Study in Israel Application

2012 Overnight Camp Scholarship Application

To download an application for a need-based scholarship for summer camp please click the link below:

 

2012 Summer Camp Scholarship Application

YEAR END GIFTING STRATEGIES

The end of the year is a time when charitably inclined individuals think about how they can help to make the dreams of the organizations they support come true.  It’s also a time when tax-wise donors understand that year-end giving benefits them as well.  If you have assets that have appreciated with a low cost basis you may be wondering how to best use those appreciated assets for tax planning and charitable purposes.  By donating before the end of the year your charitable deduction may reduce your taxes this year. This should give you some peace of mind knowing you don’t have to concern yourself with the stock market’s fluctuations. Two year-end techniques are discussed below.

Donor Advised Funds  
By donating appreciated assets to RJF you can avoid paying capital gains tax and secure a tax deduction.  It’s especially well suited for donors who have yet to decide what charities they want to benefit.  Once the appreciated assets are given to RJF and placed in your donor advised fund account, you can take as much time as you need to decide where to direct their gift. You can start your fund with cash or appreciated stock and take three years to fund to the $5,000 minimum level. Donor advised funds are great vehicles to plan your philanthropy including gifts for your temple, the Federation and any other qualified non-profit that you support.

IRA Rollover
Have you been looking for a way to make a major gift to create your legacy without dipping into your checking or savings account?  If you are over 70 ½, you can transfer up to $100,000 from your IRA to a Richmond Jewish Foundation endowment before the end of December 2011 without paying any federal income tax.  And this gift may be made over and above the other charitable gifts you already make. Your gift can be made simply by notifying your IRA plan custodian of your intent to make a current transfer to us or another charitable organization.

Bequests
If you are not ready to donate your stock or real estate today, you can still enjoy your property during your lifetime while making a gift to us through your will or trust. A bequest of your property will provide your estate with an estate tax charitable deduction, which means the money saved can go to your loved ones. A simple sentence or two in your will can ensure that your family is cared for while also supporting the charities of your choice after your lifetime.

For more information on how to create your legacy using an IRA rollover gift in 2011 or a bequest or how to create your own donor advised fund, please contact us.

2011-2012 Genesis Fund Grants

Richmond Jewish Foundation is pleased to announce its 2011-2012 Genesis Fund grant application process and is issuing a Request for Proposals. The purpose of this Genesis Fund grant is to fund projects that make a significant impact in our community. Requests must come from a minimum of two organizations, working collaboratively, who may apply for funding up to $30,000. The Grants Committee will entertain applications requesting lessor amounts. Please contact the RJF office for details or an electronic application.

Please click here for more information about the RJF Genesis Fund.

 

Peace of Mind Gift Annuity

Selma G. Brown has always been generous to our Jewish community. Together, with her late husband Jake, the Browns created endowments at Richmond Jewish Foundation to support senior programs at the Weinstein JCC, a lecture series at VCU, and the JCFR annual campaign.

Recently the Virginia Holocaust Museum called the Richmond Jewish Foundation offices about a donor who wanted information about a gift annuity. Richmond Jewish Foundation serves as the planned giving arm of our community and manages the Virginia Holocaust Museum’s endowed assets. Unbeknownst to us at the time, this generous donor was Selma.

After speaking with Selma’s advisor, Richmond Jewish Foundation created a charitable planning illustration that showed the benefits of creating a charitable gift annuity. Selma was pleased to discover that she would receive a good quarterly payout that was significantly higher than current CD rates, that there would be a charitable tax deduction and that part of the income would be tax-free. Most importantly, Selma was pleased to know that her charitable wishes would be fulfilled with the creation of a new endowment that would provide an annual gift to the Virginia Holocaust Museum forever.

Fulfilling the gift was easy. Selma transferred some appreciated stock to create the charitable gift annuity. Said Selma, “I was delighted with the fixed payment I would receive quarterly.  My CPA and I were pleased that my charitable deduction may reduce my taxes this year, and now I don’t have to concern myself with the stock market’s fluctuations. The gift to the Virginia Holocaust Museum is secure and that gives me peace of mind.”

If you are looking for a secure source of fixed income for now or your future and want to help the charity of your choice please click here.

Are You Inscribed in our Community’s Book of Life?

As Rosh Hashanah approaches, it’s time to reflect on the year that has passed and to consider the opportunities offered in the year ahead. What will this year mean for you, your family, your business, the local community, Israel and the world? What can you do to make a profound and positive difference? Along with other constructive steps to take, perhaps this is the year to make your philanthropic plan with Richmond Jewish Foundation.

When we attend High Holiday services we ask that our name be written in the Book of Life. But what if you could write your own page? What would you say?

This ancient tradition was the inspiration for our community’s Book of Life. Through the Book of Life you can transmit not just your funds, but your family history and legacy to the next generation.

These legacy gifts help ensure the future of our Jewish community, guaranteeing that the strong and vibrant agencies, congregations, museums, and schools that our parents and grandparents worked so hard to build will be here for our children, our grandchildren and generations to come.

How does the Book of Life work?
Anyone who has already committed to secure the future of Richmond’s Jewish community with a permanent fund or bequest, or promises to do so in the future through Create a Jewish Legacy, to any of our partners, Israel, or any charitable organization that endeavors to sustain the Jewish people, is eligible to join the Book of Life. You will be presented with a page to inscribe, with your own thoughts and words, the meaning behind your gift.

Your Book of Life page, along with a family photograph, will then be added to the existing statements that can now be viewed in the interactive display at the Weinstein JCC. Together, these stories will tell future generations our story— the story of Richmond’s Jewish community.

What do I do next?
If you or your family have already created your legacy or promised to do so through Create a Jewish Legacy you are eligible to write your Book of Life page. If you would like to create a gift benefitting your favorite cause, congregation, agency, program, service or philanthropic need we are available to talk with you confidentially and without obligation. We can help you understand the various options and if you decide to proceed we can assist you in completing your gift.

Please click here to learn more about our community’s Book of Life.

Register for the September 7, 2011 Hirschler Seminar

Richmond Jewish Foundation, in cooperation with Hirschler Fleischer, will host the 6th annual Edward S. Hirschler Memorial Professional Advisors Seminar for attorneys, accountants and financial planners on Wednesday, September 7, from 7:30 – 10am at the Weinstein JCC.

The seminar will focus on how the 2010 Tax Act changed the ground rules for wealth transfer. The lecture will be delivered by Nina Cohen, Charles Aulino and Adam Conish from Glenmede, Richmond Jewish Foundation’s new investment manager.

The lecture is made possible through the generous support of this year’s sponsor, Biegler and Associates. Free continuing education credits are pending. To register for the seminar please click here.