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.

Fulfilling Your Legacy Promise

Each Passover we sit together to tell our story and to remember messages of freedom. The real task of the Seder is to try to pass down these words, rituals and values to the next generation. Our community’s Create a Jewish Legacy program was created for this same purpose.

While we celebrate Passover, we recognize the success of our Create a Jewish Legacy program which recently passed the $11 million mark. This figure represents 169 legacy gifts promised by 81 families. These gifts will help ensure the future of our Jewish community and the state of Israel. As a result of these legacy gifts, 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. Create a Jewish Legacy promotes the message that all of us have the ability to make a difference in the lives of future Jewish generations.

This Passover, consider four more questions…

Do you support Jewish causes in Richmond annually?

Have you included these causes in your will?

Would you like to see a vibrant Jewish community for future generations?

What will be your legacy?

Creating your legacy is a simple four step process:

Promise
You decide that you want to leave something to the Jewish community-for Richmond, Israel, or elsewhere. At this moment you have probably not yet decided exactly how you will fund your legacy, nor precisely which causes or organizations will be the beneficiaries.

Honor
You share your personal statement in the Book of Life (always optional) about why you have created this legacy plan or your hopes for the future. In it you may speak of your grandparents, to your grandchildren, or about the organizations that have benefited from your leadership.

Formalize
You specify how you will fund your legacy: through bequest, insurance, a beneficiary designation of your IRA or other pension asset, or by establishing a life income plan. It is when you formalize that you can be assured your wishes will truly happen.

Fund
Your idea becomes reality because you have planned well. Your funds come to our community-into a permanent endowment fund in your family name-for the causes and beneficiaries that you have designated. You have kept promises to your community that you’ve always supported. Your gifts will now be there, stronger, for those you leave behind.

To create your legacy, please contact the Richmond Jewish Foundation office.

New Fund Honors Memory of Gerald T. Shor

After his recent passing, Gerald T. Shor’s family established a new fund to honor his memory. Gerald was raised in Raleigh, NC and had been a resident of Richmond, VA since 2005.  He was a member of Keneseth Beth Israel Synagogue in Richmond and Beth Meyer Synagogue in Raleigh.  He was a long time member of B’nai B’rith.  He is survived by four children; Marcia Shor of Richmond, Barbara McDowell of Raleigh along with her husband, David, Michael of Charlotte and Nathan and his wife Nannette of Richmond.  Gerald was the proud grandfather to nine grandchildren; Bryan along with his wife, Meghan, Andrew, Lauren, Marla, Rachel, Katherine, Adam and Jaclyn.

Book of Life To Be Built Thanks to Hirschler Fund

Our community’s Book of Life was introduced for the first time during the Richmond Jewish Foundation and the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond joint annual meeting. Twenty-two wonderful statements were presented to the community. This Book of Life interactive DVD was made possible by funding provided from the Elizabeth and Edward Hirschler* Endowment Recognition Fund.

Thanks to Richmond Jewish Foundation’s Elizabeth and Edward Hirschler* Donor Advised Fund a kiosk will be built at the Weinstein JCC displaying the interactive DVD.
Anyone, regardless of age, wealth, or affiliation, who commits to secure the future of Richmond’s Jewish community, either through a current gift to a permanent endowment fund or through a deferred gift to any of the Create a Jewish Legacy partners, Israel, or any charity, will be presented with a page to inscribe with their own thoughts and to tell, in their own words, the meaning behind their gift in their Book of Life page.

The Book of Life page, along with a family photograph, will then be added to those written by others. These pages will be collected and placed in the interactive display at the Weinstein JCC. Together, these stories will tell future generations our story- the story of Richmond’s Jewish community. 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.

What’s Your Story?

Our community’s Book of Life was introduced for the first time during the recent Richmond Jewish Foundation and Jewish Community Federation of Richmond joint Annual Meeting. Twenty-two wonderful statements have been written thus far. I’d like to share one of the statements written by Hedy Lapkin. Her statement about her late husband, Eddie, tells a wonderful story about how someone’s passion has been turned into a lasting legacy affecting future generations.

“In 1975 Edward Lapkin fell passionately in love for the second time in his life. He volunteered to house (of course I agreed) two lovely Israeli scouts and he was hooked. In November 1975, we took our first trip to Israel and were in turn graciously hosted by the families of the two scouts we hosted. For the next 25 years Eddie put his heart and soul into planning and executing the most wonderful 3-4 day stay in Richmond for the Israeli Scout Friendship Caravans that came to Richmond every year.

Through his devoted efforts he fostered more lasting relationships between Richmond families and Israeli families than even he imagined would be possible. His commitment to this program created a love and understanding of Israel for Richmond’s Jewish community that is beyond measure. The first few years the Scouts performed at the JCC only a few dozen people attended. Today, this event is viewed by hundreds. The legacy that Eddie created continues to touch the lives of hundreds of Jewish people in Richmond. He also was responsible for Richmond hosting an Israeli Scout at camp Hilbert each summer.

To this day, my children and I have a profound love of Israel and maintain many of the deep relationships with the youngsters that came into our lives so many years ago. Eddie passed away in March of 2002. Later that year I was in Israel with a small group from Richmond. One evening, along with 300 other American Jews, our group was entertained by the Israeli Friendship Caravan. As the tears streamed down my face I knew I had found the way to keep Eddie’s love of Israel and all those wonderful Israeli teenagers in the hearts and minds of our Richmond community. My family established the Eddie Lapkin Israeli Scout Fund at Richmond Jewish Foundation to honor Eddie for all the years of devotion to this program and to support the program in the future.” ~ Hedy Lapkin

Anyone, regardless of age, wealth, or affiliation, who commits to secure the future of Richmond’s Jewish community, either through a current gift to a permanent endowment fund or through a deferred gift to any of the Create a Jewish Legacy partners, Israel, or any charity, will be presented with a page to inscribe with their own thoughts and to tell, in their own words, the meaning behind their gift in their Book of Life page.

The Book of Life page, along with a family photograph, will then be added to those written by others. These pages will be collected and placed in an interactive display at the Weinstein JCC. Together, these stories will tell future generations our story— the story of Richmond’s Jewish community. 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.

We’re here to help you tell your story. What will be your legacy?

Are You Inscribed in the Book of Life?

When we attend High Holiday services, we ask that our name be written in the Book of Life. What would you say if you could write your own page? This ancient tradition has now become the inspiration for a new one: the Richmond Jewish community’s Book of Life.

Through this special new project, on display for the first time during the Foundation and Federation June 3 Joint Annual Meeting, anyone, regardless of age, wealth, or affiliation, who commits to secure the future of Richmond’s Jewish community, either through a current gift to a permanent endowment fund or through a deferred gift to any of the Create a Jewish Legacy partners, Israel, or any charitable organizations, will be presented with a page to inscribe with their own thoughts and to tell, in their own words, the meaning behind their gift.

The Book of Life page, along with a family photograph, will then be joined with those written by others. These pages will be collected and placed in an interactive display at the Weinstein JCC. Together, these stories will tell future generations our story— the story of Richmond’s Jewish community.

If you or your family have already created an endowment or included any of the Create a Jewish Legacy partners in your will you are eligible to write your Book of Life page.

How to Write Your Book of Life Family Statement

Book of Life Family Worksheet Guide (pdf)