Alex Lebenstein Named Humanitarian Award Winner
Congratulations to Alex Lebenstein on being named one of this year’s Humanitarian Award winners from the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities (VCIC). Since 1963, VCIC has presented the Humanitarian Awards annually to individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to the promotion of respect and understanding among people of diverse racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds. Alex and the other winners will be honored at the 47th annual Richmond Chapter Humanitarian Awards Dinner Tuesday, October 27, 2009.
As a child living in Germany, Alex’s nightmare began on November 11, 1938 when the Nazi’s entered his city of Haltern, Germany on “Kristallnacht” destroying all things Jewish in their path. Along with his parents he witnessed the Nazis destroying their possessions, their security and the only home that he had known.
While his story is much like many other Holocaust survivors, Alex’s experience has influenced thousands of young people on both sides of the Atlantic, promoting racial harmony, anti-bias education and social justice. Sixty years after trying to forget, Alex not only remembers but also shares the messages of the Holocaust with others.
Being encouraged to tell his story to youth, Alex began accepting invitations to speak; first, in his hometown of Haltern, Germany at the request of the students who needed to understand their history, the history of their grandparents and parents. Upon his return, Alex began accepting requests to speak throughout Central Virginia. His story told the dates and the facts, but it also told of the challenges Alex endured and how he had overcome them.
Alex ultimately learned as much from the youth as they learned from him. The youth wanted to do more. In Germany they erected monuments, museums (in boxcars), worked toward and became a school against racism and most importantly, inspired the entire town to become involved which led to naming Alex an honorary citizen and renaming the town’s school in his honor, the Alexander Lebenstein Realshule – “School Against Racism; School with Courage.” In Central Virginia, after school presentations or groups led at the Virginia Holocaust Museum, students wrote letters, drew pictures and created a book about Alex. They continue to e-mail him for facts and for encouragement to fight the woes of society and to learn how to live and act civil with others.
To ensure that this important message of tolerance and human rights is told forever, the Alexander Lebenstein Fund for Tolerance and Human Rights has been established at Richmond Jewish Foundation. Contributions to the Foundation for the fund are tax deductible.
If you wish to contribute to the fund or attend the Humanitarian Awards Dinner on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, please contact Robert Nomberg at 804.545.8656.
9th Legacy Institute with Wayne Olson
Representatives from a dozen Richmond area Jewish agencies participated in Create a Jewish Legacy’s 9th Legacy Institute on Wednesday, February 11, at the Carole and Marcus Weinstein Jewish Community Center.
Chabad of Virginia representative, Marty Ross, welcomed the participants to the workshop and introduced the session’s speaker Wayne Olson.
Olson is the Vice President of the Charitable, Foundation, & Endowments Group at The Trust Company of Virginia. He has enjoyed planned giving roles with the American Cancer Society and the University of Richmond. He earned his JD from Stetson University. The Trust Company manages endowments, trusts and gift annuity programs for local, regional and international charities and non-profit organizations.
Olson writes for a national planned giving publisher and is a frequent speaker, most recently to the International A-F-P Conference in New Orleans and the Practical Planned Giving Conference in San Diego. He is also a regular contributor to Planned Giving Today, with his most recent article appearing in the November 2008 issue.
Olson’s session focused on what motivates a donor to make a gift. The session explored the thoughts, motivations and needs of donors and why they make, or don’t make, a gift. Participants were given practical examples of how to attract more donors and win their loyalty and their support, along with looking at the donor’s decision-making process and how charities can create an environment that is friendly to this process and makes it easier for donors to decide to give to our organizations.
Richmond Jewish Foundation president, Debra Gardner, closed the session by thanking Wayne and announcing the latest Create a Jewish Legacy results. Additionally, Gardner announced that the community’s donor recognition Book of Life will be presented during Richmond Jewish Foundation’s Annual Meeting May 18.
The next Legacy Institute is scheduled for April 22. The topic will be Donor Relations the Disney Way with Wayne Olson.
Asking for a Legacy Gift with David Valinsky
Asking for the Bequest Part II with David Valinsky
December 11/12
Federation/Foundation Rosenthal Conference Room
With more than 25 years of fundraising experience, Valinsky is the co-author of The Mercifully Brief, Real World Guide to Raising Money Through Bequests. Valinsky will coach each team how to have meaningful legacy conversations with their most loyal constituents and congregants.
6th Legacy Institute with Bradley Purcell
- At May 19, 2008
- By rjfoundation
- In Create a Jewish Legacy
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Twenty-seven representatives from a dozen Richmond area Jewish agencies participated in Create a Jewish Legacy’s 6th Legacy Institute on Monday, May 19, at the Weinstein Jewish Community Center.
Rudlin Torah Academy president, Gail Moskowitz, welcomed the participants to the final Legacy Institute of the season and discussed how RTA has structured their legacy program. Moskowitz then introduced the program’s speaker, Bradley Purcell.
Purcell is a planned giving consultant assisting non-profit clients in the mid-Atlantic area to meet the challenges of marketing planned gift options, and managing planned giving programs. Purcell is president of the Virginia Gift Planning Council, an attorney and a native of North Carolina with degrees from Duke University and UNC-Chapel Hill.
Purcell discussed with the participants how to communicate and market the legacy message to donors. After discussing issues related to donor demographics and some of the various planned giving tools and options, Purcell presented several communications and marketing options.
Richmond Jewish Foundation president, Debra Gardner, closed the session by thanking the Foundation, Federation, and United Jewish Communities leadership for having the vision to bring the Create a Jewish Legacy program to Richmond. Gardner added, “While we congratulate ourselves for beginning this program, future generations, our children’s children, will celebrate our success. We owe it to them, just as, today, we enjoy and celebrate the hard work of our ancestors who created our synagogues, agencies, museums, and schools.”
5th Legacy Institute with Alex Smith
- At April 2, 2008
- By rjfoundation
- In Create a Jewish Legacy
- 0
Over two dozen representatives from twelve Richmond area Jewish organizations participated in Create a Jewish Legacy’s fifth Legacy Institute on Tuesday, April 1, at the Weinstein JCC.
Weinstein JCC president, Andy Brownstein, welcomed the participants to the Legacy Institute and introduced the session’s speaker, Alex Smith. Smith is currently Vice President for Development for Collegiate School. In a career spanning nearly 38 years at Collegiate School, Smith has managed seven capital campaigns totaling nearly $100 million raised. The school recently completed a $28 million campaign with 13 single gifts of $1 million or more.
Smith emphasized the importance of building long-lasting relationships with potential donors and discussed how donor stewardship is often the most neglected aspect of fundraising. Smith stressed the value of maintaining relationships with key donors with various types of recognition.
Legacy Institute participant, Deane Dubansky, closed the morning’s session by discussing her family’s recent legacy gift which includes nine Richmond area Jewish organizations. Dubansky said, “Sitting here today and listening to the various ways to thank our donors almost seems so unnecessary for me. I cannot begin to share with each of you the joy and happiness and sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that I felt at being able to create my Jewish legacy. It is I that needs to thank our community for having the vision to offer each of us this opportunity.”
4th Legacy Institute with Ed Schumacher
Over 40 representatives from twelve Richmond area Jewish organizations participated in Create a Jewish Legacy’s fourth Legacy Institute on Tuesday, February 5, at the Temple Beth-El Selma and Jacob Brown Religious School.
