March 2023 | Adar 5783

Hello Women's Philanthropy!

We are Idy Goodman and Marlene Lauwasser, and we are the Lion of Judah Endowment Vice-Chairs on the Women’s Philanthropy board. Happy March! March is Women's History Month. Since established in the 1980s, the month has been used to celebrate the contributions that women have made in the United States and recognize the specific achievements women have made over the course of American history in a variety of fields. In line with this, we want to turn our attention to the history of Jewish women in Milwaukee. We are reminded of all the fantastic, bold and innovative leaders that came before us – and some of them that we knew personally. Some of the names that come to mind are Lizzie Kander, Golda Meir, Esther Leah Ritz, Ann Agulnick, Edie Adelman, Nita Soref, Evy Garfinkel and many, many more. 

Although these heroines of our community have passed on (of blessed memory), their legacy is very much alive in our community. One of the ways we feel the impact of these trailblazers is through their endowments. Over 40 of these pioneering leaders set up endowments before they passed, and because of their foresight, our community sees their annual campaign gift come in year after year in perpetuity.

These endowments come in all shapes and sizes, but the main vehicles are PACE (Perpetual Annual Campaign Endowment) and LOJE (Lion of Judah Endowment) that is also known as a Forever Lion. An endowment is a planned gift that can be established in a variety of ways: with a bequest, a life insurance policy, a cash donation, an IRA distribution and stock to name a few. Mitch Moser, director at the Jewish Community Foundation, would be happy to meet with you to decide which option works best for your individual situation. The key to setting up an endowment is intentional planning, future-thinking and even creativity. This is what our endowment ancestors had in mind to ensure that the Jewish needs of the community would be taken care of.

If you are interested in joining this extraordinary group of pioneers, if you are interested in leaving a legacy that will be felt for millennia, if you are interested in leading by example, please contact us about planning your own endowment. Join the history of Milwaukee Jewish women with us! Happy Women's History Month! 

Shabbat Shalom,

Idy Goodman

Marlene Lauwasser

Tuesday, March 28 | 6:30 pm

Led by co-chairs Susie Honigberg and Joan Kazan, this book club will meet three to four times in 2023 covering different book genres. Book club meetings will be small and intimate to foster thoughtful discussion and lively conversations.

The second book covered in the 2023 series will be Dinners with Ruth: A Memoir on the Power of Friendships by Nina Totenberg. 

In the spirit of Women's History Month, Women's Philanthropy would like to wish MJF President & CEO Miryam Rosenzweig a happy anniversary!

Miryam started as the MJF President & CEO on March 1, 2019. Thank you Miryam for four years of leadership in our community!

Recently, I heard about a specific project which reminded me that our philanthropic "why" is really in the details. Your gift to the Milwaukee Jewish Federation helps take care of the needs of older Jewish adults in Milwaukee through our partner agencies. Let me explain one of the many heart-warming ways this happens.

A portion of your dollars are sent to Ovation Communities to fund their Adult Day Services (ADS) where 1,020 older Jewish Milwaukeeans have participated in innovative brain health and wellness programs.

One of ways that ADS helped to empower older adults with memory loss was through a writing/publishing project that became a children's book called Silly in New York City. The ADS facilitators of this project said that the participants wrote this book with the intent of sharing a lesson on accepting differences. Most importantly, the loved ones of the participants saw them not as people experiencing memory loss, but as authors. While it might seem like a small gesture—having watched both of my parents experience the loneliness and isolation that accompanies memory loss—I can attest to how lovely it is to be part of a creative endeavor that creates a meaningful legacy. Your dollars helped create new older adult friendships through a children's book writing-project about accepting differences!

I have many more examples and stories of how you are making an impact in our community. These stories touch my heart, and I would love to share them with you over coffee. Please reach out at [email protected].

Thank you for being important members of Women's Philanthropy as we finish our 2023 campaign strong. Only four more months to go!

Warmly,

Sara Hermanoff

Women's Philanthropy Campaign Chair

In February, I took a personal trip to Israel. Through a friend, I had the opportunity to be a volunteer for a day at the Jewish Agency for Israel's Beit Brodetsky: Residential Absorption for Young New Immigrants. I visited the Ulpan (a class that teaches Hebrew) and met three Jewish Ukrainian girls who shared their heartbreaking stories with me. They told me about their long and uncertain journey to get on a plane to fly to Israel.

Yet, these young immigrants were certain of one thing: they could come to Israel, and they could find hope and a new future in the Jewish State. A portion of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation's annual campaign goes to the Jewish Agency for Israel and their work with immigrants. I found it so inspiring that you and I—as donors to the Federation and through our work in Women's Philanthropy—had a part in making sure these immigrants had hope and place to call home. Thank you for caring about the needs of Jews around the world!

To read the whole story of my visit to the Jewish Agency for Israel's Beit Brodetsky, visit the Women's Philanthropy Facebook page.

Warmly, 

Tanya Arbit

Women's Philanthropy President

February was an exciting month full of meaningful work! Women's Philanthropy opened February with a special breakfast with Rabbanit Shira Marili Mirvis who shared her story about being the first-ever woman appointed to be the sole spiritual leader of an Israeli Orthodox community. It was an encouraging conversation to hear how Rabbanit Shira is moving the needle on Women's rights.

Then, we closed the month with preparing for Part 1 of the Edie Adelman Political Awareness Lecture. The speaker for this lecture was Andria De Toro, High-Risk Advocate at Sojourner Family Peace Center, who talked about the reality of human trafficking and domestic violence taking place in Milwaukee and how to support survivors. As part of the event, Women's Philanthropy collected more than 3,000 diapers and over 100 packages of wipes as well as packed 50 support bags full of hygiene products and children's toys and activities. To see pictures of this amazing experience, visit the Women's Philanthropy Facebook page.

I've enjoyed meeting with so many Women's Philanthropy members in the past few weeks. If we haven't had the chance to meet yet, I would love to connect! Please reach out at 414-390-5713 or [email protected].

Shabbat Shalom,

Deb Carneol Fendrich

Women's Philanthropy Director

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