August 2026 Newsletter

The phrase “comparison is the thief of joy” is often attributed to Theodore Roosevelt, but the idea is deeply rooted in Jewish wisdom. In Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers), Ben Zoma asks, “Who is rich? One who rejoices in his portion.” Our tradition teaches that happiness comes not from having more than someone else, but from appreciating what we have been given. The moment we measure our lives against another person’s achievements or possessions, we lose sight of our own blessings and potential.

The rabbis also teach, “There is no person who does not have their hour, and no thing that does not have its place.” Someone else’s success does not diminish our own. Judaism encourages us to see human potential as a personal calling, not a competition.

Pirkei Avot warns that envy can consume a person from within. It is a form of spiritual blindness: focusing on what others have rather than on what has been entrusted to us. The opposite of envy is not indifference. It is the ability to genuinely celebrate another person’s blessings while remaining grateful for our own.

Ben Zoma further teaches, “Who is honored? One who honors others.” This insight reminds us that we become larger, not smaller, when we celebrate the accomplishments of those around us.

Congratulating a friend on a promotion, rejoicing at someone’s simcha, or taking pride in another person’s achievement strengthens our own character. When we find honor in uplifting others rather than elevating ourselves above them, we transform comparison into gratitude and jealousy into joy.

This perspective connects naturally to tzedakah and Jewish communal responsibility. When we compare ourselves to others, we often fall into a scarcity mindset: “Their success takes something away from me.” But when we are truly sameach b’chelko (content with our portion), we are freed from competition and able to focus on contribution. We find fulfillment in our own place and derive nachas from helping others succeed.

A strong Jewish community depends on recognizing that another person’s success is our success. When a family can afford Jewish overnight camp because of scholarship support, when a synagogue thrives, when a food pantry serves vulnerable neighbors, or when a Jewish student finds community on campus, those are not victories for “someone else.” They are victories for all of us. The principle of Kol Yisrael arevim zeh bazeh (all Jews are responsible for one another) challenges us to ask, “How are we doing together?” rather than, “How am I doing compared to others?” Giving shifts our focus from what is missing in our lives to what we can contribute. It transforms us from consumers into creators of blessings.

Supporting nonprofits through your Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) at the Dallas Jewish Community Foundation (DJCF) is one of the most tangible ways to celebrate the success of others. Through the My DJCF portal, you can also honor or memorialize someone as part of your regular grantmaking.

When we support:

• Jewish day schools, we help build the next generation of leaders.
• Synagogues, we nurture spiritual growth.
• Jewish Community Centers, we invest in meaningful connections.
• Jewish Family & Social Services, we uphold human dignity.
• Senior living communities, we honor our elders.
• Israel and Jewish advocacy organizations, we strengthen Jewish continuity.
• Arts and cultural organizations, we preserve Jewish creativity and heritage.

Rather than choosing to support on the basis of whether we personally benefit from every program, we recognize that strengthening any part of the Jewish ecosystem strengthens the whole.

Jewish wisdom teaches that true wealth is measured not by what we accumulate, but by what we cultivate. When we invest in the well-being of our community, we move beyond a mindset of comparison and toward a legacy of shared purpose.

For those who have established a DAF, an endowment fund offers an opportunity to extend that impact far beyond our own lifetimes. Annual grants meet today’s needs, but endowments help ensure that Jewish institutions, programs, and services will be there for future generations. They create a permanent source of support for the causes and values we cherish.

Our professional team is ready to work alongside your advisors and family to help craft a philanthropic legacy that reflects your values and addresses the evolving needs of our community. An endowment can be incorporated into the succession plan for your existing DAF or established during your lifetime through strategies such as Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) from retirement accounts.

Every thriving community is built on the vision of people who looked beyond the present moment and invested in the future. By establishing an endowment fund through DJCF, you can strengthen the Jewish ecosystem and help ensure that the communal organizations that enrich Jewish life today will continue to do so for generations to come.

With permission, I am proud to share the story of Helga and Gerardo Weinstein, both of blessed memory, whose generosity created perpetual support for The Legacy Senior Living Communities through an endowment fund.

When the Weinsteins moved into The Legacy at Willow Bend, they came to love not only the beautiful surroundings, but also the care, companionship, and sense of community they found there. Through their life plan, they directed proceeds to establish an endowment fund at DJCF for the benefit of The Legacy Senior Living Communities. Their dream was simple: to ensure that future generations of seniors could experience the same joy, comfort, and dignity they enjoyed as residents. Today, their fund provides a permanent stream of support that will help make that possible for years to come.

DJCF is proud to lead our community’s engagement with the Jewish Future Promise and is now expanding this commitment through an official partnership with the Harold Grinspoon Foundation’s Life & Legacy program. This initiative helps integrate legacy giving into the culture of Jewish communities across the United States and Canada.

Over the next four years, DJCF will introduce new workshops, gatherings, and community celebrations designed to raise awareness about legacy giving and inspire long-term commitments that strengthen the sustainability of Jewish organizations throughout Dallas.

Because in the end, our greatest legacy is not what we keep, but what we make possible for others. When we endow Jewish life, we affirm a timeless truth: another person’s success is our success. The future of our vibrant Jewish community is both a responsibility and a privilege we share.

31st Annual Professional Advisors Seminar

Please join us on September 10th for our 31st Annual Professional Advisors Seminar. We are pleased to welcome our keynote speaker, Stacy E. Singer, who will be speaking on “Faith, Family, and the Fiduciary: Navigating Religion in Estate Planning.”

For the first hour, Ms. Singer will outline how the expectations and requirements of different religious traditions have impact upon testamentary objectives such as estate distribution, dispute resolution, charitable intent and use of a living will or advance directive documents for clients. Ethical implications, generational differences, and legislative requirements will also be discussed. Following the keynote, an expert leadership panel from philanthropic, legal and financial industries will discuss, using real case studies, how advisors can best support clients when partnering with community foundations to build legacy.

DJCF Professionals Bring Deep Expertise to Strengthen Community Giving

DJCF’s commitment to professional excellence equips fundholders with expert, personalized philanthropic guidance. Through advanced certifications, specialized training, and multidisciplinary expertise in charitable planning, finance, and donor relations, the Foundation helps individuals and families turn their values into meaningful, lasting community impact.

Employee Spotlight: Mona Allen

Philanthropy Insights: The Legacy of Conversation

Last month we explored engaging the next generation in philanthropy. One of the most meaningful ways to continue that conversation is by sharing the story behind your giving. Family discussions about values, community, and charitable priorities often become the foundation for lifelong philanthropic engagement. Sometimes the greatest legacy is not the gift itself, but the example it inspires. DJCF has a Jewish and secular conversation starter kit called “Tell & Kvell” available for your use in beginning these discussions over the shabbat or High Holiday table. Contact us if you’d like a copy!

Foundation Sponsorships

We are deeply grateful to our sponsors for their generous support and commitment to the work of DJCF/SWCF. Their partnership enables us to strengthen our community and expand our impact. We are honored to foster a community of philanthropists who share our vision and values, and we thank them for helping make our mission possible.

If you’re interested in supporting our work or learning more about sponsorship opportunities, we’d love to hear from you. Please reach out to Sarah Golman, Chief Operating Officer, at [email protected] to explore ways to partner with DJCF/SWCF and make a meaningful impact in our community.

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