Dear Friends of DJCF,
Can we all just agree that February is the most depressing month in the calendar year? The weather is gray and drizzly, all the lights and festivities of the New Year and winter holidays have dimmed and the trees are bare. So once again, I looked to our tradition for some wisdom (and a bit of an attitude adjustment) and was swiftly put right back in my place. There is a minor Jewish holiday that occurs on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat (which falls in February this year): Tu BiShevat, this holiday is sometimes also called “Rosh HaShana La’Ilanot” (literally translated to mean the New Year for Trees). This date is the midpoint between fall and spring – half the winter has passed, and the plant growth process begins, as the sap begins to rise in the trees to support new leaves and blossoms, and eventually, the fruit the ecological cycle produces.
A Chassidic Rabbi, Baal Shem Tov, explained the holiday as follows – “just as the earth conceals the greatest treasures beneath its surface — both in the form of precious metals and gems that lie buried in the depths of the earth, as well as in the productive energies locked in its soil — so, too, each one of us has the capacity to discover huge reserves and potentials of good and holiness hidden within him or herself. We simply need to mine the spiritual treasures hidden beneath our mundane exterior, and “dig up the earth” of our surface selves to plant the seeds — the good deeds — that will take root, blossom and multiply.”
There is also a practical/financial component to the holiday! In biblical times, the date provided reference for people to determine which produce or fruit belonged to which year as it related to tithing (giving to G-d/charity a tenth of a person’s income or produce). In modern times, this is a great time of year to start thinking about your tzedakah (charity) for the year ahead. A donor-advised fund is a very simple solution that many of our fundholders are using in this manner – at the beginning of each year, determine how much your “tzedakah budget” will be, and you can even schedule grants to be paid in advance or on a recurring basis through the MY DJCF portal. Additionally, you can set up automatic transfers (many choose 10%) to meet the obligations of our tradition without the manual headache involved in tracking receipts or validating charitable entities. Others are using their DAF to fulfill their interest of matan b’seiser (gifting discreetly) by electing to make their gifts anonymous – a feature unique to the donor advised fund solution.
Funds held at the Foundation are invested with intention to grow the potential of your charitable impact. As the stewards of $375 million in charitable assets, we remain focused on making it easy to understand and navigate this offering. In 2023, we went from producing quarterly to monthly statements so fundholders can stay closer to the performance of their charitable wallet. As of last fall, DJCF fundholders can opt to invest in a pooled fund allocated, managed and rebalanced by the Foundation’s Investment Committee & Graystone Consulting, or construct their own asset allocation with index building blocks that span asset classes and risk tolerance. Our latest milestone is the launch of a new investments page on our website, Investments – Dallas Jewish Community Foundation. Here we show all the investment options available, answer frequently asked questions, and provide the latest performance reports for your review. What’s to come? We are hosting our first ever “Investment Summit” at the Morgan Stanley office in early March! In addition to a market forecast from Graystone Consulting, you’ll hear directly from the leaders at Israel Bonds, JLens, and Joule Ventures – 3 managers the Foundation is employing to express our support for Israel within your funds at DJCF.
Part of our role as facilitators of philanthropy involves direct experience and engagement with the causes and organizations our fundholders support. The Foundation was honored to be invited by the Schultz family (via their Israel at the Center Fund of DJCF) to participate in a recent Israel experience sponsored by The iCenter – a program called “A Mifgash that Matters”. From Dallas, Chief Impact Officer Mona Allen represented DJCF, alongside her husband Artie, the JCC’s Tara Ohayan and Israel educator, Orly Fass. They joined a nationwide group of educators and community leaders for an incredibly powerful journey through Israel. You’re cordially invited to hear firsthand from all the Dallas attendees at an upcoming event hosted by Jaynie Schultz on Wednesday, March 5th. Please click here to register.
1) On the way to Israel, the Allens used their layover in London to visit World Jewish Relief, an organization that served Mona’s father who was orphaned in WW2. More on this small world story (that intersects with DJCF Life Trustee, Bert Romberg’s) is featured in this TJP article.
2) Upon arrival, Mona visited United Hatzalah and volunteered alongside her cousin and dozens of others. Friends of United Hatzalah agency has received $700k from 25 DJCF DAF holders who have recommended grants since October 7, 2023. Dallas’ Amy and Harlan Korenvaes serve as US National Board / Executive Committee members, alongside Texas Regional Board Members Carol Aaron, Michelle Lobel, Julie Liberman, Jolene Julis, and Angela Horowitz.
3) Guide Dogs for the Blind – houses 150 dogs that work with soldiers and 10/7 victims, expanding their resources beyond visually impaired persons to also include soldiers and victims suffering from PTSD. The dogs are trained to recognize signs of anxiety and panic attacks and help deescalate the situation. It’s a beautifully run organization and facility, the puppies are raised by local college students and become either guide or emotional support service dogs, depending on a thorough assessment and training process. This agency has received over $80,000 from fundholders, including the Elia Gurvetch Vision Assistance Fund of DJCF, an endowment that supports critical agencies doing important work to support the needs of visually impaired persons.
4) JNF/MAKOM – Mona spent several hours with a young woman, Yuvi Tashome, who authored this book distributed via PJ Library – Yuvi’s Candy Tree. DJCF’s Stephen L Suckle Scholarship Fund has supported Ethiopian college students for years. The Ethiopian MAKOM community has been profoundly impacted by our Dallas donor community, specifically this scholarship fund, which has supported four students with a combined $50k in academic support since 2020, facilitated by our friends at Jewish National Fund.
5) HaShomer HaChadash – another JNF partner agency that our fundholders have been enthusiastic to support, this organization is educating and engaging the next generation of agriculture in Israel. Mona spent the day with a farmer named Yuval, who at 67 is the 2nd youngest farmer on his Moshav (farm). On 10/5/23, 44 of his workers (all from Gaza) came to him and demanded to be paid, workers who had been with him for years. Now he has 14 workers that help him harvest and manage his fields. Hashomer has brought over 300,000 volunteers to the country since 10/7, helping farmers like Yuval save their farm and to provide food for Israel (and much of the middle east). Hashomer runs the volunteer programs and two schools for grades 9-12. Students work in the fields in the mornings and learn in the afternoon, with special emphasis on agricultural science.
All this was before embarking on the formal portion of the trip with The iCenter! While Israel education has always been an evolving and dynamic field, the events and aftermath of October 7 are so devastating, the purpose of this mission is the belief that it is crucial for North American and Israeli educators to experience the Israel of today—firsthand, and together.
The iCenter, North America’s premier resource for Israel education, created an intense, 4-day conference that shared the devastation, loss of life, heartbreak and heartache of October 7 while also showing the resilience, hope, and promise for the future. This was all conveyed brilliantly through the lenses of the Visual Arts. The group gathered with colleagues from the US and Israel to learn, strengthen each other, and process together this new reality. Together they explored educational strategies relevant now and into the future. This initiative was in partnership with The Jewish Education Project and in collaboration with The Jewish Agency for Israel and made possible through generous support from the Jim Joseph Foundation.
The group was fortunate to see, hear and experience things that would normally be so difficult to comprehend, yet did so in a way that was most helpful to absorb the information. The itinerary included:
1) A documentary photography exhibit that captured the many facets of October 7.
2) Visit to the Nova Music Festival where the sister of a victim channeled her grief into a passionate display of love and courage as she shared about her brother and the special soul he possessed.
3) A bible teacher/farmer from a moshav near the Gaza Envelope that refused to leave and was able to successfully harvest their crops with two others.
4) A singer/songwriter who rallied her musician friends to entertain evacuees in the aftermath, giving them hope for the future.
5) A writing workshop with poet, Eliaz Cohen, to help process our experiences.
6) Haifa’s Social High School, where students experience experiential learning and community engagement.
The new reality also shares a renewed energy towards nationalism that is palatable: flags and patriotism everywhere, plus a love and yearn for hostages and soldiers. It is clear there’s a resistance and hope for the future as Israeli life continues its hectic and vibrant cadence.
Please join the Dallas participants at what promises to be a very special and moving debrief on March 5th – RSVP to obtain the event details/location.
Portal Update!!
Our donation and fund management portal is currently being upgraded, with an expected completion date in March. During this time, you may notice changes in the design, so please be aware that it might look different from the current DJCF/SWCF branding. There will be no disruptions to portal usage during this time. If you have any questions or need assistance navigating the new system, feel free to contact Regan Klinke at rklinke@djcf.org.
February Nonprofit Spotlight
We will shine a light on several organizations with whom we are proud to partner – raising awareness about current needs and important work being done in our community by agencies you may not be familiar with! You can give from your fund via the DJCF Portal, or click the links below to support.
B’nai B’rith Youth Organization (BBYO) – BBYO is the leading pluralistic Jewish teen movement aspiring to involve more Jewish teens in more meaningful Jewish experiences. As expressed in our core values, BBYO welcomes Jewish teens of all backgrounds, denominational affiliation, gender, race, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status, including those with a range of intellectual, emotional, and physical abilities. Give Here: Support Jewish Teens
Chabad of Plano/Collin County – Guided by the vision of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, more than 3,500 institutions and 4,000 full-time emissary families world-wide provide humanitarian and social services in their respective communities. Give Here: Ensure a Jewish future at Chabad of Plano
Jewish Family Service Foundation – Established in 2012, the JFS Foundation supports the long-term viability of the mental health and social services of Jewish Family Service through planned giving and endowments. It allows thoughtful, generous participants to make a lasting difference in our community by establishing or contributing to a fund in memory or honor of a loved individual or family. Give Here: Donate to the JFS Foundation
National Council of Jewish Women Greater Dallas Section – NCJW Dallas’ work reflects the spirit of the organization itself – a faith in the future; a belief in action. Through education, community impact programs, advocacy and collaboration, we work to address the needs of all peoples and faiths within our community. Our advocacy efforts aim to correct the systemic causes of the social problems we encounter. We dare to have a vision about what is possible. Give Here: Make A Gift Today
Investment Summit
Morgan Stanley – Conference Center
2121 N. Pearl Street | Dallas, TX 75201
Wednesday, March 12, 2025 | 8:30 – 10:00 AM
Attire: Business casual
Join us for our inaugural Investment Summit, featuring DJCF/SWCF’s CEO Megan Hyman, CFO Jerry Blair, our investment consultants, and the thought leaders of our Investment Committee. This exclusive event offers valuable strategic insights, networking opportunities, and access to high-potential investment opportunities.
There is limited capacity for this event. RSVP is required.
Investment Reports & Fund Statements
The Foundation’s investment portfolio is managed by Graystone Consulting, under the guidance of the Foundation Investment Committee. This relationship has allowed us to offer seven investment models for our constituents to choose from. Graystone provides monthly investment return information on the models as a whole and fact cards for the individual models and the sub-funds that make up each model.
If you’d like to revisit your funds’ investment allocation, please contact Jerry Blair at jblair@djcf.org.
DJCF’s investment performance reports through January are posted on the website. These reports can be found on the Investment Reports page under ‘Tools + Resources’ tab on our menu toggle, found here: Investment Reports – Dallas Jewish Community Foundation (djcf.org)
January fund holder statements have been released in your My DJCF portal.
