Dear friends of DJCF,
As a convert to Judaism, and a mac and cheese enthusiast, I feel a special connection to Shavuot – the Jewish holiday commemorating the receipt of the Torah and Mount Sinai – where we read the Book of Ruth and celebrate over a dairy meal.
The Book of Ruth tells the extraordinary story of an otherwise ordinary group of people, with significant events taking place during the barley harvest, where Jews commemorate the completion of the seven-week Omer counting period between Passover and Shavuot, along with the date when G-d gave the Torah to the Jewish people over 3,000 years ago.
To flee famine, Naomi, her husband and their two sons, move into the land of Moab, Israel’s ancient enemy. Shortly upon their relocation, the father, Elimelech dies, and the sons marry Moabite women, Ruth and Orpah. The sons soon follow their father in death, leaving Naomi and her daughters-in-law in an incredibly vulnerable situation. Naomi tells Ruth & Orpah of her plans to return to Israel, and encourages them to stay in their homeland of Moab. Orpah agrees, but Ruth delivers her famous line, “Do not press me to leave you or to turn back from following you! Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die, I will die— there will I be buried.” (Ruth 1:16–17)
Upon their return to Israel, Ruth and Naomi are once again destitute, sustained by the ability to gather grain from the perimeters of farmed land, owned by our third main character: Boaz. In a miraculous twist of fate, or perhaps divine intervention, Ruth “happened” to land in the field of a man who was not only gracious, but also the (eventual) sponsor of their improved station in life. As we all know, Ruth goes on to become the great-grandmother of King David, and from his lineage, will come the redemption of our world. Here’s an interesting fact I learned while researching my newsletter this month: King David was born and also died on Shavuot.
While my chosen Hebrew name isn’t Ruth (it’s Miriam!), Ruth is a very common selection for Jews by choice, as she recognized as a role model for the highest embodiment of conversion. She embraced Judaism with all her heart, voluntarily choosing to stay with her mother-in-law in a time of crisis. I’ve also heard it said that on Shavuot, all Jews are considered converts, having received the Torah and all that it demands of its people. Ruth as a trailblazer for women and for Jewish converts to play a leading role in repairing of the world is especially meaningful to me.
It’s written that when Moses ascended Mount Sinai, the angels urged G-d to reconsider His decision to give the Torah to earthly beings, not considered in their view to be worthy of this covenant. I love that G-d “chose” his people to stand apart in this way, this unique heritage to serve as a light unto the nations.
In an age where once again Judaism and its connection to the land of Israel is called into question, I was comforted by this wisdom from Rabbi Sacks’ Koren Sacks Shavuot Machzor:
“On the face of it, Shavuot is a brief festival with few distinctive practices and, at least as far as the Torah is concerned, no specific historical content. But Shavuot is the festival of Jewish identity. Judaism is supremely a religion of the land – the whole of Torah from Avraham to the death of Moshe is a journey toward it – and Shavuot was the supreme festival of the land…
However, from the outset Shavuot was also the festival of the Giving of the Law, seen as the culmination of the seven-week journey that began with Pesach…. people came to see that the law of Israel was unlike that of any other nation – not just because of its content but because of who gave it, when and where. It was given not at Mount Zion in Jerusalem but at Mount Sinai in the desert. The law came before the land. Therefore, though they had lost the land, they still had the law. Though they had lost the country, they still had the covenant. The law of Israel was not like the law of every other nation – the decree of kings or the edict of a legislative assembly. It came from G-d Himself, the Infinite Eternal. Therefore, it could never be lost or nullified.
This was when the full significance of Shavuot began to come clear. The real miracle was not the land but the law that preceded the land…
Judaism is a religion of love, three loves: loving G-d with all our heart, our soul, and our might (Devarim 6:5); loving our neighbor as ourselves (Vayikra 19:18); and loving the stranger because we know what it feels like to be a stranger (Devarim 10:19).
Judaism is, from beginning to end, the story of a love: G-d’s love for a small, powerless, and much afflicted people, and a people’s love – tempestuous at times to be sure – for G-d. That is the story of Ruth: love as faithfulness, loyalty, and responsibility, and as a marriage that brings new life into the world. That is the love that was consecrated at Sinai on the first Shavuot of all.”
My own love story with Judaism is just being written. I can’t wait to see what happens in this next chapter.
Donor Education
Earlier this week, we were honored to host brothers David and Marc Stanley for a webinar alongside the Dallas Jewish Historical Society, where we discussed the Stanley family legacy. We talked about legacy and lifetime gifts made by the Stanley family, primarily focused on David and Marc’s mother, Dr. Renee Stanley, of blessed memory. She gave tirelessly of her time and resources to the Jewish community, locally, in Israel, and around the world – with special passion for arts and cultural organizations.
Three considerations for philanthropic giving during your lifetime vs. in your legacy:
1: Control & Involvement:
- Lifetime Giving: Donations are made during the donor’s lifetime, allowing them to see the impact of their contributions.
- Legacy Giving: Donations are planned to be given after the donor’s death, often as part of their will or estate planning.
2: Timing of Contributions:
- Lifetime Giving: Donors have more control and involvement in how their funds are used, including the ability to make adjustments and ensure their goals are being met.
- Legacy Giving: Donors have limited control and involvement since the contributions are made posthumously, relying on their instructions and the trustworthiness of executors.
3: Tax Implications:
- Lifetime Giving: Donors can benefit from immediate tax deductions and potentially reduce their taxable income during their lifetime.
- Legacy Giving: These donations can reduce estate taxes, benefiting the donor’s heirs by potentially decreasing the taxable value of the estate.
Programs/Events
Thank you to all who were able to attend our 32nd Annual Scholarship Reception, where we surpassed the $3 million threshold in total awards since the inception of our program. More than 1,000 students have benefitted from the generosity of our donors who have established these award opportunities in honor of loved ones, and promoting fields of study in areas as diverse and impactful as the people whose legacies are memorialized within each scholarship award. This year, we added 5 new scholarships to the platform!
For many of the 74 recipients this evening represented their first interaction with the Jewish community, and so we were very grateful to all those who made the evening a great success, especially Rebecca Lopez, WFAA reporter, for serving as our master of ceremonies, the four scholarship committee chairs: Lynne Candler, Jim Krohn, Joe Levy & Andi Rosenfeld, and of course our scholarship committee who dedicated hours of their time and energy to ensuring every candidate was given a fair and balanced consideration for the award opportunity. To our Foundation Board of Trustees, we appreciate your many contributions to the work of the Foundation, including your support and attendance at this marquee celebration.
To view pictures from the event, please visit this link with password: Dallas
Partner Spotlight
A new section of our monthly newsletter, 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.
Congregation Anshai Torah: beginning in August 2024, Anshai Torah is offering a new after school program called “The Hangout”. Serving K-5th graders, students will be provided transportation from local area schools and led through a fun, camp-style Jewish and Hebrew learning experience. The program will provide art, music, drama, sports, science, homework help and more. The Hangout is open to all walks of life – affiliated, unaffiliated, and non-Jewish. Give Here: Online Payments – Congregation Anshai Torah
Dallas Jewish Burial Fund: Offering an alternative for Jewish people who might otherwise choose cremation, the Dallas Jewish Burial Fund supports families in the community cover the cost of a Jewish burial and funeral when the expense would be otherwise cost prohibitive. DJBF partners with Jewish Family Service, Dallas Chevra Kadisha, and other local organizations to assist with services ranging from full coverage of burial costs to partial subsidies. Give Here: Donate Now | Dallas Jewish Burial Fund (givelively.org)
The Friendship Circle of Dallas: Established in Dallas in 2016, but operational across 60 communities worldwide since 1994, Friendship Circle allows children and young adults with diverse abilities to enjoy the company of teenage and young adults with special needs to become more fully integrated into the community. Friendship Circle is an affiliate of Chabad of North Texas. With programs like Sunday Circle, Teens on the Town, and Parents’ Night Out, there are countless meaningful opportunities to engage. Give Here: Donate – FriendshipDallas.org
Mikvah Israel: Founded and built on the value that all Jewish women are welcome to immerse and take part in the ancient ritual, Mikvah Israel is a place without judgment of a visitor’s level of observance. In 2024, major renovations to the Kelim Mikvah are underway, to provide a beautiful option for bringing holiness into kitchens and homes across Dallas. Give Here: General 2 — Mikvah Israel Dallas
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.
DJCF’s investment performance reports through May will be posted on the website soon. 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)
May fund holder statements will be released in your My DJCF portal soon.
Thank you for entrusting us with your generosity and for being an integral part of our foundation. Your support fuels our work and inspires us every day.
