Dear Friends of DJCF,
If you know or love a Swiftie (the name Taylor Swift fans give themselves), you’ve probably heard phrases like “I protect the family” or “that’s the life of a showgirl, babe” floating around since the release of her latest album a few weeks ago.
Meanwhile, if you’re a regular at synagogue, or if you have kids in Jewish day school like I do, you know we’re currently reading the story of Noah and the ark in the Torah.
At first glance, the story of Noah and Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl might seem worlds apart: one is a biblical tale of survival and divine purpose, the other a pop album drenched in sequins and heartbreak. But this month, I want to explore some surprising parallels.
Survival and Renewal
• Noah’s Ark: Noah endures a catastrophic flood, preserving life and emerging into a cleansed world, a symbol of survival, faith, and new beginnings.
• Swift’s Album: Taylor’s The Life of a Showgirl reflects emotional survival through fame, heartbreak, and reinvention. Songs like “The Fate of Ophelia” reimagine tragic archetypes with empowered outcomes. She navigates emotional storms by “dancing through the lightning strikes,” emerging with renewed clarity and purpose.
Symbolism and Redemption
• Noah: The ark is a vessel of salvation, carrying life through chaos. It’s both literal and symbolic: a floating sanctuary in a broken world. God’s rainbow becomes a promise of redemption, hope, and new beginnings.
• Swift: Her stage persona is its own kind of ark, a place where she performs with vulnerability and reinvents herself. Behind the glitter, lace, and elaborate costumes, the stage becomes her refuge from the storms of fame. She transforms tragedy into empowerment, heartbreak into art. Maybe the album itself is the rainbow: proof that pain can be turned into something beautiful.
Both Noah and Swift are storytellers navigating storms. One with wood and pitch, the other with lyrics and a spotlight.
If you’ve made it this far, I’ll share my favorite tracks: “Opalite,” “Father Figure,” “Life of a Showgirl,” and “The Fate of Ophelia.” (Still not sure why Noah let mosquitoes on the ark…)
Community Storytelling
Speaking of powerful narratives, over the past month, our community has been hosting a series of storytelling sessions:
• The Jewish and Black History of South Dallas and the Forest Theater
• The DJCF Endowments Strengthening the Aaron Family JCC
– L’dor v’dor, from generation to generation. This ancient concept means we have a responsibility to pass on teachings to future generations. JCC of Dallas is the essence of L’dor v’dor. Who else has intergenerational and joyful connections that occur each and every day?
Recently the senior adults department hosted a presentation about the partnership between the J and Dallas Jewish Community Foundation and shared the wide array of legacy gifts and endowment funds. Each fund is unique, just like each donor. The common denominator is the donor choose the purpose, and the foundation helped make it permanent. Each fund has a story and each fundholder a different passion. The results are funds that benefit early childhood and camp to general operations support and senior membership scholarships. Each fundholder has found their way to be remembered, and the foundation is proud to support the work of the J by carrying out the intentions of these funds. One takeaway from the program was that legacy gifts are not just financial—they’re emotional. They tell your story and preserve your values.
• The Impact of Non-cash Gifts on Local Charities (an afternoon with the Dallas Hebrew Free Loan Association)
– For many years now the Dallas Hebrew Free Loan Association has teamed up with the DJCF to offer a program during October, National Financial Planning Month. This is a time to focus on reviewing and improving your financial strategies. A timely exercise as the holiday season approaches along with year-end as an ideal time to get finances in order. This year the focus was on non-cash assets. Stocks and securities are always at the top of the list, but many don’t realize other assets can be donated. In fact, anything that can be appraised and sold can be presented to our gift acceptance committee. Homes or properties, automobiles, insurance, privately held stock or business interests; even certain collectibles can be one of these unique assets used. This not only allows you to support a cause, it also provides tax advantages like avoiding capital gains tax along with reducing your overall tax liability—not just income tax, but capital gains tax and even potential estate tax exposure for your heirs. The benefit of working with the DJCF is that the foundation is equipped to accept and liquidate these assets, as many agencies do not have the expertise or bandwidth necessary to do so. We are proud to partner with agencies and our fundholders to ensure they have a lasting impact on the nonprofits they love.
The underlying theme? Dallas continues to grow and evolve, but the Jewish community remains deeply committed to our values of L’dor v’dor and Tikkun Olam. Each new generation recalls the legacy of those who came before us, finding hope in the promise of renewing our connections with each other and with our neighbors.
New Disbursement Option Now Available for Grantees
We’re excited to share that the Dallas Jewish Community Foundation is now offering a faster, more secure way for your grantees to receive their grant payments through our new disbursement partner, Chariot.
This new option enhances the grant experience for nonprofits by offering:
• Faster Payments – Once a grant is approved, funds are delivered electronically to the grantee’s Chariot deposit account. No more waiting for checks in the mail.
• Increased Security – Electronic transfers significantly reduce the risk of check fraud, offering a safer way to disburse funds.
• Simplified Processing – Grant information and funds arrive together, making it easier for nonprofits to track and manage their donations.
Grantees can choose to set up a Chariot deposit account for electronic deposits or continue receiving checks, the choice is theirs.
This upgrade is part of our ongoing commitment to improving the grantmaking experience for both fundholders and nonprofit partners.
Who Are The Marcuses? Screening in Dallas
We are proud to partner with Americans for Ben-Gurion University (A4BGU) for a special screening of Who Are The Marcuses?
The Legacy Midtown Park
8240 Manderville Ln | Dallas, TX 75231
Sunday, November 9, 2025 | 7:30 PM
Israel Now Forum
Join us for a comprehensive program designed to inspire and educate the greater Dallas Ft. Worth community about the State of Israel.
DJCF/SWCF 2025 Annual Meeting
The Foundation invites you to a special evening honoring our fundholders, celebrating community leadership and the spirit of generosity.
Why Attend?
- Welcome our incoming trustees and celebrate the strength of our community
- Reflect on the powerful impact we’ve made together in the past year
- Be inspired by our distinguished guest speaker, Mark Gerson – acclaimed entrepreneur, philanthropist, and author
Mark will share transformative insights from Chapter 27 of his latest book, God Was Right, exploring the Torah’s wisdom and the science behind charitable giving, including how generosity can lead to abundance. This promises to be a meaningful and thought-provoking evening. We hope you’ll join us.
Temple Emanu-El
8500 Hillcrest Rd | Dallas, TX 75225
Thursday, December 9, 2025
Program at 5:30 PM
Reception at 6:30 PM
Jewish Future Promise
You may have heard us talking about the Jewish Future Promise. You can learn more about it on our website, but don’t take it from us! Check out this op-ed from JFP’s CEO, Hadara Ishak, on how this moment is an exciting time to plan for a strong and vibrant Jewish future — and how we each can play a part.
Employee Spotlight: Mary Vaughan
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