The Future is Very Bright for JCLP
– Sam Bernstine, Board Chair During the past two years in my role as Chair of the JCLP Board, I have truly been blessed. A good Jewish friend of mine, Judge J. Q. Salmon—who has since passed away—once reminded me, “Sam, it’s amazing what you can accomplish in this world if you don’t care who […]
Sunset, Sunrise
Rob Goldberg In late March, the Buffalo Jewish community welcomed Kansas City playwright Victor Wishna, whose play Tree of Life tells the story of a small Jewish community in Iowa grappling with the closure of its historic synagogue. Though fictionalized, the story is rooted in real experience. The Jewish Community Legacy Project (JCLP) worked with […]
Energizing a Small Congregation
by Ann Tettlebaum Temple Beth El of Jefferson City, Missouri, was founded in 1883. Twenty-two years later, in 1905, the once thriving congregation had only four members. By 1920, there were only three members. Yet this small Jewish congregation witnessed a growth in membership with the influx of eastern European immigrants. It was with this history of changing membership […]
The Power of Planning
How to protect your community’s cemeteries by David Hoguet Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Cincinnati (JCGC) was formed in 2008 on the heels of a 10-year community effort to put all of the cemeteries in Cincinnati and Hamilton, Ohio under one roof. Of the 26 cemeteries in the community, located on sevendiscrete properties, 23 joined. One of […]
Understanding Donative Intent
How to protect your community’s legacy by Jackie Jacobs Cy Pres is a legal precedent governing the disposition of assets when a charity is dissolved, or if for some reason, donative intent can’t be honored. Perhaps the need no longer exists. In such cases, the next closest related use must be identified. Authors Georgia Lockhart, Austin […]
Bridging Divides, Giving New Life: Sacred Objects Connect Communities and Our Military
Shalom everyone, Chaplain (CPT) / Rabbi Scott Klein here, serving with the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg. In my role, I have the distinct honor of supporting the spiritual and religious needs of our brave Jewish service members. My connection to the broader Jewish community, and my work with fellow chaplains, has illuminated a […]
Small Jewish Congregations & Small Jewish Communities Benefit From JCLP
New Fiscal Year Planning – Sam Bernstine, JCLP Board Chair The father of time management, Ben Franklin once said, “If You Fail to Plan, You Are Planning To Fail.” The Jewish Community Legacy Project continues to mature and grow in a highly successful manner because of our plan to be flexible, agile, and relevant to […]
From Niagara Falls to Jerusalem: The Tale of a Torah
By Elliot B. Karp The role of a Jewish Federation CEO is varied and multifaceted as we work with many community members in an effort to be responsive to Jewish needs locally, nationally, globally and in Israel. Our work oftentimes begins with a simple phone call looking for help, assistance and support. This story started […]
Besherit Moments
-Rob Goldberg I joined the JCLP professional team last November with great anticipation. For much of my entire professional life, I’ve intersected with small Jewish communities such as those on college campuses when I worked for Hillel International. I currently serve as the President of the Bryant University Hillel Council, a board that oversees Jewish […]
A Dream in a Field
One of my favorite movies (I’ve seen it at least four times) is “Field of Dreams.” In it a farmer is haunted by voices telling him “If you build it, he will come” and “Go the distance.” Most of you know the story (if not, a spoiler alert for what follows): he builds a […]