Create Your Jewish Legacy
we have all stood on someone's shoulders
We all strive to leave the world a better place—through our children, our good deeds, and our generosity.
What will you do this year that will outlast you? Fulfill the promise so future generations will say of us: "The world is a better place because, for a brief time, they lived in it."
With a legacy gift, your impact can continue beyond your lifetime. In a hundred years, you can still be changing lives. This could be the most important gift you ever make.
Click on the button below to get started today!
Anybody can do it.
Anybody can make a legacy gift, regardless of age or financial circumstances, and your gift can be customized to fit your goals and needs.
It's easy to do.
- Include a simple bequest in your will
- Make a designation from your life insurance policy, IRA, or retirement plan
- Give an outright gift
- Create a charitable trust
- Direct a grant from your donor-advised fund or foundation
Continuing their generosity by establishing a Legacy Gift...
Create Your Jewish Legacy is a partnership between Jewish Federation of Cincinnati and local agencies and congregations that helps ensure a strong Jewish community for future generations. The ultimate goal is for every local Jewish organization to have a significant endowment. This allows them to continue their important mission, by serving our community with vital and innovative programming and services.
We would like to thank the following people for strengthening the future of Jewish Family Service with their Create Your Jewish Legacy gift—and for letting us share their stories. Their gifts will preserve the thriving community they have helped shape, and also ensure that Jewish Family Service be helping those in need for many years to come.
Thank you to Mark and Robin Miller!
“My parents were always generous and charitable so being a leader in our community and being generous seems natural to me. Helping out year to year is necessary, but providing a gift that will make an impact for years to come is very satisfying. It’s great knowing that our hard work and success can be shared with the community while still providing for our family. Robin and I have been very blessed and we are fortunate to be able participate in legacy giving.”
–Mark Miller
Thank you to Fred and Patti Heldman!
"Over the years thousands of lives have been assisted, improved and positively impacted by the services of JFS from families with babies to our aging seniors. JFS has helped individuals to become self-sufficient, and find the best resources in a nurturing and supportive way. Without the services of JFS many, many people would be underserved.
"I believe that my CYJL legacy will be utilized well at JFS because the supportive services will continue to be vitally needed for future generations. This community has been good to me. It’s my responsibility to help change, improve and be a steward in our fantastic community. We need to take good care of ourselves and each other in the best way possible that we are able to do; that is Tikkun Olam."
— Patti Heldman
Thank you to Stephan D. Weiss!
"A consequence of my father's death when I was seven years old was that I became acutely aware of the emotional effects of traumatic events and transitions upon family life. For that reason, Jewish Family Service's mission to strengthen lives in times of need resonates with me.
"Later, as a recipient of my graduate school fellowship support, I was afforded the opportunity to pursue my career as a psychologist.
"I hope that my legacy gift to Jewish Family Service will contribute to its mission of professional career development for its staff.
"It gives me great satisfaction to 'give back' through my Legacy gift by enabling the delivery of quality service to clients who require the services of Jewish Family Service."
— Stephan D. Weiss, PhD
Thank you to Dick and Mona Kerstine!
Dick and Mona Kerstine appreciate the values of their ancestors passed on to them. “We have a huge heritage, with which we feel comes responsibility. And to fulfill that responsibility requires involvement. Either personal or legacy involvement,” said Dick.
“I hope my grandchildren and great grandchildren will know how proud they can be of their ancestors. My father used to say that Jews have to take care of one another,” added Mona.
Dick said they made a Jewish legacy commitment to Jewish Family Service and other Cincinnati Jewish organizations so they can send a message to their 7 grandchildren and future great-grandchildren, “I’m glad there’s a Judaism that is still present for you…that you can still practice…that you can still identify with.”
— Dick & Mona Kerstine
Thank you to these supporters whose generous commitment will sustain our mission now and into the future as members of the Jewish Family Service Legacy Society:
In honor of Tony Alper*
John Acklen and Melissa Acklen
Judith Ann Adams
Judith Aronoff
Marcie and Nathan Bachrach
Kitzi and Bruce Baker
Mark and Marsha Barsman
Sara and Richard Behrman
Stan Berman*
Susan Brenner and Steven Mombach
Julie and Barry Brook
Charles and Kelly Bernstein
Bob and Irene Block*
Cathy Bowers
The Fine Paris Fund Given by Miriam Bresler Warshaur Cohen
Fran and Craig Coleman
Malcolm and Adell Coleman*
Trudy and Robert Craig
Amy Diamond
Bonnie and Darryl Dick
Dr. Murray and Anita Dock
Deborah Eckert-Rubinstein
Hugo Eichelberg*
Alyce and Joel Ellison
Roy and Fannie Adams*
Ross and Jan Evans
Dr. Ellen W. Feld
Diana and Henry Fenichel
Adrianne W and Richard A Freiberg
Sue Friedlander*
Roslyn Friedman
William Goldberg and Suzy Marcus-Goldberg
Carrie and Ken Goldhoff
Jeff and Laura Goldstein
Rebecca and Howard Goldwasser
Karen and Richard Goodman
Kurt and Joanne Grossman
Mr. Jeffrey Haas
Stuart* and Roberta Handwerger
David Harris
Joyce* and Paul Heiman
Fred and Patti Heldman
Beth and Brian Hertzman
Marty and Sally Hiudt
Jon Hoffheimer
Joanie and Jerry Horwitz*
Scott and Patricia Joseph
Josh and Tracy Juran
Larry and Kim Juran
Meryl and Steve Juran
Howard and Stephanie Kaplan
Mona and Dick Kerstine
Marjorie Knodle
Dr. Hamilton and Debbie Lempert
Andrea Levenson Young and Scott Young
Gloria and Alvin* Lipson
Randy and Bonnie Loftspring
Jacqueline Mervis Mack
Meyers Family
Lisa and Jonathan Mezibov
Leslie and Kenneth Miller
Mark and Robin Miller
Ann K. Mulvey*
Joy S. and Thomas Nadler
Lev and Margaret Orlov
Nina and Edward Paul
Julie Payton and Alison Margello
Arnold P. and Eleanor G. Payton*
Bob and Wendy Pelberg
Penny and Myles Pensak
Alice W. Perlman
Joel and Marisa Phillips
Nancy and Charlie Postow
Jay* and Sue Price
Dan Rapp
Jenny Rasnick
Leslie and Bernard Reiss
Barbara Rosen
Dick and Kitty Rosenthal
Ari and Deborah Rubinoff
Julie Jacobson-Ruby and Kenn Ruby
Lauren Scharf
Anita and Henry Schneider
Beth Schwartz and Gene Smiley
Irvin* and Ida Schwartz
Susan Shorr and Dennis Mittman
Andrew and Sally Shott
Simply Giving
Gary and Leah Smith
Paul Spitz
Stacey and Izar Spivak
Debra and Michael Steinbuch
The Corky and Ellen* Steiner Family
John and Merrie Stillpass
Josephine G. Stillpass
Barbara Sutter*
Liz and Jordan Vogel
Nancy S. Warren
Mr. and Mrs.* Robert A. Weil
Richard and Marcia Weiland*
Amy Susskind Weiskopf
Stephan D. Weiss, PhD
David and Nancy Wolf
Alan* and Louise Wolf
Max Yamson and Elida Kamine Yamson
Fred Zorndorf*
Helen and Sanford Zussman
Anonymous (14)
Names in bold text have formalized their legacy commitment.
An asterisk next to an individual's name indicates this person has passed away.