When I asked Betsy Hoos for the best reason why someone would want to make the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven their philanthropic partner, Betsy responded without hesitation: “Because one gift touches many lives.” One single gift. Regardless how small.
That simple statement has become one of the fundamental tenets of the Jewish Federations of North America. A mantra that is central to who we are, both as individuals and as a people.
This is exactly why the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven is the charitable organization my family chooses to support. Because when we give to the Jewish Federation we know we are touching numerous lives. We are helping feed New Haven’s hungry, we are helping to provide our children with a solid Jewish education, we are caring for our elderly, and we are ensuring that our Jewish communities throughout Greater New Haven, Israel and in 70 countries throughout the world remain vibrant and healthy.
With just a few dollars, we leave a legacy of giving, and we touch Jewish lives everywhere. And we aren’t the only ones.
When we talk about touching Jewish lives, we would be remiss not to talk about Amy Holtz, To be sure, there is no one who has had a more profound impact on our Federation — no one who has touched so many Jewish lives in so many different ways and with so much of her “neshama” (her soul) invested in it— than Amy.
Now, in mid-September, Amy, will leave us. She has served as our CDO and our interim-CEO for seven years, but also as our friend, our mentor, our leader, and as an engaged member of our community. Amy will be greatly missed and fondly remembered by everyone here at Federation…and well beyond.
While we are sad to see Amy depart, we are thrilled and excited to have Gayle Slossberg take over the reins as CEO. Gayle’s enthusiasm and passion for Judaism and for the Jewish people is infectious. It is with great anticipation that we look forward to working with Gayle.
As summer winds down, we have a number of events to look forward to, including our annual meeting on September 7th, at which time we will honor Amy Holtz and welcome Gayle Slossberg; the Murray Lender annual 5K Bagel Run on September 10th; and our new Jewish Aging Mastery Program. At that time, we will also share new projects and initiatives.
Most importantly, we can all be proud that in the past year, our Jewish Federation has allocated well over $1,000,000 in funds to our Tier 1 agencies and a wide variety of local organizations, as well as substantial contributions to Israel and other countries. Our work never stops as we continue our mission to speak out against antisemitism, ensure the security of our community, and enhance the lives of our people.
As we enter the Days of Awe and reflect on all our blessings, rest assured that you have all have made a significant difference in the world through your gifts to Federation!
On behalf of your Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven, I would like to extend warm wishes to you and your loved ones for a New Year of peace, health and happiness.
L’shanah Tovah, Gerry
