10/15/2026
Guiding Meaningful, Engaged Family Philanthropy Rooted in Values and Legacy
Article reprinted with permission from the Cleveland Jewish News.
Mindee Fredman | SPECIAL TO THE CJN
Fredman
I have had the privilege and pleasure of working together with many families on their philanthropy over the years. One common thread I have found is that families want their giving to be meaningful and impactful. And they want to communicate the value and importance of giving to their children and grandchildren.
When a family is seeking either advice or a deeper conversation about philanthropy, an outside advisor can help the family at every stage. With young children, volunteering together and/or asking each child to suggest a donation at Chanukah can be a great place to start. For older teenagers, being included in conversations with their parents to understand which causes and organizations are important to the family can help them understand the family’s values.
When families sit down to talk about philanthropy, having an advisor around the table can help make the conversation broader and deeper than “where do you give” and “how much do you give.” These kinds of conversations can lead to the sharing of family history, personal stories, Jewish journeys and connections, gratitude to those who came before and hopes for the future.
An advisor can help to foster positive interaction and feedback. They can document and distill values and ideas that have been shared and agreed upon and reflect these ideas back into a family mission statement. Mission statements can serve as a guidepost for defining philanthropic goals, building meaningful philanthropic practices, strengthening family engagement and deepening connection to giving and impact.
Having an advisor as a resource can help families to create a forum for mutual respect and collaboration, encourage participation, uncover new angles and perspectives, find common ground, and begin collectively articulating values, vision and legacy. In addition, the advisor can help make connections that line up with family members’ interests and passions, to help affirm values and increase participation.
Families engaged in this process share the goal of becoming more strategic, engaged and fulfilled Jewish philanthropists. Experienced guidance from a philanthropic advisor can help families give with greater purpose and create lasting commitments to the causes and communities that matter most. By passing on the tradition of giving from generation to generation, this philanthropic approach not only brings meaning to families, but also provides support to organizations and causes that will strengthen our community for generations to come.
Mindee Fredman is vice president, supporting foundations at the Jewish Federation of Cleveland.
