10/22/2025
Legacy Giving: Sharing Our Stories, Shaping Our Future
Jennifer B. Schwarz
Jennifer Schwarz | SPECIAL TO THE CJN
Article reprinted with permission from Cleveland Jewish News.
We all have our Jewish story. From generation to generation, our families have passed along the experiences they have learned from, the values they have lived by and the actions they have taken to build a better future for us, for our community and for the Jewish people. Legacy giving is a meaningful way of bringing these stories to life while investing in Jewish life for generations to come.
Legacy gifts, sometimes referred to as planned gifts or after-lifetime gifts, provide benefits to both the donors who make them and the organizations who receive them.
For donors, legacy gifts can be an important part of their estate plan. Planned gifts can offset taxes on their estate and also possibly for their heirs as well. For organizations, legacy gifts provide a reliable stream of funding that can help them plan for the future and also fund programs that the annual budget cannot support.
However, the reality is that positive tax implications are rarely the topic of conversation when donors consider making a legacy gift. Rather, each donor has the opportunity to reflect on what has provided meaning to them in their lifetime and how they want to honor their family’s unique story. They consider the organizations and programs they want to continue supporting long into the future. They reflect on what kind of community they want to build for their children and their children’s children.
Being a part of these conversations with donors is truly a privilege. For each individual, couple or family, their stories are different, but their motivations are similar. One donor remembers the impact that her daughter’s first trip to Israel had on her, so she created scholarships to support teens going to Israel. Another donor felt compelled to take action against rising antisemitism and created a fund to support education and bridge-building efforts. One couple was moved to care for Jewish seniors and to ensure there were funds for home-delivered meals for them. Other donors reached out because they were motivated by their hopes for a bright future – holding their newborn, they shared their desire for a Jewish community that continues to be strong and thriving for generations.
When donors share that they have made these commitments, they are not only telling their family’s story and passing on their values, but they are also setting an example to friends and our broader community – sometimes unknowingly inspiring others to create a gift as well. Their generosity becomes part of our larger Jewish story, inspiring a ripple effect that both uplifts those around them and positively shapes our shared future.
Legacy giving is not exclusively for those of a certain age or tax bracket. A legacy gift of any size and from a donor of any age makes a meaningful difference to the organization and to those they are supporting through their gifts. We are privileged to live in such a generous community that cares for each other now and for many years to come.
Jennifer B. Schwarz is managing director of philanthropic planning at the Jewish Federation of Cleveland in Beachwood.
