Make a Will Month is a nationwide initiative encouraging individuals to create or update their wills, ensuring their wishes are honored and their legacies preserved. This initiative spans across the professional advising landscape, urging everyone to take action in planning their estates.
For the Jewish community, Make a Will Month represents an important opportunity to underscore the significance of leaving a lasting legacy. Through the Life & Legacy® program, Federation highlights various ways our community members can support Jewish institutions and causes they care about, ensuring that these values and traditions are carried forward.
Including the Jewish community in a will allows individuals to contribute to the ongoing support and development of organizations that are meaningful to them.
Mike Leven, Founder of Jewish Future Promise, shared his reflections at the Atlanta Jewish Foundation’s 2024 Grow a Legacy event: “This is what I grew up with; when I had pennies in my pocket, I put them in this [Tzedakah] box. Every Friday afternoon, around three o’clock, someone would come to our door with a sack, collect the box, and give us a new one. But the truth is, we’re all doing this, even without the box. The people in this room are all committed Jewish individuals. We need to continue this practice and ensure our future generations carry it on.”
The Life & Legacy program simplifies the process by allowing anyone to make commitments to multiple organizations in one place, eliminating the need to approach each one individually. This can include synagogues, schools, community service agencies, or any Jewish institutions that have made a significant impact.
Benefits of Leaving a Legacy:
- Ensuring Future Support: Contributions help secure the necessary funding to sustain the Jewish community and its values for future generations.
- Promoting Jewish Values: Publicly committing to leaving a legacy encourages younger generations to embrace Tzedakah (charity) and community support.
- Personal Impact: Individuals have the flexibility to direct funding to organizations that matter most to them, whether it’s a synagogue, a Jewish camp, PJ Library, or another cherished cause.
By participating in Make a Will Month and including the Jewish community in a will, individuals help preserve and promote the rich traditions and values that define the Jewish community. Federation aims to ensure that future generations continue to thrive with the support of Jewish institutions.
Learn more about Jewish Future Promise or contact the Atlanta Jewish Foundation to get started.
