Jewish Community Foundation celebrates 40th anniversary

From left: Arnold Greenberg, Leigh Newman, Michael Suisman. Submitted.
West Hartford, CT September 2012 – More than 150 donors and friends of Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford attended a reception on September 6th at Beth El Temple to celebrate the Foundation's 40th anniversary.
The evening's activities included a video presentation by Steven Shaw Productions featuring stories from donors of multiple ages. Many reflected on what is means to them to be a philanthropist and how early family life shaped their concepts about charitable giving.

Michael Johnston, Lauren Shaw and David Miller
Michael Johnston, Foundation CEO, told donors, that "the Foundation's mission is not money. The remarkable generosity of individuals and families in this community is the foundation upon which we build our true purpose. We exist to assure the continuity of this remarkable Jewish community. . . we exist as a vehicle for our donors deepest and most heartfelt philanthropic dreams whether Jewish or secular. . . . And perhaps we exist for another purpose. All of us at one time or another look for the meaning in our lives. Often, we may find that purpose in our faith or our families or even in our work. Yet, some of us find purpose in life through philanthropy." 

Foundation Chair, David Miller sincerely thanked donors and Foundation leadership for their generosity and paid tribute to Howard Siegal, a Foundation Trustee who passed way this year.
The Jewish Community Foundation was established in 1972 with a $50,000 grant from Federation as the Endowment Fund of the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford. Today, the Foundation holds $80 million in assets and administers more than 1,100 funds on behalf of local agencies, synagogues, and donor advisors. The Foundation awarded more than $3.1 million in grants and scholarships during the 2012 fiscal year.
To learn more about the Foundation or about Jewish philanthropy in Greater Hartford, please call 860.523.7460 or visit www.jcfhartford.org.