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| ATLANTA JEWISH FOUNDATION | FEBRUARY 2020
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Balser Symposium 2020:
How NextGen Donors Are
Revolutionizing Giving
Sharna Goldseker learned at an early age that her great uncle had stewarded her immigrant grandfather’s real estate fortune into a charitable family foundation, and that someday she would serve on its board of directors. As a young philanthropist Goldseker felt privileged to shoulder the weighty responsibilities of charitable giving, but she also felt unworthy. “I wanted to earn the right to my seat at the table,” she said in her keynote presentation at the 14th Annual Balser Symposium, “At the same time, I didn’t want to feel paralyzed by privilege or the vast possibilities of how to share this wealth.”
That attitude, typical of her generation, launched Goldseker on a path of personal and professional discovery. Working in the nonprofit sector for more than two decades, she has become a leading expert in intergenerational philanthropy and America’s $59 trillion wealth transfer. It led her to become the founder of 21/64, a consultancy helping families chart ways to pass on their wealth and engage their children in philanthropy. Her book, Generation Impact, How Next Gen Donors are Revolutionizing Giving — co-authored with Michael Moody — outlines the vastly different generational experiences and perspectives that motivate personal philanthropy.
Our Balser Symposium panel of intergenerational Atlanta families, The Garretts and the Franks, brought Goldseker’s presentation into focus and proved that we are living a unique time when as many as five generations in a single family — from Traditionalists to Gen-Z — now wrestle with how and where to give their time and treasure.
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When Campers Pay Forward the Joy of Jewish Camp
By Jason Hyman
Overnight Jewish summer camp has always been a magical place for my son Dylan, so he was thrilled when his oldest camp friend, Max Dinerman, asked him to share their bar mitzvahs at Camp Barney Medintz. And when it came to finding ways to give back to the community, Dylan jumped at the opportunity to pay the joy forward in a way that was both personally meaningful and allowed him to see first-hand the impact his donation would have. So, shortly after the fabulous weekend, Dylan chose to donate a portion of his bar mitzvah gifts to Federation's overnight camp initiative which supports One Happy Camper incentive grants for first time campers, and needs-based scholarships.
It’s powerful when our kids discover the importance and impact of giving, and we’re seeing a growing trend of teens helping out their peers by raising funds for bar/bat mitzvah projects or donating a portion of their gifts to overnight camping scholarship funds. No one understands that connection better than actual campers! For Dylan and others, initial gifts have continued with smaller donations in subsequent years. Long after the memories of the celebration have faded, the knowledge that they helped bring the joy of camp to others is a feeling that lasts a lifetime.
Kids and families have wonderful options to support scholarships to Jewish Camp. They can donate to Federation’s Start a Campfire campaign and many families set up donor-advised funds (DAF’s) through Atlanta Jewish Foundation to include camp in their philanthropic portfolios. Several families have also set up endowments to support Jewish camping. All are great ways to keep up the habit of giving and to make the camp experience available to more and more kids. Contact Christy Eckoff to set up the donation option that’s best for you!
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DID YOU KNOW:
We Understand Illiquid Assets!
Nearly half of U.S. corporations are classified as S-Corporations, with assets of over $3 trillion. However, these assets are illiquid. For many potential donors, it’s hard to find charitable organizations that encourage the donation of illiquid wealth such as closely held shares (S-Corp and C-Corp), limited partnerships, and limited liability corporations (LLC).
Some charitable organizations are unwilling to accept these assets because they don’t understand how to convert it into usable cash. Many donor-advised fund administrators are also unwilling to handle illiquid gifts because they have no experience with the complexity involved. Atlanta Jewish Foundation has the experience and ability to map out the process for donors and their financial advisors to achieve the best tax savings available using illiquid assets. Call Christy Eckoff at 404-870-1608 and start a conversation!
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Jewish Value of the Month:
You Shall Teach Your Children
Embedded in the Sh’ma, (Hear, Israel!)
the central declaration of faith in Judaism, are the words: V'shinan'tam l'vanekha v'dibar'ta bam
And these words that I command you today shall be in your heart.
And you shall teach them diligently to your children, and you shall speak of them when you sit at home, and when you walk along the way, and when you lie down and when you rise up.
These words underscore the tremendous emphasis that Judaism places on Jewish learning and the obligation to teach Torah values to our children. The imperative to support Jewish learning has driven Jewish philanthropy for ages.
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DAF Holders Support Jewish Education
Atlanta abounds in opportunities to support Jewish learning. Our DAF holders have been generous supporters of all our Jewish Day Schools:
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| Atlanta Jewish Foundation sponsors a robust donor-advised fund program for those wishing to manage their philanthropy and leverage the tax benefits of charitable giving while benefiting the community. For more information about how Donor-Advised Funds work, watch a video, download the guidebook, and fill out an application. In addition to donor-advised Funds, Atlanta Jewish Foundation enables donors to maximize the impact of their generosity through a variety of planned gifts.
My Jewish Future Pledge is another way to shape your legacy. My Jewish Future Pledge is a national movement that asks donors to commit at least 50% of their assets intended for charitable purposes to strengthen the Jewish people and/or the State of Israel. Let AJF help you actualize your pledge.
LIFE & LEGACY ® is a capacity building partnership program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation that provides training, support and monetary incentives to move organizations to secure meaningful after-lifetime legacy gifts. This program creates a strong partnership between the Atlanta Jewish Foundation and our local Jewish community agencies, synagogues and day schools.
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