A Gift For You, Courtesy of... February 2020 | Tevet-Shevat 5780 United Jewish Federation Volume 22, Number 9 THE NEW JEWISH VOICE A PUBLICATION OF UNITED JEWISH FEDERATION Walter Shuchatowitz, z”l: UJF Selected for Grinspoon A Visionary and Guiding Soul ‘Life & Legacy’ Program (Courtesy of Bi-Cultural Hebrew Academy) (Courtesy of UJF) United Jewish Fed- ter-lifetime giving to benefit local Jewish Walter Shuchatowitz, founder and founding eration is excited to announce that it has organizations. The Grinspoon Foundation principal of Bi-Cultural Hebrew Academy in been selected to partner with 10 other lo- sought to answer the question: “Can Jew- Stamford, died Nov. 27. He was 92. cal community Jewish organizations as ish communities be motivated to become In 1956, Mr. Shuchatowitz — affection- part of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation’s proactive in encouraging widespread leg- ately known as “Mr. S.” —founded Bi-Cultur- LIFE & LEGACY® program. Together with acy giving?” Through LIFE & LEGACY, al Day School (now Bi-Cultural Hebrew Acad- these other agencies, UJF will be working they have found a way and the program emy), a dual curriculum Jewish school for to establish a culture of legacy giving in the provides the tools necessary for organiza- grades pre-K through 8. Stamford, New Canaan and Darien com- tions to encourage and secure these gifts. He served as the school’s principal for munities. The program, which officially launch- 50 years, retiring in 2005, but he remained a Philanthropist Harold Grinspoon es- es on February 1, provides the structure, member of the school’s board of incorporators Mr. S. tablished LIFE & LEGACY, a national ef- training, mentoring, workshops, and even and was actively involved in the 2018 merg- fort, eight years ago. The program as- er of Bi-Cultural Day School with the Jewish earned a degree in Judaic Studies. Dr. Churgin sists Jewish communities in promoting af- CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 High School of Connecticut to form Bi-Cul- lamented that not enough graduates were en- tural Hebrew Academy (BCHA), the first tering the field of Jewish education. K-12th grade Jewish day school in Connect- And so, Mr. Shuchatowitz postponed his Chevra Kadisha Dinner to Remember icut. career in law. Instead, he began his career in “It was his dream to give kids a Jewish edu- Jewish education in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylva- cation that would last; to light that spark with- nia. Seven years later, he arrived in Stamford Tamar Gershberg and Flossy Fischel in them that would give them a love of Juda- to start a Hebrew school at Congregation Agu- Rabbi Ethan Tucker to Speak ism,” said BCHA President David Pitkoff, the dath Sholom. U.S. Senator Joseph Lieberman parent of Bi-Cultural alumni. “He built the was one of his students. BY MICHAEL FELDSTEIN school as a community day school guided by Soon after, he began efforts to open a Rabbi Ethan Tucker, the President and the principles of Modern Orthodoxy because community Jewish day school. Rosh Yeshiva (head of school) at Hadar in he felt you had to reach out to everybody and “He started Bi-Cultural with just a handful New York City, will be this year’s featured embrace the entire community. It’s been that of kids and knocked on doors to bring people speaker at the annual Stamford Chevra way ever since.” in,” said Rabbi Daniel Cohen, Agudath Sho- Kadisha annual dinner, to be held at Tem- Born June 21, 1927, Walter Shuchatow- lom’s spiritual leader, where Mr. Shuckatow- ple Beth El on Tuesday, March 3, at 5:30PM. itz was the son of Rabbi Aron and Rose Shu- itz was a longtime member. “He was tireless in His topic will be “Can Torah and Ethics Tru- chatowitz. His father was a spiritual leader in pushing hard to unlock the potential in Jew- ly Be at Odds?” the New Haven area. In 1948, he graduated ish children. [He] not only changed children’s This year’s dinner will honor the mem- from New York’s City College. He was about lives, but changed the trajectory of their fami- ory of Tamar Gershberg and Flossy Fischel, to begin law school when he met Dr. Gershon lies for generations.” z”l, both of whom passed away this past year Tamar Gershberg, z”l Flossy Fischel, z”l Churgin, dean of Teacher’s Institute at Ye- and were models of kindness in the Stam- shiva University, where he had concurrently CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 ford Jewish community. CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 2 6 7 12-13 18 19 Candle Bits UJF Annual Chanukah PJ Voices Lighting & Pieces Meeting Library & Views NO HATE, NO FEAR Over 500 people of all faiths gath- ered at Temple Beth El in Stamford for a community interfaith vigil convened by United Jewish Federation and the Inter- faith Council of Southwestern Connecti- cut. (see page 10-11) 2 THE NEW JEWISH VOICE UJF President’s Message New UJF President David Gordon gave this sermon and felt creasingly only talk to people who will agree and work with all of our institutions; to help address at the Annual Meeting of United Jewish that he had given with us. And, even in our silos, which may be our institutions bring best practices to their Federation on December 8, 2019. the best sermon our own synagogues, or our other Jewish or- institutions; and hopefully to decrease the fi- Congratulations to tonight’s honorees for of his twenty year ganizations, we are increasingly sub-siloing nancial burden to each of the institutions that their exceptional work on behalf of UJF, and a career. After the and talking to only our friends who have the has resulted from our need to defend ourselves special thanks to Ricky Arbron for three years service, the syna- same political outlook for both the U.S. and Is- against hate. of her tireless, dedicated work, and for her help gogue vice presi- rael. We need to start weaving our commu- Finally, what do I mean by strengthening in bringing me up to speed in my new role. I dent approached nal fabric back together again. We need to our institutions? As some of you know, our also want to thank our talented and indefatiga- Rabbi Goldstein be meeting each other more, sharing what we community, under the auspices of our Feder- ble CEO, Diane Sloyer, with whom I look for- and said: “Rabbi, have in common more, and respecting each ation, was accepted last month to the Grin- UJF President David ward to working closely over the next couple Gordon that was a beau- other more. For example, rather than hav- spoon Life & Legacy Program. The Life & Leg- of years. Thank you to our stalwart long-time tiful sermon. You ing only separate synagogue missions to Isra- acy Program is a four-year commitment from donors and to our new donors who are help- know that I run a radio station, and I was won- el, we need to have a community mission to our Federation and the Grinspoon Founda- ing strengthen our Jewish community through dering whether you could condense your ser- Israel (which hasn’t happened in a decade or tion to work with our agencies/institutions us- UJF. And thank you to my Mom, my moth- mon and convey to my listeners everything more) led by Federation and our Rabbis. We ing a proven step-by-step program to obtain er-in-law, my family and friends, and most of that was in the sermon in a five minute spot.” need to reinstate opportunities for our com- “legacy” or “endowment” gifts and promises all, my wonderful wife, Meryl, for everything, Rabbi Goldstein was very pleased and he said: munity to talk to each other and learn from that will strengthen our institutions for gener- including their support of me in this venture. “five minutes? I’m sure I can.” To which the each other; and I dare say to learn to like ations to come. Life & Legacy is a seven year- A quick story. Rabbi Goldstein stepped up vice president replied: “Then why didn’t you?” each other – outside the comfort of our silos. old Grinspoon Foundation partnership pro- to the bimah to deliver his Yom Kippur Kol Ni- Well, I have a half hour of material, but Those opportunities may include a morning gram with Federations that is now functional drei sermon. He had worked five weeks on it, here is the five minute version... or evening of learning where all of our rabbis, in 58 communities across our country. It has meticulously polishing it until it was perfect. In the next two years, my goals for UJF are: and other community resources such as pro- already generated close to $100M in actual en- Exactly thirty minutes later, he finished the to strengthen the fabric of our Jewish commu- fessors and teachers offer classes; where the dowments and approximately $1B in future nity, to strengthen the security of our Jewish members of our community can widen their gifts for participating agencies. Our goal will CANDLE LIGHTING TIMES community, and to strengthen the institutions horizons and be exposed to ideas and people be to have our 10 local institutions – in alpha- January 24 ................................................ 4:43 pm of our Jewish community. from outside their silos. betic order – Agudath Sholom, Beth El, BiCul- January 31 ................................................ 4:51 pm What do I mean by strengthening the fab- What do I mean by strengthening the se- tural, Chabad, the Friendship Circle, the JCC, February 7 ................................................. 5:00 pm ric of our Jewish community? What I see in curity of our Jewish community? There is no Schoke Jewish Family Services, Temple Sinai, February 14 .............................................