Jewish Journal Creates Endowment Fund by Michael Wittner JOURNAL STAFF
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FEBRUARY 21, 2019 – 16 ADAR 5779 JEWISHVOL 43, NO 14 JOURNALJEWISHJOURNAL.ORG Jewish Journal creates endowment fund By Michael Wittner JOURNAL STAFF The Jewish Journal, the largest free Jewish publication in New England, has established an endowment to ensure its future. The newspaper plans to raise $500,000 in the next five years. “As a community and as stewards of this paper, we must make sure that this publication will continue to link Greater Boston Jewry,” said Steven Temple Emanu-El of Marblehead has a $2 million renovation fund. A. Rosenberg, the Journal’s publisher and editor. Bob Rose, a former president of the North Shore Jewish institutions Journal’s Board of Overseers, believes the Journal will find creative ways Neil Donnenfeld, president of the to navigate the ever-changing land- Jewish Journal Board of Overseers investing for the future scape for small community news- made a pledge to put $10,000 in my papers. That is why he and his wife estate planning for this fund, is that I By Michael Wittner Synagogues and Money.” However, Judson Martha donated $20,000 to start the don’t know what the future’s going to JOURNAL STAFF noted that in recent years, synagogues – like Jewish Journal Continuity Fund, an bring,” said Donnenfeld. many other nonprofits – have set up funds in endowment fund that will allow the “I want future boards to inherit a The Talmud advises that a person should hopes of emulating the incredible success of Journal to grow. financially sound organization that “divide his money into three: one third in university endowments, which can amass to “You have to find a way to try not only has working capital for day- land, one third in commerce, and one third billions of dollars. things, to experiment with things. to-day expenses, but also has robust at hand.” Centuries later, North Shore syna- “Institutions establish endowments for a That is what this fund is for,” said financial cushioning to ride out any gogues and Jewish institutions are listening variety of reasons,” said Marty Schneer, the Rose, a retired MIT professor. “It is unexpected things that may come to the sages by setting aside funds in endow- executive director of the Jewish Community essentially an evolutionary vehicle up. We live in a world of disruption. ments and other reserves. Center of the North Shore in Marblehead, – it’s a tool for survival and growth. I want the paper and the people who Endowments, to which synagogues pool which boasts a nearly $4 million endow- It needs to finance and enable the are leading it to have the flexibility a large sum of money and use the income ment. “The main goal is to establish an ongo- Journal to try things.” to, in a methodical fashion, be able generated for a specified purpose, have exist- ing revenue stream from interest to support Journal Board President Neil to fund the Journal on its mission of ed in some form since at least 1820, when the agency during economic downturns, and Donnenfeld, who set aside $10,000 connecting the community without Abraham Touro set up a trust in his will allo- to in some cases fund certain programs.” in his will for the Jewish Journal major disruption.” cating $15,000 ($256,466 in today’s money) to North Shore synagogues began starting Continuity Fund, believes that this There are several ways to contrib- the Touro Synagogue of Newport, R.I. Until such funds around 15 years ago. Dr. Phil new endeavor is important because it ute to the Jewish Journal Continuity recently, endowments were mostly limited Cutter, a retired psychiatrist from Rockport will allow the Journal to weather what- Fund: mandated IRA distributions, to large and wealthy synagogues, according and the former president of Temple Ahavat ever storms may come. “The reason life insurance policies, naming the to Rabbi Daniel Judson, author of “Pennies Achim in Gloucester, said that before his why the Jewish Journal Continuity fund in a will – or simply writing for Heaven: The History of American continued on page 21 Fund is so important, and why I’ve continued on page 23 New Consul General of Israel feels welcome in Boston By Penny Schwartz Israel’s foreign ministry, Boker has held big sports fan. His passion is for basket- JOURNAL CORRESPONDENT diplomatic positions across Europe. ball. In his younger days, he was an avid He served as Israel’s first resident player on the kibbutz where he grew up. BOSTON – Come Saint Patrick’s Day, Ambassador to Slovakia and was deputy “I would naturally go to a Celtics parade,” don’t be surprised to find the new Consul chief of mission in embassies in the for- he said with a chuckle. General of Israel to New England at one mer Czechoslovakia and the Netherlands. As consul general, Boker is particularly of Boston’s events celebrating the popu- He welcomes his newest position in interested in bolstering relations in the lar Irish holiday. Before stepping into his Boston. “When you come here, you are medical and academic fields. In meeting new role last October, Consul General surrounded by friends,” he said, noting with the heads of some of the city’s large Ze’ev Boker served for three years as there are relationships in fields rang- hospitals, he was struck that most had Israel’s ambassador to Ireland. ing from the economy to innovation visited Israel. He’s been impressed with the high and technology. “There is a very strong Boker also sees greater potential in level of cooperation between Boston’s Jewish community here, which is also a digital health, in part by bringing together Jewish and Irish communities, he said. very active one. The sense of together- hospital executives and leaders in medi- The New England Consulate is the first ness, for the benefits of the relation- cal innovation with their Israeli counter- US assignment for the 60-year-old Boker, ship between Israel and Boston, is very parts. he told the Journal in a recent conver- unique.” Among the pressing diplomatic sation not long after the New England He’s already made introductory visits responsibilities is sharing Israel’s per- Patriots’ Super Bowl victory parade made across the region, including Connecticut. spective on the Middle East with the its way past the consulate’s Park Square He is impressed with the scenic and cul- Photo by Penny Schwartz area’s elected leaders as well as the media office. tural sites that he had visited only a few Ze’ev Boker, Consul General of Israel to and the general public. This includes the In his three-decades-long career in times as a tourist. And yes, Boker is a New England continued on page 10 The Jewish Journal is a nonprofit newspaper supported by generous readers, committed advertisers and charitable organizations. Email [email protected]. 2 THE JEWISH JOURNAL – JEWISHJOURNAL.ORG – FEBRUARY 21, 2019 COMMUNITY NEWS Marblehead teens form Advocates for Israel group By Michael Wittner experiences, and what we want army just out of high school, JOURNAL STAFF to hear is both sides of the story but they said they were proud and understand what’s happen- to do it, and it was something MARBLEHEAD – Israel usu- ing.” they were looking forward to,” ally leaves a profound effect The group has invited a speak- said Zamansky. The Marblehead on people visiting for the first er from StandWithUs, a pro- students noted that while in time. Marblehead High School Israel nonprofit, and listened to Israel, they had made friends junior Adam Zamansky, who vis- two Israeli teens who are spend- with Israeli teens, and they still ited in July as part of the Lappin ing their gap year between high communicate nearly every day, Foundation’s Youth to Israel pro- school and army service living comparing classes and talk- gram, left wanting to spread the in Marblehead and traveling to ing about other things such as word. schools talking about their lives the respective requirements for “Going to Israel changed in Israel. The conversation was driver’s licenses in both coun- my life, and I didn’t want it to Maria Ntourlia, Northeast High School Coordinator of StandWithUs, largely apolitical: it focused on tries. end when I got home,” said meets with Marblehead High School’s Advocates for Israel Club. universal experiences shared by Whatever the topic of the Zamansky. “It made such a huge aren’t necessarily Jewish on how Still, Mogolesko maintains teens everywhere. week, Zamansky hopes the impact on me … and I know it to deal with information that that Advocates for Israel is an “They mostly talked about group will help his peers develop did for so many other people gets spun in the media.” Israel education group, rather their experiences as a teenag- informed opinions on an impor- that went on the trip with me, so Even in a high school with than an explicitly political pro- er,” said Gregory. “They talked tant topic. “I think it’s a major, I wanted to keep that going, and many Jewish students, anti- Israel advocacy one. “It’s about about their high school and how modern world problem, and make a club for it at my school.” Semitism and anti-Israel bias knowledge – it’s not showing they can major in classes at high people can’t have strong opin- He did just that. Once a sometimes creeps up. “There are that you should be for Israel or school, and they also talked ions if they have no idea what’s month, Zamansky’s Advocates definitely issues of it happening against it – I think it’s knowl- about how they could go abroad going on,” he said.