While making notes to myself just before I met with an attorney to establish my own trust a dozen years ago, I decided that I wanted to translate my Jewish caring into giving to this community beyond my own lifetime.

For most of my adult life, I actively worked for Jewish philanthropy while also making gifts to annual campaigns, agency needs and special appeals. But, it wasn’t until I had to compose my own will did I truly realize that the future health of an organization lies in endowments that provide future generations the flexibility to respond to changing times.

Individual women who create such gifts do not have to be wealthy, they just need to step up to the plate when it comes to making decisions about their charitable giving beyond lifetime giving.

I would like my story to be an example for other women who will make similar financial decisions for themselves.