One of the stories about my grandparents was how, despite being poor themselves, they often helped children on the block from even poorer families and provided soup to those in need. Tzedakah was important and loose change was always finding its way into my father’s little pushka.

As an adolescent, I was passionately interested in moving to Israel. We “poo pooed” those who gave money instead of giving their minds and bodies over to Zionism. Now, I am one of those people giving money. It’s quite simple – when you are young and have time, labor is more valuable. However, as we age, we can still contribute meaningfully to causes to change lives for the better. Giving to organizations and causes close to your heart is one of the ways a person can leave this world with a peaceful heart. For my wife and I, that means creating a legacy to “pay it forward” to organizations that profoundly impacted our lives. For me, that means contributing to major Zionist causes, such as Birthright Israel, which helps Israel, but also profoundly impacts young adults outside Israel, such as my sons, who had deep and lasting impressions from their Birthright trips. It is also important for us to support Jews locally, because it is so easy to get lost in the mainstream culture. For us, this means contributing to our wonderful synagogue Ner Tamid, an excellent example of a congregation that has found a way to be open minded without compromising Jewish values, thoughts and traditions.

My wife and I would agree that women in our society need encouragement to pursue their goals, both personal and professional. My wife, being an executive scientist, rightfully believes that she must pass the torch to the younger generation of women in science. We are jointly committed to funding scholarships for women in science and supporting organizations that encourage girls to enter STEM-related fields.