Our strong Jewish feelings about tzedakah started with my father, Frank Winicki. He lost his family in the Holocaust, except for two nieces.
He was a strong Zionist in support of Israel. Each of our furniture stores sent $5000 a month to Israel; we even bought an Israeli car. When Israel became a state, my father had a big celebration with a party.
As the years passed our focus turned to our elderly Jewish community, starting with the Hebrew Home for the Aged. Our parents were founders of the home. Today it is the beautiful Seacrest Foundation. Frank and I served on UJF Boards.
We have learned that it is not what you gather but what you scatter that matters.