They share about the upcoming Maccabi Games in San Diego, their own personal roles in philanthropy, and the power of reflection.

Every Friday night, Amy and Adam Jacobs light the Shabbat candles with their baby daughter Aylana and use that moment to pause and reflect on the week. Their shared practice of regular reflection, guides them in their many leadership roles – including at this summer’s San Diego JCC Maccabi Games – and in their philanthropy as JCF Donor Advised Fund holders.

While Amy and Adam grew up in different environments, they share similar values. Amy was raised in a relatively modest setting in Edmonton, Canada, while Adam grew up in San Diego and is the son of Jerri-Ann and Gary Jacobs and grandson of Joan and Irwin Jacobs, who co-founded Qualcomm. But giving back was equally important to both families, and Amy and Adam make it a priority to work together on their philanthropy.

Fully aware of the fortunate hand they’ve been dealt, Adam and Amy want to inspire their peers to get involved and give back in any way they can, whether financially, through volunteering, or otherwise. This may be why the couple are such good representatives for the JCC Maccabi Games, which start July 31st and will bring together 1,500 Jewish teenagers from all over the world for a week of athletic competition, social interaction, and community service. Adam is a Co-Chair of the entire Games (he is also a Board Member and Treasurer of the JCC) and Amy is Co-Chair of the JCC Cares Program, where the local and visiting athletes along with their host families participate in community service projects throughout San Diego during the Games when they are not competing.

Their passion for athletics also makes them perfect ambassadors for the Games. Adam was a participant, coach, delegation head, and now co-chair. He then went on to be the captain of the Cornell University baseball team and to play professionally; while Amy played competitive soccer and volleyball until she moved to the USA. Adam loves the Maccabi Games because the teens “learn life lessons through the lens of sports, such as confidence, teamwork and that failure is okay as it is an opportunity to learn and grow.” And that “the friendships and connections made during the games last long after they forget if they won gold, silver, or bronze.” The couple also recognize that the Games are a great way to connect people who are not otherwise Jewishly involved – the “social aspect and community engagement” is very important as we will mobilize over 10,000 community members to put this experience on.

The power of reflection came to Adam through sports too. Adam learned that in baseball, “whether you win or lose, it’s important to learn from it, reflect, and then move on.” And Taslich, which Amy discovered during her conversion process with Rabbi Avi Libman of Congregation Beth El, became one of Amy’s favorite rituals for its opportunity to cast reflection on the year that just passed.

In addition to the Maccabi Games and JCC, Adam is heavily involved with Jewish Family Services, the Jewish Federation, JCF, San Diego Hillel and Congregation Beth El. Additionally, he will be the next chair of the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce and is the chair and co-founder of the Carlsbad Young Professionals Group. He co-founded and owns Fortis Fitness & YOGALUX and has now started a new consulting and asset management business, The Jacobs Scheriff Group, that helps companies grow that will positively impact society.

Amy is currently taking a hiatis from the professional world to do the most important job of all: raise their 4 month old daughter.

Amy and Adam support many initiatives because of what Amy described as giving an “informed yes” to as much as possible: “You have way more interesting experiences” by having a bias to saying yes to participate in as many carefully considered opportunities as possible. One philanthropic opportunity the Jacobs recently said “yes” to was the giv4 homelessness in san diego fund. This new initiative of the Jewish Community Foundation makes donating to complex issues like homelessness much less daunting. “A lot of people, especially our peers haven’t been exposed to philanthropy and don’t even know where to start,” said Adam, which is where a curated philanthropy model can help people grow their understanding of the issue.

While Amy and Adam like to say “yes,” they have one rule when they’re asked to support a cause – be upfront about the purpose and intention of your meeting. Sound simple? They’re always on the go, so you will have to catch them first.