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Our parents, Sylvia (Soloman) and Hushy Lipton both grew
up in Toronto. Their formative years were defined, as were
the lives of so many others, by the depression and the Second
World War. Although times were often hard, they were both
imbued with a spirit of hard work and philanthropy. Whatever
the appeal, donations were seldom refused. To this day, Sylvia’s
kitchen table has the appearance of a foundation office, with
all of the appeals from worthy charities piled up and sorted.
Jewish causes have always been of the utmost importance, but
many other causes were recipients of their charity throughout
the years.
One anecdote deserves to be told. Since the 1950’s Sylvia
and Hushy donated annually to a girls’ orphanage in Jerusalem.
I can remember as a child that the calendars from the orphanage
always hung in our kitchen. On a trip to Israel in the late
1970’s we presented ourselves at the front door of the
humble building. We were surprised and gratified when our
host pulled out a ledger book with mother’s name and
a list of her annual donations. It was a memorable experience
for both donors and recipients as the appreciative directors
of the institution led us on a tour of the building.
When our father, Hushy, died in 2001 it was a natural choice
to set up a fund at the Jewish Foundation that would support
annual scholarships to study in Israel. Throughout his life
Hushy valued education and Jewish causes. When he gave of
his time or money, it was always in a modest and selfless
way. Hard work and generosity were his guiding principles
and the foundation scholarship will be a part of his legacy.
The UJA Federation of Toronto and the Jewish Foundation are
tremendous organisations run by dedicated and hard-working
people. The employees and volunteers of the Federation embody
the combination of philanthropy, selflessness and Jewish causes,
which were so important to our parents. It was a natural decision
to set up this scholarship which will contribute to both Jewish
Toronto and Israel for many years.
Karen and Mark Manfield
Bonnie and Gary Lipton
Lydia and Lawrie Lipton
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