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Like my mother, I was born and raised in Montreal. My dad
was a Holocaust survivor - something he rarely spoke of, but
it affected him throughout his life. My parents always gave
what they could financially and raised my brother and me with
strong Jewish values, particularly caring for others.
It was my grandparents who had the greatest Jewish influence
on me. To them everything was about Israel and the Jewish
people. I see that most now, looking back, and it's made me
realize just how important legacy is. At 17 I made my first
trip to Israel — a life-changing experience that made
Judaism even more important to me.
In 1977, I married my husband, Jay, and moved to his hometown
of Toronto. It was a difficult transition at first, but once
we had our daughter and son, I became involved in their schools
and we joined Temple Sinai, which has had a tremendous influence
on my life. I didn't have a lot of Jewish knowledge, but I
love to learn, so I started taking courses. One day I wrote
a letter to the Temple board and the next thing I knew, I
was on a committee! Today, I'm very involved in the Reform
movement internationally and I still study on a weekly basis.
I didn’t know much about UJA Federation at first, either,
but a phone call asking me to get involved eventually led
me to take on roles as Chair of Women's Campaign & Advocacy
and Vice-Chair of the Annual Campaign. I became a Lion of
Judah in 2000 and have since endowed my Lion of Judah gift.
My children know what tzedakah means to me, but I made this
decision so future generations will understand and continue
that legacy.
Today, I am actively involved in the Canadian Council for
Reform Judaism, the UJA Federation Board, Israel Bonds, Hebrew
University, Temple Sinai and CHAT. My involvement and my Jewish
learning have certainly influenced my giving. I thank God
that I'm able to give as I do…but I've definitely gotten
back far more in return.
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