By Sandy Dochen and Amy Hyman

The year 2021 has been a positive and busy one for the Shalom Austin Jewish Foundation. First, the numbers through November 15: 11 donor advised funds (DAF), four agency funds, and three endowment funds have been created so far in 2021.

A DAF is a tool that allows donors to manage their giving all in one place. It is like having a personal philanthropic account. A DAF can be opened with a minimum of $5,000 into a fund, tax free, which can then be used to support charitable organizations, including paying synagogue dues and an annual pledge to Shalom Austin. If there is a capital gain or other “tax event,” those funds can be placed into a DAF; taxes will be deducted now and the funds are available for a philanthropic strategy into the future.

New fundholders Liz and Todd Waldman, described their participation in the Jewish Foundation as follows:

Doing more—This was an additional unique way to give back to Shalom Austin and the Jewish community.

Simplification—Instead of keeping track of 20+ donation receipts for taxes, now there’s just one receipt—super simple.

Organized Giving—This was a way to organize and plan out charitable giving.

Tax free growth—The extra gift. It’s like reaching in a pocket and finding a $20 bill. The money in the fund will grow tax free, and at the end of the year, once all grants have been issued, there’s bonus money from the growth that can be given back to the community.

The Jewish Foundation now has almost $13.5 million in funds through DAFs, agency funds and endowments. That’s up more than $2 million for the year, thanks to new participants and the well-performing stock market. And, fundholders have directed more than $1 million in disbursements which became donations to agencies, supporting Jewish and secular causes.

This year, Jewish Foundation committee members became more aware of the national Jewish Community Foundation network by conducting a benchmarking survey of more than a dozen Jewish Foundations/Federations in North America. The purpose was to learn how they have grown and to understand their best management practices, from promoting the Foundation to taking good care of existing fundholders. 

The Foundation is executing on one exciting lesson learned. It has convened a new subcommittee to engage professional financial advisors including wealth managers, CPAs, insurance agents, and estate attorneys to help the Foundation reach new potential fundholders, while educating these finance professionals about the benefits of the Jewish Foundation (to pass along to their clients). This initiative is expected to place the Foundation on more radar screens across the community, raising its visibility.

The Jewish community is growing and the Shalom Austin Jewish Foundation is complementing that growth. Despite various challenges, 2021 has been an affirming year. It’s expected that 2022 will be another year of milestones and excitement for Jewish philanthropy in Austin.

The Jewish Foundation thanks its existing fundholders and welcomes new ones who strengthen the Jewish community and Jewish philanthropic impact in Austin and beyond.

To create a Donor Advised Fund, contact Amy Hyman, Senior Development Director at Shalom Austin at (512) 735-8078 or amy.hyman@shalomaustin.org. ■

Shalom Austin Jewish Foundation Funds and Fundholders

Shalom Austin Legacy Society Donors

These donors have made gifts of permanence to benefit Shalom Austin and other organizations in Central Texas and beyond.

Lisa Chronister and Elliot Johnson** 

Carol* and Sandy** Dochen 

Jennifer Failla Hoffman* 

Sandra Freed* 

Laurie* and Ross Garber** 

Jennifer Greenblum* 

Fran and Dan Hamermesh 

Karen Kahan* 

Christine & Lance Kutnick 

Laraine* & Leon Lasdon 

Shira and Robert Ledman 

Phil* and Adam** Loewy 

Beth McDaniel* 

Val Newberg* 

Abby Rapoport* 

Marianne Rochelle* 

Kim Schocket* 

Nancy Shapiro* 

Toby Shor* 

Tracy Solomon* 

Lecia Sud* 

Judy Waxman z”l * 

Joe Woskow** 

Susan Zane* 

*Forever Lion ($125K minimum Annual Campaign endowment) 

**$125K minimum Annual Campaign or designated Shalom Austin endowment  

Shalom Austin Endowment Funds

Generations Facility Fund 

Hymie & Louise Samuelson ECP Fund 

Hymie & Louise Samuelson Young 

Leadership Award Fund 

Jay Rubin Israel Experience Fund 

JCAA Sandy Gottesman Fund 

Jewish Community Innovation Fund 

Jewish Family Service Endowment Fund 

Shalom Austin Endowment Fund 

Shalom Austin Garber Family Endowment Fund for Children’s Performing & Fine Arts Programs and Austin Jewish Academy 

The Austin Community Mikveh Fund 

Agency Funds

AUSTIN JEWISH ACADEMY 

Austin Jewish Academy Endowment Fund 

CONGREGATION AGUDAS ACHIM 

Congregation Agudas Achim General Endowment Fund 

L’Dor V’Dor Endowment Fund 

CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL 

CBI Operating Endowment Fund 

CBI Permanent Endowment Fund 

Rose Dornbusch Youth Experience Scholarship Fund 

Michael “Mickey” Deutsch Beautification Fund 

Faye Gellman Youth Education Fund 

Earl Podolnick Eternal Light Fund 

Alan Lawrence Schechter Continuing Education Endowment Fund 

HEBREW FREE LOAN OF AUSTIN 

Hebrew Free Loan of Austin Endowment Fund 

SIGMA DELTA TAU 

Marilyn Saikin Stahl Sigma Delta Tau Leadership Endowment Fund 

Sigma Delta Tau, Tau Chapter Fund 

FIELD OF INTEREST FUNDS  

Leslie S. Brittman Literary Fund 

Donor Advised Funds 

Anne Alexander & David Kessler Family Fund 

Arthur and Barbara Altman Philanthropic Fund 

Lisa Apfelberg and Eric Greisdorf Family Fund 

Baker/Rapoport Fund 

Brittman Family Fund 

Jill Bowser and Sylvia Chao Fund 

Alan and Holly Cohen Family Fund 

Beth & Erik Cohen Family Fund 

CMC Foundation Fund  (Liz & Michael Solka) 

Dochen Family Fund 

Einhorn Lieberman DF Fun Fund 

Finkelman Family Fund 

David and Pamela Frager Family Fund  

Sandra and Buddy Freed Family Fund 

Freedman Family Fund 

Edward & Cindy Fudman Family Fund 

Failla Hoffman Family Fund 

Friedel Family Fund 

Goldblatt Fund 

Candy & David Goldstein Family Fund 

Goodman Family Fund 

Joel Granoff Family Fund 

Valerie Granoff Family Fund 

Don Grefe & Janice Pierce Charitable Fund 

Gremont Family Foundation Fund 

Happy Life Fund (Marci Dell) 

Lauren and Seth Halpern Fund 

Angie and Brad Harrison Family Fund 

Amy Hyman & Gerry Reyelts Family Fund 

Justice, Justice You Shall Pursue 

Andrea and Walter Kalmans Family Fund 

Dealey/Kentor Family Fund 

Kerman Charitable Foundation 

Lynn and Lenny Krasnow Family Fund 

Rochelle & Dan Kraus Family Fund 

Fabianna and Ron Laby Fund 

Ladd Family Charitable Fund 

Lain Family Fund 

Leon & Laraine Lasdon Family Fund 

Leone Lain Philanthropic Fund 

Lengsfield Family Fund 

Sigrid Levi-Baum and Michael Baum Family Fund 

Jessica & Joel Levine Family Fund 

Cynthia and Sanford Levinson Fund 

Lori and Joshua Levy Family Fund 

Melanie Carol Lewis Fund 

Phil and Adam Loewy Fund 

LSKT Fund 

Marcus-Hill Family Fund 

Arlene & Lawrence Maze Family Fund 

Jill & Paul May Family Fund 

Frances and Adam Meltzer Family Fund 

Steven and Lauren Meyers Family Fund  

Meyou Fund (Carole & Kerry Price) 

F.A. & Maury Midlo Fund 

Miller Family Fund 

MMR Fund 

Wade & Sally Monroe Family Fund  

MOSHANA Family Fund 

Lindsay and Jordan Neuren Family Fund 

Marcia Nieder and Ira Leichtman Family Fund 

Jeff and Val Newberg Family Fund 

Keri Pearlson Charitable Fund 

Charles & Diane Radin Fund 

Resnik Family Fund 

Rachel & Alexander Robinson Family Fund 

Marianne and Martin Rochelle Fund 

Elyse and Rick Rosenberg Family Fund 

Salmanson Family Fund 

Schocket Family Fund 

Karen Siegel & Ted Toth Family Fund 

Marcia and Barry Silverberg Fund 

Solka Family Fund 

Joe & Fai Lee Steinberg 

Susswein Family Fund 

Mark and Sharyn Vane Family Fund 

Liz and Todd Waldman Family Fund 

Stuart and Elisabeth Wallock Fund 

The Terry and Steve Fund 

Torah U-Mada Fund 

Webberman Family Fund 

Winer Charitable Fund 

Susan E. Zane Family Fund 

Keith and Linda Zimmerman Philanthropic Fund 

Zimmerman/Scott Family Fund 

Anonymous (2)

BOLD: new funds in 2021

As of November 15, 2021