L to R: Rachel Belkin, Lenny Krasnow, Lynn Krasnow, and Michael Krasnow. Courtesy: Lenny Krasnow 

Lynn and Lenny Krasnow never thought of themselves as philanthropists. “Our families were always givers – but mostly of time and in caring for others,” they said.  Then they discovered the perfect vehicle for family giving: a Donor Advised Fund (DAF). Making contributions to their fund each year, they have built it up to augment their charitable giving in retirement.  

“We found this to be so easy and so helpful we decided to encourage our adult children to do the same with their families. Last year, instead of the usual gifts at Hanukkah, we gave our kids, who now have older kids of their own, kick-start contributions to open their own DAFs at the Shalom Austin Jewish Foundation. Our son Michael’s reaction was, “The best Hanukkah gift ever!”  

For people who already have a DAF, setting aside one night of Hanukkah to talk about the values that inspire giving, and engaging children in thinking about what and why people give offers a path to a beautiful family holiday tradition. As a family grows older, their conversations can grow richer and for some, setting aside a grant from a DAF to make together can bring the values one hopes to transmit to life.  

For people inspired to create a DAF for their next generation and to be ready by the first night of Hanukkah, contact Amanda Sokolosky at (512)735-8210 or at  amanda.sokolosky@shalomaustin.org 

L to R: Rachel Belkin, Lenny Krasnow, Lynn Krasnow, and Michael Krasnow. Courtesy: Lenny Krasnow

Lynn and Lenny Krasnow never thought of themselves as philanthropists. “Our families were always givers – but mostly of time and in caring for others,” they said. Then they discovered the perfect vehicle for family giving: a Donor Advised Fund (DAF). Making contributions to their fund each year, they have built it up to augment their charitable giving in retirement.

“We found this to be so easy and so helpful we decided to encourage our adult children to do the same with their families. Last year, instead of the usual gifts at Hanukkah, we gave our kids, who now have older kids of their own, kick-start contributions to open their own DAFs at the Shalom Austin Jewish Foundation. Our son Michael’s reaction was, “The best Hanukkah gift ever!”

For people who already have a DAF, setting aside one night of Hanukkah to talk about the values that inspire giving, and engaging children in thinking about what and why people give offers a path to a beautiful family holiday tradition. As a family grows older, their conversations can grow richer and for some, setting aside a grant from a DAF to make together can bring the values one hopes to transmit to life.

For people inspired to create a DAF for their next generation and to be ready by the first night of Hanukkah, contact Amanda Sokolosky at (512)735-8210 or at amanda.sokolosky@shalomaustin.org