Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Mercer

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Life & Legacy

Your Life. Your Legacy. Our Future.

Join us as we come together to strengthen our roots through the Life & Legacy program. By creating your Jewish Legacy Promise, you ensure that our community will flourish for generations to come.

Life & Legacy Logo

What is Life & Legacy?

Life & Legacy is a collaborative effort of Partner organizations, including synagogues and Jewish communal agencies, working together to sustain our Jewish institutions through after-lifetime gifts and the growth of endowment funds.

The ultimate goal is to build robust endowment funds for each Partner. Fulfilled gifts and investment returns generate a line of income to fund special projects and initiatives, or support annual budgets, thus ensuring a stronger future for our vital Jewish communal organizations.

Who should make a Life & Legacy Promise?

People who:

  • Have been a member of a congregation, celebrated simchas with friends
  • Have received support during difficult times
  • Have volunteered at a Jewish communal agency, camp or synagogue
  • Have observed first-hand how our Jewish organizations help those in need, care for the elderly, teach Jewish values to children, and provide connection and community.

If you want to sustain these efforts so that future generations can benefit too, please  make a Life & Legacy Promise to the Jewish organization(s) of your choice, confirmed by a Life & Legacy gift commitment. 

Why make a Promise?

Creating your own Jewish legacy empowers you to further the work of your heart and to enjoy the peace of mind that it brings. By making a Promise to a Life & Legacy Partner organization, you can:

  • Perpetuate the Jewish traditions and values you cherish
  • Support the programs and institutions that sustain Jewish life in our area and aroiund the world
  • Plan your family’s philanthropic priorities and enjoy tax advantages
Through your Promise, you will be remembered as your work and Jewish values will continue beyond your lifetime.
 

How to make and formalize your Promise

See our FAQs below for further information and specific details.

1) Express Your Intent

It begins by signing a simple Promise Form – a letter of your intent to leave a gift in the future to the organization(s) of your choice. No matter how or what amount you choose to give, we are grateful for your desire to leave a lasting legacy in support of our local Jewish community.
Greater Mercer Promise Form
West-Central Promise Form

2) Confirm Your Gift

The Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Mercer and our Life & Legacy Partners are ready to work with you, your family and your professional financial, insurance and legal advisors to meet your estate-planning and philanthropic objectives.  When you have made the necessary arrangements, let us know through the Formalization Form. Life & Legacy gifts are often fulfilled as:
Greater Mercer Formalization Form
West-Central Formalization Form

  • Bequest in a Will
  • Donor Advised Funds
  • Gift of Life Insurance
  • Gift of Individual Retirement Account or Pension Plan
  • Gifts Today of Securities, Cash, etc.

Frequently Asked Questions

Most commonly, it is a gift of an asset after you pass away.

Everyone. This is not just for the wealthy or seniors. There is no minimum gift required, and no expectation of payment while you are living.

Legacy gifts are usually only a percentage of your estate and demonstrate to your heirs your commitment to Jewish values.

Legacy gifts can take many forms: stocks, retirement assets, cash, or life insurance proceeds. During your lifetime, you can use part of a Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) from a retirement account as a legacy gift.

There is no correct amount – it varies from person to person – and must be what is right and meaningful for you. Any amount is greatly appreciated. Some people will choose to give a set dollar amount, some will specify a percentage of their estate, or all or part of a particular asset.

Yes. If your circumstances change you can adjust the amount of your gift or how it will be fulfilled.

There are many ways, including making a bequest in a will or trust; naming an organization as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy, IRA, or pension fund; giving a gift of cash or assets; setting up a Donor Advised Fund at the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Mercer (JCFGM) and leaving the assets to an organization of your choice. Please consult your professional advisor or the JCFGM staff to determine which method of giving is best for you.

The long-term future of the Jewish community requires adequate financial resources. Recent studies show organizations will need to generate 20%-25% of their operating budget from endowed or legacy funds in 20 years to meet their obligations. By leaving a legacy gift, you help ensure that the values and services of Jewish organizations will be part of our community long into the future.

The advantage of legacy giving is that no money is paid now. The gift is paid after your passing, from what is left in your estate.

One option is to name the organization of your choice as a beneficiary of an account you already have – like a Donor Advised Fund. You might also consider a life insurance policy, with that organization as a beneficiary.

The intention of Life & Legacy is to grow Legacy Funds that function like endowments, to provide long-term financial security for each community organization. All fulfilled Promises will be invested in the Legacy Fund of the recipient organization.

JCFGM manages the Legacy Funds for Jewish organizations in our community. All funds are invested in a Vanguard portfolio account overseen by professional advisors, in consultation with the JCFGM Investment Committee. They have been managing endowment funds for many years and have an excellent performance record.

Average returns have been 4%-5% annually.

The first step is to complete a Life & Legacy Promise form.

Click Here to complete the Greater Mercer Promise Form

Click Here to complete the West-Central Promise Form

For questions, contact Justine Reuben at JCFGM at justine@foundationjewish.org.

We are grateful to the Harold Grinspoon Foundation and the Jewish Federation of Princeton Mercer Bucks for their generous financial support of the Life & Legacy program.