During the past two months I have had the opportunity to speak to more than 50 local leaders about the future of our Jewish community. One thing these meetings confirmed for me is the old adage, "ask five Jews their views and you'll end up with fifteen opinions." But we can all agree upon this: the need exists to unite as one people to ensure a vibrant Jewish community for our children, grandchildren and beyond.

David Ira Schultz History has taught us that if we don't take care of our own people no one else will. Jewish tradition teaches that one of our key duties in life is tikkun olam, to heal the world. One way we can achieve this goal is through tzedakah. Tzedakah refers to the religious obligation to perform charitable and philanthropic acts, which in our tradition is integral to living a spiritual life.

In our community the Jewish Federation of Atlantic and Cape May Counties has an annual campaign. The funds raised, collected and spent within the calendar year are distributed among our eight local agencies,

national and overseas needs, including, but not limited to, Israel.

We also maintain a long-term source of funding - the Federation's Foundation: an endowment in which funds are collected and invested, spending only the interest and earnings while leaving the corpus to grow through the generosity of our donors. Last year, this endowment grew by almost $500,000 of new corpus, which enabled the Foundation to issue more than $135,000 in grants to local agencies.

Most likely you already donate generously to the Jewish charitable organizations of your choice. But have you considered including those organizations in your will, so you can continue to make a difference for generations to come through our Jewish Foundation? Whether you use a will or another estate planning vehicle, your generosity can do a world of good. Your legacy can reflect everything that is most important and meaningful to you. The legacy planning process can engender heartfelt conversations with your family and build bonds with your partners in the community. The act of creating a legacy empowers you to complete the work of your heart, and to enjoy the peace that it brings. You are assured that your work will continue and the Jewish future will be bright.

In the coming weeks a series of articles will appear in this publication outlining a menu of options for your consideration. If securing the future of the Jewish people is important to you, including the Jewish Foundation of Jewish Federation of Atlantic and Cape May Counties in your estate plan will help accomplish this goal. To learn more contact David Schultz, Foundation Director or Bob Seltzer, Executive Vice President, Jewish Federation of Atlantic and Cape May Counties.