In 2015, a gift of $500,000 was given to IAUJC from an anonymous family who wants our help in choosing and supporting worthy humanitarian organizations in Israel. This fund has been named the Humanitarian Aid to Israel Fund. We have been directed to research and choose worthy projects that provide food, housing, vocational skills and support to disadvantaged people living predominantly in southern Israel. We have worked hard to follow the wishes of our donor, making the first gifts to three Israeli educational projects in 2015. We continue these grants every year. Our directive is to pay out the entire $500,000 within a ten year period. We annually review the work of worthy organizations through written reports and onsite visits.
Of the many worthy programs which fulfill the wishes of the generous creators of the Fund, IAUJC chose those described here after careful consideration. We appreciate the trust in IAUJC represented by this gift, as IAUJC seeks to advance its mission—described in our mission statement: “…the building and strengthening of the Jewish community locally in Ithaca, nationally across the U.S., and internationally, with particular focus on the state of Israel.”
This donor, and the Ascher family, have created models for the rest of us, by using the efforts and organization of the IAUJC to create legacies that will contribute to the Jewish people for many years to come.
