ENDOWMENT AWARD EVENT 2005
Receiving the Award in Los Angeles in
November, 2006: Zeev Bielski, JAFI chair of the
committee; Amir Shaviv, JDC; Joel Alperson,
UJC national campaign chair; David Agronin,
Dallas Jewish Community Foundation executive director;
Larry Schoenbrun, DJCF life trustee, and Benjamin Warren,
Sapir Award Committee Chair. Not pictured: Michelle Tycher Stein
Our Dallas Jewish Community Foundation just received a very prestigious award from its North American umbrella organization, the United Jewish Communities and the Federations of North America: The 2005 Community Endowment Excellence Award–conferred in recognition of the Foundation’s stellar performance in 2005. It was presented last month at the UJC General Assembly, held in Los Angeles.
The Foundation has been on a growth track since 2001. In 2000, the Foundation issued bonds for the benefit of the agencies participating in the Capital Campaign, and the Trustees decided to invest the substantial resources needed to bring about a Foundation with the capabilities required for its responsibilities in community-building in the 21st Century. A year before the launch of the Capital Campaign, the Foundation managed assets of around $50 Million. Just recently, the Foundation’s assets under management crossed over the $150,000,000 mark.
“This national recognition is a result of the selfless work of our staff, board and volunteers on behalf of our community. The award validates how the Foundation has been able to grow and strengthen endowment commitments,” commented Donald Schaffer, Vice-chairperson of the Board of Trustees.
In Los Angeles, David Agronin, The Foundation’s Executive Director; Larry Schoenbrun, past Chairperson of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees and current member of its Board of Directors, and Michelle Tycher Stein, Trustee, and member of the Foundation’s Executive Committee, accepted the award on behalf of the Dallas Jewish Community, from UJC leadership.
“I want to express my personal appreciation to our staff, and to our Foundation’s Trustees, to Federation Board members, and to the countless fundholders, stakeholders and volunteers, all of whom have opened doors, made introductions and referred their friends and associates. This support has helped us grow as large and vibrant as we have become. It did not happen solely in 2005; it has been an ongoing effort by many,” noted David Agronin upon first learning that DJCF had won this award. Mr. Agronin came to Dallas in 2001 to become the Foundation’s Executive Director and guide its revitalization.
The continued growth of The Dallas Jewish Community Foundation is further enhanced and facilitated by the volunteer leadership of dedicated Officers and Trustees, led by Trustee Chairperson Peggy Tobolowsky. Ms. Tobolowsky has been especially instrumental in the Foundation’s success. Her enthusiasm and leadership inspire fellow board members, staffers, and donors. “We are delighted and so proud to have received this prestigious award, said Ms. Tobolowsky. “It is a reflection of the tireless efforts of our wonderful Foundation staff, the support of our Trustees, and the commitment of our donors and community partners–as we work together to ensure our community's future."
The Dallas Jewish Community Foundation was originally established in 1973 as the trust and endowment arm of the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas. Now, more than three decades later, the Foundation manages over $150 million in assets and is now, as of earlier this year, an independently incorporated, publicly supported charity. Earlier in 2006, the Foundation was recognized by the IRS as a totally free-standing “Public Charity”. This newest corporate status gives the Foundation’s donors, clients, and community partners maximum flexibility in structuring charitable gifts. An example is the ability of age-eligible donors to use their IRA assets to make charitable gifts under new legislation called “the Pension Protection Act of 2006” by using endowment funds housed at DJCF.
The Foundation is structured to advise on and receive gifts of cash, stock, bonds, listed options, life insurance, real estate and other property, and facilitates the creation and administration of Donor Advised Funds, endowments, trusts, annuities, and supporting organizations.
Working with Professional Advisors, the Foundation is able to implement innovative estate planning strategies, with optimal tax benefits to help donors create a personal legacy and fulfill their unique philanthropic goals. Through the Dallas Jewish Community Foundation, donors can perpetuate their philanthropy, provide continuity of giving from one generation to the next, memorialize or honor loved ones and ensure the continued flow of income to organizations they support. This effort distributes millions of dollars annually at the recommendation of donors: for philanthropic purposes locally and nationally; in Israel; and around the world.