We both grew up in households full of love, fostered by our parents' devotion to family, and the community. Our mothers were both active, volunteering their time and canvassing from door to door. One of the lessons they tried to show by example was that giving back to the community was an important thing to do.

When we started a young family we realized that someone had to continue that tradition. We began volunteering when our kids were starting nursery school. UJA has been the focus of our Jewish involvement, with both of us continuously holding positions of leadership. We began more than 30 years ago, and we've been at it ever since.

We hope to develop the same sense of strength of family in our children and grandchildren. We try to teach them that a community is like an extension of family and needs devotion in order to thrive. Our children are both active in the community. Our daughter was president of Hillel at university, and our son has always contributed generously to UJA.

We want our family to be able to continue to live as we do, in a strong, vibrant, safe community. We are responsible for helping to keep it strong now and through our legacy.

Our involvement in the community has brought warm friendships, a wonderful Jewish quality to our home, joy in our Jewishness, and a strong sense of worth to our giving. We hope that our new grandchildren and those that may follow will take pride and inspiration from this heritage we pass on to them.