For Ron and I, giving was never a choice—it was simply part of who we are. Growing up in Toronto and North York, raised by immigrant parents who had endured both profound loss and shown remarkable resilience, we learned early that tzedakah isn’t just a good deed, it’s a way of life and a guiding principle that shaped our values and decisions. 

Tzedakah is vital to life—you can’t live in a community without giving back. This belief wasn’t just taught to us; it was lived. My parents, Harry and Helen z”l, both Holocaust survivors, carried the weight of history with grace and generosity. My father survived Auschwitz and my mother endured the horrors of a forced labour camp and death march. Despite these unimaginable hardships, they rebuilt their lives with an unwavering commitment to the Jewish community. My father served proudly in the Chevra Kadisha, ensuring dignity even in death, and both were involved in bond drives and community efforts with open hearts and steadfast dedication. 

Ron’s parents, Harry and Molly z”l, immigrants from Poland in the 1920s, were pillars of support for Jewish refugees after the war, using their savings to sponsor and fund surviving cousins’ immigration to Canada. Ron’s mother owned and ran her own hardware store in the 1940s and was always active in committee and leadership roles in various Jewish women’s auxiliaries.  

For us, giving back was never about “if” but about “how.” We have always volunteered with organizations, including UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, State of Israel Bonds, and Yad Vashem, and in the broader community, understanding the need to ensure the strength and continuity of Jewish life. But we wanted to do more.  

That’s why we founded PearTree—a company designed to help others give more effectively to charity. Our work isn’t just about facilitating donations; it’s about nurturing a culture where generosity is second nature, helping the community thrive and grow stronger with each act of kindness.  

Today, we are passionate about passing core Jewish values, like tzedakah, to future generations. We believe that every act of giving strengthens our people—connecting past, present, and future. Through our actions and legacy, we hope to inspire others to carry forward this tradition of generosity, ensuring it remains a vibrant thread in the fabric of Jewish life.  

For us, giving isn’t just something we do—it is who we are.