At every family gathering, no matter the occasion, Jacob S. Ziegel z”l would rise to speak. His words might change, but his message did not: צדק צדק תרדוף — “Justice, justice shall you pursue.” For Jacob, these words were not a slogan. They were a moral obligation and a guiding principle for how he lived his life.
Born near Hamburg to Polish Jewish parents, Jacob was sent to England on one of the last Kindertransport trains. His parents perished in the Holocaust. Jacob survived, carrying with him a profound gratitude for the gift of life—and a belief that survival creates responsibility.
That sense of responsibility shaped how Jacob lived. An observant Jew, scholar, and beloved teacher at the University of Toronto, he expressed his Jewish values through education, teaching, hospitality, and principled action. He was a champion of social justice, a supporter of Jewish learning and Israel, and deeply committed to fairness and human dignity.
For Jacob, pursuing justice was not simply something to believe in. It was something to live—and to pass forward.
Through a bequest in his will to the Jewish Foundation, Jacob created an opportunity to carry that legacy forward. After his passing, our philanthropic advisor worked closely with his executors to learn more about Jacob, his life, and the causes that had mattered most to him.
Through those conversations and our team’s research, three areas stood out: advancing justice, supporting Jewish learning, and safeguarding the dignity of Holocaust survivors.
The Foundation’s trusted stewardship helped turn that understanding into lasting impact.
Our team drew on its philanthropic expertise and knowledge of the community to help direct Jacob’s gift where it could make a meaningful difference—while remaining true to the values that had shaped his life. A portion of his bequest now supports UJA’s Holocaust Survivors Support Fund, helping survivors live with dignity, comfort, and security.
Today, an estimated 2,300 Holocaust survivors live in Toronto, many struggling to afford basic necessities. In fiscal 2025–2026, the fund supported 1,459 Holocaust survivors, providing 651,233 hours of personal care, 157,681 kosher Meals on Wheels, and 5,717 grocery cards.
Through this gift, Jacob’s lifelong commitment to justice and human dignity continues to be felt by survivors in our community.
His planned gift did more than provide financial support. It gave his values a future.
Jacob’s story demonstrates how thoughtful financial and estate planning can extend philanthropy beyond a lifetime. With the Foundation’s investment and philanthropic expertise, community knowledge, and trusted stewardship, a planned gift can continue to reflect the values that shaped a donor’s life and create meaningful impact for generations to come.
His voice still echoes in the words he returned to again and again:
צדק צדק תרדוף.
Through his generosity, Jacob’s pursuit of justice continues—his values carried forward in the community he loved.