In our first letter as chairs of the Jewish Foundation of Greater Toronto—written nearly two years ago—we expressed our confidence that the Foundation could have an even greater impact on our community and the Jewish world. As our term draws to its conclusion, we are remarkably proud of the outstanding progress the Foundation has achieved and excited to see what the future holds for this incredible organization.

Over the past two years, the growth we have seen in the Jewish Foundation—in terms of assets, impact, and support for our fundholders—has been incredibly impressive.  This spring, we celebrated the milestone of the Foundation surpassing $1 billion in assets under management. Last year alone, fundholders distributed more than $43.5 million in support of UJA’s strategic Jewish community priorities—helping drive lasting change across some of the most urgent causes our community faces. As more members of our community begin thinking about future generations of giving and succession planning, the strong financial markets make it an excellent time to open a fund with the Jewish Foundation, leveraging our expertise to power your intentional philanthropy and secure your legacy.

By partnering with the Foundation, you gain access to a wide range of services, giving you the opportunity to help make your giving simple, strategic, and deeply impactful. Our expert philanthropic advisors can work closely with you to develop a personalized giving strategy—backed by data, research, and insights from UJA’s planning and resource department—and most importantly guided by your core values. With the support of our best-in-class fundholder portal, we’ve made it as simple to direct distributions and manage funds as it is to bank online.

You can learn more about different ways to establish a fund or leave a legacy at the Jewish Foundation later in this newsletter.

While our term as chairs is concluding, we will still be nearby as community volunteers and Foundation fundholders. We look forward to seeing the achievements that Glennie Lindenberg, our exceptionally talented successor as chair, will help facilitate. Her decades of philanthropic leadership and vision will help elevate the Jewish Foundation to new heights, even further strengthening its role as a cornerstone of funding within the Jewish community.

We also want to thank all the amazing volunteers and professionals who make our day-to-day work possible. Your hard work and dedication are what set the Jewish Foundation apart and help us to make such a difference across our community. It has been a privilege to work alongside you for the past several years.

Finally, it has been our honour to serve as chairs of this wonderful organization and to do our part in helping so many unlock the joy and fulfilment that giving charitably to meaningful causes can bring.

Wishing you all a Happy Hanukkah,

Mike Diamond and Jack Frieberg