This past week, 220 representatives from Jewish communities across the U.S. and Canada came together in Springfield, Massachusetts for the 2025 Life & Legacy Leadership Conference. The two-day conference, presented by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, was held for the 10th consecutive year to support organizations to create sustainable legacy-giving programs in their local Jewish communities. Representatives spanning Jewish institutions from Montreal, Canada, to Memphis TN, and San Diego, CA, to Buffalo, NY enjoyed networking, workshops, thoughtful panels, and a keynote address from JFN’s Senior Managing Director, Yossi Prager.
Kathy Sarlson, Life & Legacy's National Director, said in her opening remarks, "When we talk about legacy, we’re not just talking about dollars and documents. We’re talking about memory and resilience. About how we take the experiences of the past, the hopes of the present, and the dreams of the future—and weave them into something lasting."
This positioning, and the offerings available to the participants, (who represented 43 current Life & Legacy communities and nine prospective communities,) served to energize and inform the executive directors, directors of philanthropy and development, board members, presidents, rabbis, and volunteers who were in attendance from Jewish Federations, Jewish Community Foundations, synagogues, day schools, JCCs, Hillels, Jewish Family Services, Chabad, and other Jewish communal organizations.
Highlights included panels on “Using Emerging Philanthropic Trends to Build a Vibrant Jewish Future” and “Engaging Millennials, Gen X, and Gen Z in Philanthropy & Endowments.” Other conversations and workshops centered on the role of social media, digital marketing, and artful conversations, as well as developing strategic partnerships and elevating endowments during annual campaigns. Workshops were crafted to inspire communities to find a donor engagement approach that works with their existing resources and for their particular needs.
Sarlson noted that in Life & Legacy’s twelve years, more than 42,859 legacy commitments have been secured, with over $260 million already invested in organizational endowment funds – contributing to an estimated future value of $1.8 billion. All this, from 75 communities and 940 organizations, including synagogues, day schools, community centers, and more.
“Legacy giving is transformational,” the foundation’s President, Winnie Sandler Grinspoon, reminded participants. “It empowers individuals to express their values and commitments in lasting ways. It provides Jewish institutions with the stability and strength to dream bigger and plan boldly. And it transforms communities by shifting the focus from short-term fundraising to long-term sustainability and vision.”
At the conference’s commencement dinner, the organizers recognized two communities that had recently finished year four of the 8-year Life and legacy program, and awarded the Gail Littman Leadership Award to Rebecca Leibowitz Engel, Newly Appointed Director of Legacy Giving and Impact at the Jewish Endowment Foundation of Charleston, South Carolina. Established ten years ago, the Gail Littman Leadership Award honors a Life & Legacy community professional who exhibits a passion for legacy giving and has worked tirelessly to integrate legacy giving into the community culture.
For each of the conference’s ten years, the entire experience has been free of charge for attendees, making the opportunity more accessible and available to burgeoning legacy leaders. This, too, is strategic.
“Each of you plays a vital role in this transformation,” said Winnie. “You are helping people articulate what matters most to them. You are helping organizations move from survival to strength. And together, you are ensuring that vibrant, resilient Jewish life will continue for generations to come.”
Life & Legacy is an 8-year program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation (HGF) that assists communities across North America, through partnerships with Jewish Federations and Foundations, to promote after-lifetime giving to benefit Jewish day schools, synagogues, social service organizations, and other Jewish entities. To learn more, visit lifeandlegacy.org.