Our stories and passions may be different, but the values behind them are shared. Tzedakah, tikkun olam, compassion. These traditions have guided our people for generations, and they motivate us to keep building a better world for our children and grandchildren.
As the High Holidays arrive, we’ll gather in shul and around our tables to reflect, reconnect, and look ahead. It’s the perfect time to open up a conversation with your family: What does Tzedakah mean to us? What do we care most deeply about?
The Atlanta Jewish Foundation is proud to partner with local families and organizations in turning those questions into lasting Jewish legacies.
Growing Minds, Growing Legacies
When Allan Scher z”l passed away, his wife Roberta and their family wanted to honor him with a gift of lasting meaning. Allan had devoted 35 years to IBM and was known throughout the Jewish community as a gentle leader and a quiet, dedicated volunteer who generously shared his technological expertise. One of the places he gave his time was Torah Day School of Atlanta (TDSA), where some of his grandchildren were students.
“I wished to memorialize him with a meaningful gift of tzedakah,” Roberta shared. “He was particularly passionate about both Jewish education and his lifelong pursuit of technology. To honor his memory, we decided to create a Technology Endowment Fund at TDSA in his name. We hope that this legacy will continue to grow and enhance the technology and innovation of the students, faculty, and administration in perpetuity.”
Stories like Roberta and Allan’s are at the heart of a larger movement. The Atlanta Jewish Foundation is building a brighter future in partnership with the Harold Grinspoon Foundation’s Life & Legacy Program. “Legacy giving and endowments are powerful ways to ensure that the values and institutions we cherish today continue to thrive for generations,” shared Rachel Rosner, Endowment and Fiduciary Review Officer at the Atlanta Jewish Foundation. “It’s a profound expression of Jewish continuity, responsibility, and love for community. And at a time of rising antisemitism, these gifts are also acts of courage and resilience: a declaration that our Jewish community is here to stay.”
At Torah Day School of Atlanta, the impact of this vision is already visible. As the K-8 Orthodox school celebrates its 40th anniversary, it has reached historic milestones: paying off its mortgage and owning its building outright, surpassing $1.1 million in endowment funds, and launching a comprehensive campaign to strengthen both its campus and its long-term future.
Marcy Kalnitz, Allan and Roberta’s daughter and TDSA’s Director of Development, has helped lead the way. “For much of our early history, the focus was on growing enrollment, building a strong foundation, and serving our community’s urgent needs. But after training with Prizmah and the Life & Legacy program, we realized it was time to invest in the long term. Today we have more than six named funds – supporting areas from science and STEAM to Torah study and technology.”
Among these, a $700,000 endowment dedicated to teacher excellence is setting a high bar. “Our teachers are the heart of the school,” Marcy emphasized. “This fund ensures that we can recruit, retain, and support fantastic educators year after year.”
The excitement around TDSA is also palpable in the classrooms. Students are beginning the new school year immersed in Torah learning, preparing for the High Holidays, developing a connection to Eretz Yisrael, and nurturing a lifelong love of Hashem. “What makes Torah Day School so special is that it feels like one big family,” Marcy reflected. “The students live what they learn. They see their teachers, and their visionary head of school, as role models in the classroom and in the community. That really creates a Jewish education that lasts for a lifetime.”
The multi-generational continuity of TDSA is another powerful reminder of its success. Just as Allan walked the school halls with his daughter and grandchildren, so do Alumni now return with their own children, weaving an enduring chain of tradition. “Every year, when graduates enroll their kids here, we know we’re doing something right,” Marcy said.
Legacy gifts make these stories possible. They can take many forms – endowments, bequests, retirement assets, life insurance, or charitable trusts – and often provide tax advantages. But most importantly, they ensure that institutions like Torah Day School will continue to shape Jewish life for generations to come.
You too have the power to build a strong, vibrant Jewish future. Reach out to the Atlanta Jewish Foundation team and start the conversation today!
Carrying the Family Tune
This year, The Breman conducted the inaugural season of the Levison Family Music Series. Originally made possible by a gift from the Molly Blank Fund at the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, the concert series now honors the memory of beloved Atlanta attorney and community leader, Jarvin Levison (1927–2023).
“My father, Jarvin, was one of the founders of the Breman and was very active there from the day it opened to the day he passed,” shared Mike Levison “He particularly loved the Molly Blank music series, and we became patrons of it as well. When he passed away, my siblings and I wanted to do something in his honor. The fact that an opportunity opened up to sponsor the music program that he loved, made it a no-brainer for us.” The Levison family stepped forward to ensure the music continued – not just for this year, but for the next decade.
The first season of the Levison Family Music Series brought three dynamic concerts to the stage:
- The Joe Alterman Trio, featuring Atlanta jazz pianist Joe Alterman.
- Mazel!, a Grammy-nominated trio that performed classic Yiddish songs.
- The Flying Carpet Theatre Company, which premiered its concert-cabaret show Accentuate the Positive: The Music of Arlen and Mercer.
These diverse performances reflected Jarvin’s own love of different musical genres. As Mike recalled, “Classical, jazz, and show tunes were his favorites. But he really enjoyed all types of music. That’s why he loved this series so much. It’s quite diverse.”
From engrossing conversations about the Holocaust and Civil Rights to captivating art collections, The Breman has become Atlanta’s hub for Jewish culture and heritage. They see the music series as an essential part of that mission: “The Molly Blank Concert Series was a new beginning for this institution,” said Executive Director Leslie Gordon in a press release. “It started us in our evolution from serving Atlanta purely as a museum toward becoming a center offering a robust array of programming.”
As an Atlanta Jewish Foundation partner agency, The Breman’s funds are expertly managed and aligned with Jewish values. This collaboration helps ensure that the generosity of donors like the Levisons is strategically leveraged to grow and sustain this important mission.
Jarvin Levison was a remarkable man who lived a life full of purpose, love, and unparalleled dedication to his family. Beyond his professional achievements (Jarvin practiced law for over 70 years), he was deeply committed to charitable giving. About a decade before his passing, Levison created a unique philanthropic fund for his grandchildren.
“He established a little fund. Initially it was $5,000 a year,” Mike explained. “The money had to go to Georgia-based nonprofit organizations. The grandchildren had to visit every one of them, do the research, and then work together to determine how that money was going to be allocated.”
As his children added their own contributions, the fund grew to nearly $30,000 annually. And with Jarvin’s passing, a six-figure trust now ensures that the next generation – and the ones after – will carry on the practice of thoughtful, collaborative giving. “This is intended to go into perpetuity,” Mike said. “My mother, Teddi Sandford, my siblings and I, continue to put in money every year as part of the annual process… My father taught us the lesson of legacy, and everybody that’s ever heard about it has wanted to learn more.”
Coincidentally, when we interviewed Mike for this article, he was celebrating a new chapter of family life – welcoming a new grandson, Arlo, to the world that very morning. A fitting reminder that legacies are built not only for our children, but for their children, too.
The Levison family’s story demonstrates the power of endowments and designated funds to sustain Jewish causes for generations. With thoughtful planning, a single act of generosity can ripple forward indefinitely – whether through music that inspires, a museum that preserves collective memory, or a trust that empowers the next generation to engage in Tzedakah.
Jarvin Levison may have been a “quiet, pragmatic guy,” as his son describes, but his vision for music, culture, and family legacy continues to play loudly in Atlanta.
Stay tuned for the next season of the Levison Family Music Series at The Breman. And if you are inspired by the Levison family’s story, consider creating an endowment or opening a L’dor Vador Fund with the Atlanta Jewish Foundation. Our team can help ensure that your family values live on – sustaining the causes you care about for generations to come. Let’s talk!
401 Grants recommended from Donor-Advised Funds.
$2,504,469Donated to Tzedakah.
194 Organizations supported in Atlanta, Israel, and globally.
76% Jewish causes / 24% secular causes.
Visit the Atlanta Jewish Foundation Donor Portal to see your personal giving history.
The Atlanta Jewish Foundation is proud to partner with local agencies that unite our community around shared values. These High Holidays, consider supporting these congregations:
- Beth Jacob Legacy Fund
- Congregation B’nai Torah
- Congregation Etz Chaim
- Congregation Or Hadash
- Temple Beth Tikvah
- Temple Emanu-El
- Temple Kehillat Chaim
- Temple Kol Emeth
Atlanta Jewish Foundation fund holders can support these causes through the online Donor Portal.