By Jane Ehrenworth Shore, Congregation Beth Shalom of Ottawa Legacy Endowment Committee

Last year, the Congregation Beth Shalom of Ottawa (CSBO) Legacy Endowment Fund Committee reached out to the Jewish community to raise awareness that our committee exists and was working very diligently to keep the name and values of Congregation Beth Shalom alive.

The committee’s focus is to support unique, one-time projects within the Jewish community, that reflect the values of Congregation Beth Shalom. Values which include inclusion, tolerance and diversity. The fund is focused on providing community-based agencies with seed money for initiatives that cannot be funded from existing operational budgets or that are unique events. Funds are available to eligible Jewish community organizations that have charitable standing with a charitable number.

This committee is chaired by Jane Ehrenworth Shore, a former vice-president of CBSO and includes Jay Amdur, a former vice-president and treasurer; Ian Sherman, the immediate past-president; Morris Schachnow, a past-president, and founding family members Sol Shinder and Arnie Kimmel.

Over the past year the committee has helped support projects associated with a range of community organizations.

Kehillat Beth Israel received support for its adult education program which allowed it to host a bluegrass concert with Nefesh Mountain and a (scheduled) upcoming weekend with Yossi Klein Halevi.

The Ottawa Jewish Community School created a new learning environment for its students called Makespace which brought a new and exciting learning component to the school.

Creative Connections was able to enhance its programming providing providing opportunities for social, emotional and intellectual connections, as well as cultural activities and a fitness component for older seniors.

Hillel Lodge used its grant to replace its existing prayer books, Chumashim and High Holy Day machzorim with modern, large-print editions.

Limmud Ottawa used its grant to bring people together to celebrate Jewish learning.

The Ottawa Torah Centre hosted a community-wide barbecue competition, which not only brought people from across the entire Jewish community together but also pleased their palates.

Support from the CBSO Legacy Endowment Fund has helped these organizations expand programming and bring new and vital programming their constituents have come to rely on and enjoy.

The committee has been delighted to see its positive impact within the community which has helped make our Jewish community stronger and more vibrant.

The committee is looking forward to expanding our support for more unique projects. To apply for funding, contact the committee at bethshalomlegacyfund@gmail.com and we will send an application form. Applications will receive an acknowledgement within three weeks of submission.

Photo: A concert by Nefesh Mountain was among the events in the past year supported by the Beth Shalom of Ottawa Legacy Endowment Fund.