Carole Goldberg has been an active volunteer at JFCS, co-managing the food pantry and training other volunteers. She has become so passionate about her service at JFCS that she has involved her family, including her two grandchildren, Lori and Susie Joels. Even at their young ages, she is teaching them that there is significant need for food and other JFCS services not only within the Jewish community, but throughout the community at large.

With this in mind, Carole’s son, Jeff Shankman, decided to honor his mother by endowing the Carole and Larry Goldberg Family Mitzvah Program at JFCS. This program provides intergenerational mitzvah projects for families to do together. It also ensures that families have what they need for holiday celebrations, whether that is food, ritual items or special gifts. In addition, the program will facilitate other family volunteer opportunities where parents, grandparents and their children can all participate in the spirit of Tikkun Olam.

Jeff relates,” When my family first moved to Louisville in 1978, we sponsored a very large Russian family who had just emigrated to Louisville, and seeing what a difference our family could make to one other family was really the beginning of my appreciation for all JFCS does for the community at large. “ By endowing this program, Jeff is proud to connect his family with JFCS and promote the value of volunteerism and family holiday celebrations. Carole’s daughter Rachel Shankman Joels and her husband David Joels are also involved with community volunteering and are following in their family’s tradition of helping others, encouraging their daughters to be involved with JFCS.

During Carole’s recent birthday party, the family made the surprise announcement. Upon learning about the donation, Carole was thrilled. “I have seen the needs in the Jewish community and also have seen the positive impact on my grandchildren when they help others. I want to encourage other families to do mitzvoth activities together and to tie the Jewish holidays into opportunities to support those in need. We have found these opportunities to be meaningful and also fun.”

Debbie Friedman, president of the JFCS Board, appreciates how the extended Goldberg family has involved itself at JFCS. “Carole has been an exemplary volunteer who earned a Presidential Volunteer Award this past year for all of the hours and good work she has donated. Endowing this program allows JFCS to ensure that families will have a place to do mitzvoth for others.”

Jeff and his family also hope that others will find their passions at JFCS and support JFCS and its clients in whatever ways they can.

The next Carole and Larry Goldberg Family Mitzvah Event will take place in relationship to Passover and will include preparing holiday bags of food for family Seders and creating holiday crafts and items for distribution to families and seniors. For more information on how you can get involved, contact Kim Toebbe at ktoebbe@jfcslouisville.org or 452-6341. Donations can be made to the Carole and Larry Goldberg Family Mitzvah Program and will be used to help support these events.

Check out the photos from Chanukah Helpers Family Mitzvah!
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