JFL repurposes endowed funds to benefit Jewish community

Donors contribute to make a difference.
The Jewish Foundation of Louisville (JFL) manages over $22 million in endowed funds for the purpose of impacting our community. Stacy Gordon-Funk, Jewish Community of Louisville senior vice president of philanthropy, spearheaded an internal review to examine every endowed fund deposited with the JFL, to ensure transparency and that the contributed funds are being effectively utilized.
The JCL is committed to ensuring that the use of these endowed funds stays relevant.
JFL Chair Chris Brice and the Foundation Committee crafted a solution.
Going forward, new endowments under $50,000 will be pooled into one of five categories, called “Areas of Interest,” to maximize donor impact and provide flexibility should the needs of Jewish Louisville change. These Areas of Interest are consistent with giving trends across the country.
Those five Areas of Interest, which the JCL board has approved, are Youth, Seniors, Arts & Ideas, Health & Wellness, Jewish Learning and Community Relations & Outreach.
These broad categories seek to cover many of the needs and programs affecting Jewish Louisville.
Many existing donors have decided to repurpose their endowments to meet current needs.
As an example, Gil Levitch and his family had established the Phil B. Levitch Fund, named for his father, who was B’nai B’rith’s Man of the Year in 1961, Jewish Federation of Louisville’s campaign chair in 1960 and 1961 and President of the Conference of Jewish Organizations. The fund was established to subsidize clergy’s fees at the Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly. The fund had been underutilized, so Levitch repurposed the endowment. Now, its income funds the Youth area of interest.
Another repurposed fund is the Sidney Winchell Youth Lounge Fund. Winchell was an anesthesiologist who participated in heart transplant surgeries. A long-time member of Keneseth Israel who was active in Jewish life in Louisville, Winchell had a JCC Second Century Fund established in his memory.
The Winchell Fund supported the JCC’s youth lounge, which is now not exclusive to children, so Fran Winchell repurposed it. Proceeds from the newly named Sidney Winchell Family Fund will now subsidize youth trips to Israel as part of the Youth Area of Interest.
Fran Winchell, who has 17 grandchildren, all of whom have been to Israel, said she wants Louisville’s youth to have the same experience “not only for their own personal growth but to strengthen their ties to Judaism.”
So far, 16 funds have been repurposed and pooled into one of the five Areas of Interest. The JCL staff will be reaching out to legacy families to discuss other underutilized funds.
The JFL thanks Gil Levitch, Fran Winchell, and others who have agreed that the annual income from their endowments could be repurposed to maintain relevancy in Jewish Louisville today and in the future. The JCL is grateful to these families for their flexibility and continued support.

Want to help?
The JFL is advised by the JCL’s Endowment Committee: Brice, Ross Cohen, Jane Goldstein, Glenn Levine, Bob Kohn, Bruce Roth, Michael Shaikun and Scott Weinberg. They are supported by JCL staff Gordon-Funk and LIFE & LEGACY Coordinator Jennifer Tuvlin. For more information on creating an endowment or repurpose an existing fund, contact Tuvlin at jtuvlin@jewishlouisville.org.

Leave a Reply