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Leave a Legacy

JCC East Bay Legacy Society

By remembering JCC East Bay with a gift in your will, trust, retirement account, or life insurance policy, you can help ensure that the JCC East Bay remains a thriving community gathering place for generations to come. With a legacy gift, anyone can leave a meaningful contribution for the future, regardless of age, wealth, or affiliation. 

  • There’s no minimum gift.
  • Many have set aside a small portion of their estates, like 5% or 10%, for the community.
  • You can also name the JCC as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy or retirement plan.

Please contact Greg Cohen, our Development Director, with any questions at [email protected].

Already Made a Legacy Gift?

If you have already included a legacy gift to the JCC East Bay in your plans, please let us know. We would love the opportunity to thank you and welcome you into the JCC East Bay Legacy Society. Please complete the Legacy Society form below or reach out to Julie Iny (contact information above). Information you share will be kept confidential, and you may choose to remain anonymous if you prefer.

Become a member of the Legacy Society

Click here to view our downloadable and printable Legacy Declaration of Commitment.

Mail your completed form:
Attn: Greg Cohen
JCC East Bay
1414 Walnut Street
Berkeley, CA 94709

E-mail your completed form:
Greg Cohen
Development Director
[email protected]

Legacy Giving Options

Gifts in Your Will
Bequests in your will or trust can be designated to a specific JCC East Bay program or to the organization as a whole. You can allocate a specific amount or leave a percentage of your estate. To leave an unrestricted JCC East Bay bequest, you may use the following language in your estate documents:

“I bequeath [#% of the remainder of my estate] or [the sum of $#] to the board-directed reserves of the Jewish Community Center of the East Bay, Berkeley, California, tax identification number 71-0995500.”

This example is provided for informational purposes only, and does not constitute legal advice. If you decide to make a bequest, please consult with your legal professional, who can draft appropriate language for your will or trust.

Gifts of Retirement Plan Assets
Because retirement assets are typically heavily taxed when left to family, it can be effective to designate a portion or the balance of retirement assets to a charity. Most people do not use all of their retirement assets during their lifetime and most plans allow you to easily designate or change a beneficiary with a simple form.

If you are aged 70 ½ or older, you may donate up to $100,000 in a given year directly from your IRA to the JCC East Bay.  The distribution will be tax-free and will count toward your required minimum distribution (RMD). 

Gifts from Life insurance
Including the JCC East Bay as a beneficiary to a life insurance policy is a simple and inexpensive way to provide a significant future gift to the JCC East Bay. 

Please consult with your attorney and financial advisor to determine the best option for you.

JCC East Bay Legacy Society Members (as of December 2024)

Anonymous (6) 

Tamara Abrams

Seymour Baruch*

Alexandra R. Bitton and Abraham Woodliff

Bernadette and Nat Bitton

Eva Bluestein*

Laura Chick

Steven Douglas and Melissa Heller

Julie Elis

Ilse and Phil Feiger*

Ron Feldman

Lauren and Andy Ganes

Melissa and Joshua Gold

Arthur and Carol Goldman

Robert Goldstein*

Leah Greenblat

Grossberg Abrams Foundation

Daniel Manes Haut

Harvey Zane Helfand

John Ifcher and Elizabeth Orlin

Julie Iny

Shirley Zuckerman Issel

Laura R. Katz*

Samantha Kelman

Benita Kline

Joshua Langenthal and Diane Halberg

Harald and Renee Leventhal

Mark Moss and Lisa Braver Moss

Frank Olken*

Janet Ozzard Perlmutter and Kermit Perlmutter

Elaine Pector*

Gladys Perez-Mendez*

Daria Redel

Esther and Ray Redel*

Alissa and Dave Reiter

Evelyn Rice*

Maxim Schrogin and Karen Harber

Diane L. Scott*

Dick* and Susan Seeley

Ruth Petersen Shorer

Dolores and Stephen* Taller

Michael Tannenbaum

Amy Tobin

Myrna and Bill Vidor

Harry Dov Weininger*

Irene Weinreb*

Gerald Weintraub

Sarah Wolfman-Robichaud and Steve Chasey

Michael and Natalie Zatkin

*of blessed memory

In Your Words

"The JCC of the East Bay has been integral to my family's relationship with our Jewish heritage. It is my hope that the JCC of the East Bay continues to reach an ever-increasing number of Jews of all backgrounds and allows them to discover and explore their own Jewish heritage and the wonders of Judaism. Legacy giving is the way to ensure that this wonderful organization will continue to act as a home for Jewish life in the East Bay for future generations."

Michael Tannenbaum and family

"Legacy giving is important to us because we want to ensure that these wonderful institutions will be ongoing, so that future generations can find the same joy and discovery of their Jewish heritage. L'dor V'dor (from generation to generation)."

Bernadette and Nat Bitton