Maxine Schwartz
Maxine Schwartz Presented by The Foundation of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation
I can take no credit whatsoever for becoming one of the earliest Lions of Judah. In the dark days of the Yom Kippur War, my husband, Kenneth Schwartz, OBM, was summoned to a leadership meeting at the Federation. There he learned about the Lion, which was then less than one year old. He made his own gift and also pledged $5,000 in my name. Then he came home and told me I was a Lion. As Leo is my birth sign, I told him I already knew that. Obviously, I had a
lot to learn. Over the ensuing 47 years I have been privileged to make a gift of my own of at least $5,000. I have also learned more about the Jewish people in general and this Jewish community in particular than I can describe on this page. That may be the most rewarding gift of all. When the Lion of Judah Endowment was first introduced in 1994, I thought it was a magnificent idea and supported it wholeheartedly, but did not imagine that I could be part of it. I did not feel that I could take $100,000 out of our estate to
endow my gift, as our estate is not huge. Then, at a Foundation event I attended, the speaker suggested that we should be discussing our estate and legacy with those who would be the recipients. I had never considered such an idea, but once I heard it explained, it made perfect sense to me. I gathered my children together and put forth the possibility of taking $100,000 out of their inheritance to endow my Lion of Judah
gift. They all completely endorsed the idea, saying that this is what I have done with my life and I should definitely leave that kind of legacy to the Jewish people.
I immediately altered my will and Article IV bequeaths $100,000 to the GMJF “to permanently endow a Lion of Judah level commitment to its Annual Campaign in my name, which commitment shall be publically recognized as such by the Greater Miami Jewish Federation.” How proud and how validated I feel to have typed those lines.
Presented by The Foundation of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation
Temple Beth Am AND Rambam Day School
Presented by The Foundation of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation
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