There are a few ways to build bridges between the generations.You learn about your forebearers; you carry on cultural and family traditions; you teach your children to continue along the path that was cleared by generations before and stretches ahead for generations to come. An endowment falls into that category of vital links. It's an enduring hedge against mortality, solidifying both a connection to the past as well as the future. It is a gift that carries tremendous impactand also stands as a symbol to one's children and grandchildren, conveying to future generations a way of life and perpetuating the value system we inherited from our parents.

We both come from families without great financial means. Our parents struggled to make a living, but they were generous with their support whenever and wherever they could be. No one talked about it, but we gleaned from our environments a spirit of sharing.

Today, we are blessed to be able to comfortably make this kind of commitment and hope that by doing so we are helping to influence the greater community through actions rather than words. In keeping with the meaning of tzedakah, we feel it is truly a privilege and an honour to be in a position to give. We have been fortunate and we like to share our goodfortune with others, both at home and in Israel.

The worldwide network of UJA Federations is in and of itself an important and indispensable part of our society. It helps to hold the Diaspora together. As Israeli citizens are fighting and dying, weathering the tensions of their daily lives in the Jewish homeland, it is essential that we give accordingto our ability — to help, from a distance, in one of the only ways we can. Our support is meaningful as evidence of our solidarity, and yields many intangible benefits that we in Toronto can only begin to imagine.