Meet Eva.^*  Her life reflects the lives of those she treasures. Her mother raised two children in a single-parent household in New York City, encouraging her daughter to be resourceful and independent, and helping her form her social and political consciousness. Like her mother, Eva cares deeply about issues involving reproductive rights, separation of church and state, improved race relations, and most importantly, peace in a challenging world.

It was the sudden death of Eva’s daughter, at age seven, that brought her heightened perspective. “I saw life’s fragility,” Eva explains, “and I learned to create joy in spite of personal sorrow.”

Concern for issues involving death with dignity and support for grieving families grew from her experience caring for her late brother. Eva and her older daughter — who is actively involved in Seattle’s Pride Foundation — “conspire” to fund programs that bridge the Jewish and gay and lesbian communities. “We educate each other,” she says.

Eva was once overwhelmed by her desire to reach everywhere and everyone. “It was a lonely process, deciding how to best focus my philanthropy, but I have received expert assistance from the Endowment Fund staff. They have directed me towards effective, creative programs that best represent my concerns.” she says.

Eva has used three JCEF programs to express her philanthropy: a philanthropic fund has been established to recommend grants in current areas of concern; a testamentary fund will enable her daughter, after her lifetime, to further the philanthropy they shaped together; and a second testamentary fund was created to provide lasting support for a current project that symbolizes Eva’s profound belief in peaceful co-existence.

^* Please note that names have been altered to protect the privacy of the donors.