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Leave a Legacy

 

I did not find the world desolate when I entered it and as my parents planted for me before I was born, so do I plant for those who will come after me.”  —Talmud

Please consider including Temple Beth El in your will or estate plan.

Your estate gift will make the difference between a congregation that struggles and one with the resources to give and grow, even in difficult times.

Estate gifts are for every member of the TBE community, rich and not so rich. Bequeath most of your estate to your family, but consider designating a small percentage to sustain TBE, just as you’ve done in your lifetime.

There are different approaches that make it easy for you to leave a Jewish legacy:

Bequest in your will or trust. Designate a specific dollar amount, a percentage of your estate, or a remainder interest, after funds have been distributed to your family.

Retirement asset. Make TBE the beneficiary of all or part of a retirement asset, such as an IRA or a 401 (k) plan. This is easy to do, without revising your will; and it’s tax-savvy, avoiding deferred income tax.

Charitable gift annuity or other life income plan. Make a legacy gift to TBE now and enjoy potential tax benefits, while retaining a secure lifetime income at a very favorable rate of return; the remainder eventually reverts to benefit TBE.

Life insurance policy. Donate an unneeded policy, make TBE the beneficiary.

Temple Beth El Jewish Community Center is a Reform congregation, with roots in Santa Cruz County dating back to 1887. TBE strives to be a community of awakening and discovery, where the joy of Jewish living is made accessible and relevant to contemporary life. Housed in a beautiful building constructed in Aptos in 1989, TBE is a full-service congregation, offering members all traditional life-cycle services, such as preschool, religious school, Bar and Bat Mitzvah preparation, weddings, adult education, and burial in one of the Temple’s historic cemeteries.

The easiest and most common Jewish legacy gifts are straightforward bequests. If you are considering a bequest, please share this suggested language with your estate advisor.

“I hereby bequeath to Temple Beth El Jewish Community Center, a tax-exempt organization, ID#94-6139655, located at 3055 Porter Gulch Road, Aptos, CA 95003, the sum of _____ dollars [or alternatively, _____% of residuary estate; description of property; etc.] to be directed by Temple Beth El for unrestricted congregational support [or alternatively, for the support of a particular Temple program or facility].”

For information, contact Margaret Gordon

Tue, March 19 2024 9 Adar II 5784