Louis and Sara Tick

I love the idea of being a legacy donor because you can teach your children about philanthropy. Between us, we have four kids, and we want them to know what matters to us. Supporting the local Jewish community is really important, so to be able to show our children that we are going to leave legacy gifts and remember our community for them is a really special thing to be able to do.

Growing up with my father being from Charleston, I know about legacy as a daughter. I heard stories from my father about the Jewish community, including him being in the first class at Addlestone, and it made it really special for me to become a legacy supporter at Addlestone, where my son, his grandson, goes to school. So it’s a very clear case of generation to generation. I really want to leave that for my son; for him to be able to say, my mom supported this entity, and so did my grandfather. It’s a great way to teach children to think outside of themselves and to be part of the greater community.

Being the director of Jewish Family Services, I have tried to guide the organization through Jewish values. Tzedakah means justice – in our family, we talk about that a lot with the kids: justice and pursuing equality for all people. Tikkun olam, leaving the world a better place; chesed, kindness. These are core human values and I think all of the organizations we support follow these values really strongly.

Like Louis, I am very emotionally attached to the organizations that I am going to be leaving legacy gifts. Of course, being a member of Jewish Family Services, and for it to be its own entity and own organization, knowing that the legacy gifts are going to be supporting this new agency for generations to come is a special process to be a part of – knowing we are building something that is going to be there for everyone in need and that people are going to be taken care of. Every time we receive a legacy gift commitment for JFS, I know exactly the kind of people we help and the good that we do, and I feel so good about it.

– Sara Sharnoff Tick

Giving back and supporting the community is a huge Jewish value. My kids understand legacy because they see it in practice, and they see how we give back. It’s not only about giving money but time as well. You give to an organization because you care and want them to succeed.

When I first heard about legacy giving, it was kind of a lightbulb moment of the ease of being able to participate. Anyone can do it – it’s not just major donors, it’s that anyone can be part of it and give an impact. It’s buying in to an organization and showing love to an organization for any amount of a gift that a person is able to give. It’s so nice to be able to be part of an inclusive process.

I am leaving a legacy gift to Jewish Family Services because I see what they do in the community and how they help people. I remember being on the board of another organization a long time ago and someone came to the board asking for money. And then someone said, no, you call Jewish Family Services, because they coordinate everything. And we can support them, but JFS works directly with the person in need.

I was also very active at the College of Charleston Jewish Studies program. It made a huge impact in my life, including going to Israel.

With Hebrew Orphan Society, I see the good deeds, not just that we do, but that the members within the organization are involved with different aspects of the community.

Through the Temple, my heart is with it just as much. I recently got a call as the co-chair of the Coming Street Cemetery committee. They didn’t know where the person who needed to be buried was a member, or if they were a member of any synagogue. But after a conversation with another committee chair, we said, it doesn’t matter. We’re going to bury a Jewish person here if they need to get buried, and we’ll worry about the finances however we can. The Temple’s designation to the cemetery means we can bury people with dignity whether they have the means or not.

– Louis Tick