Kayla and I are blessed with enough. In Jewish tradition, you are judged not by what you have but by what you have given away to help others. If you want to make a gift to honor our marriage, please consider the following charities.

Both Kayla and I have worked to support early childhood education for all children. Much of my career was focused on developing and implementing child injury prevention programs.

The Alaska Jewish Center is building an all-inclusive playground for one-five-year-olds. An inclusive playground is for children with (and without) mental or physical challenges. Play is how young children develop physically and mentally. Socialization of children of different abilities with face-to-face or side-to-side contact motivates social interactions. It develops emotional strengths and creates resilience and cognitive awareness. There are no fully inclusive playgrounds in Anchorage. The new playground will be available to other children when Gan Eden Preschool is not using it. Please specify the inclusive playground

https://www.lubavitchjewishcenter.org/donate

Both Kayla’s grandparents and my great-grandparents emigrated from Eastern Europe, leaving behind an antisemitic old-world order and seeking economic opportunity. HIAS Is the oldest continuous emigrant support organization in the US. We honor and support the help they provided to our forebears. HIAS now supports refugees of all ethnicities, races, and religions, not just in the US but throughout the world. If your family origins are emigrants to the US, consider HIAS.

https://hias.org/who/

We both belong and are active in the Anchorage Senior Activity Center (ASAC). I served far too long as president of the Board of Directors and presently chair the Endowment Trustees board. The ASAC is the state’s largest free-standing Senior Activity Center, and membership is cheap. Consider it your gift to become a member or associate member. Even if you are not a member, if you are 49 plus, stop by for a meal or shots at a health fair. If you want to remain stable on your feet into your older age, consider Tai Chi, Yoga, or Zumba classes. It’s easier than a broken hip. Questions about Medicare? A free, trained counselor can help choose the right option or to fill out the paperwork. If you seek a responsible, good, local 501 C organization to include in your estate planning consider the ASAC endowment fund. You know the chair.

www.anchorageseniorcenter.org/endowment-fund

Kayla and I belong to Juneau’s Temple, Sukkah Shalom’s. We volunteered at their food pantry. The Unitarians and Jewish community have joined together to buy and distribute food. Last Saturday, they fed 92 adults and 23 children. Please note that your donation is for the food bank.

sukkahshalomalaska.com

This may be our most expensive ask. Jewish tradition is that the highest form of charity is to give without knowing who you are to benefit, and the recipient does not know who provided their help. That makes blood donations a perfect match for my belief system; I have donated over nineteen gallons to the Alaska Blood Banks. Donate about an hour of your time and a pint of your blood if you can. You get our thanks and a cookie.

Congregation Beth Sholom: The building and grounds need maintenance. It is too big to take that all on. Contributions toward upgrading the playground equipment and gravel could make a significant impact. Please consider donating to their Children’s Playspace Project.

https://www.frozenchosen.org/payment.php

Anchorage First Assembly of God: Rev Gary Morton and his wife, Alice, are regional leaders of the CUFI, Christians United for Israel. Because of their stand against antisemitism and in support of the existence of a Jewish state, their church has been shot at, defaced, and windows broken. Pro-Hamas supporters have protested outside their church. So far, they have suffered over $5,000 in damage. However, they have never wavered in their commitment to bless the Jewish people. Please send them a message of support by donating to their church.

https://give.tithe.ly/?formId=6f63d259-7837-4659-967e-44914e94cf46