The Impact of Together

Although Danielle and Jeff Wild grew up hundreds of miles apart, they had similar upbringings and were raised with similar values. They both attended Jewish Day School – Danielle the Hebrew Academy in Cleveland and Jeff the Frisch School and SAR Academy in New York. The importance of tzedakah was something they learned about in school and was reinforced at home. Jeff was taught that it doesn’t matter what you have – there are always people who need more than you and you must always be generous. Danielle remembers the knocks on the door at her family’s University Heights home looking for donations and that her father always gave.

These shared values drew them together when they first met in New York City. And when they decided to relocate from New York to Cleveland as a young married couple, it was the Fuchs Mizrachi School (Danielle’s father was the first Chairman of the Board) that enticed them back to her hometown. They knew that they wanted their children to attend Jewish Day School – just as they had. Camp Stone provided the ideal summer camp for their three boys. Being familiar with the many studies linking day school and Jewish summer camp to leadership and continuity in the Jewish community, they were thrilled that Cleveland offered what they were looking for to nurture their growing family.

Danielle’s family had been involved with the Jewish Federation of Cleveland for over a century – her great grandparents were donors. Danielle’s parents, Esther and Bernard z”l Rutman were involved in Federation as well – her father chaired the Food Division for the Campaign and her mother was active in Women’s Philanthropy. Danielle and Jeff’s first experience together with the Federation was with the Young Leadership Division (YLD). Through YLD they met many of their closest friends who share a passion for Cleveland’s Jewish community and a commitment to the good work of the Federation.

Their appreciation for the work of the Federation increased as they became even more involved – Jeff through his roles as the Board President of Fuchs and then as the Chair of the Federation’s Allocations Committee, and Danielle through Women’s Philanthropy. They saw first-hand that the support provided by the Federation to its agencies was unwavering. Whether it was financial support or a problem that needed guidance, the Federation was there. And during his tenure as the Allocations Chair, Jeff saw how each and every dollar was utilized by beneficiary agencies to serve the community.

Danielle and Jeff had been thinking about making a Legacy gift for many years, but their leadership roles for the Campaign for Jewish Needs – Danielle as the Chair of Women’s Philanthropy and Jeff as the General Chair of the Campaign – solidified their desire to give back and create a Legacy gift that supports the Campaign. “We are the beneficiaries of smart planning and incredible philanthropy,” said Danielle. “We have witnessed how the annual Campaign provides for the basic needs of the community – health, education, and providing food, shelter and medicine for those who can’t provide for themselves.”

The process of creating their Legacy gift was an easy one. They met with Federation staff and with their financial advisors and found a vehicle for making their gift that worked for them.

Danielle is proud that she created a Lion of Judah Endowment in her name. “My family has been in Cleveland for over 120 years,” she said. “It is important to me to make my own gift and speak with my own voice. My name will keep going, and I will be able to contribute to the community in perpetuity.” Jeff’s FOREVER Fund will ensure that he can make a gift to the annual Campaign to ensure a strong Cleveland Jewish community for generations to come. “We want Cleveland to continue to be a strong Jewish community so that our children will want to raise their families here, just as we did,” he said.

Danielle and Jeff hope that their gift will inspire others who are thinking about making a Legacy commitment to do so. For them, “The Impact of Together” is lived each and every day in the generous and caring Jewish community that they are so proud to be a part of.

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