By investing in the community’s future with a legacy gift, David and Ann Brandwein will create positive change that will endure for generations to come. The couple established an endowment fund at the Foundation that will benefit the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford. Their planned gift is a testament to their unwavering commitment to social justice, intergroup relations, education, and the enduring strength of Jewish values.

“The JCRC is as important as it has ever been,” said David, who served as chair of both the JCRC itself and its Social Justice and Intergroup Relations committee. He later served on the Board of the Jewish Federation for six years. “It’s critical for our JCRC to build relationships beyond our Jewish community so that others can understand us as Jews and for us to understand others,” he explained. “In order to have a friend, you must be a friend.”

Federation and its JCRC play a crucial role in Greater Hartford, working to combat Antisemitism and all forms of hate, building bridges within and beyond the Jewish community, enhancing the non- Jewish communities’ understanding of Israel, and advocating for public policy consistent with Jewish values.

The Brandwein Fund will provide grants for JCRC members to support various community relations activities, to attend educational conferences, and for other related work.

“We hope the JCRC will continue to find creative ways to engage people both inside and outside the Jewish community in the future,” said Ann. “We want people to come together to have a dialogue — not an argument — about issues.”

Ann and David’s legacy will strengthen the community’s future with the power of compassion, education, and empathy.