Peter, Jacob, Elysa, Amelia & Nathan Graber-Lipperman
By Elysa Graber-Lipperman
On a beautiful fall day while Peter and I were driving in Massachusetts, I spotted an incredible sight on the side of a busy road — a young tree growing out of a large tree stump. Peter kindly pulled over so I could snap the picture accompanying this writing. My cellphone could not do justice to the gift of nature’s splendor that I witnessed. As I ruminated on this remarkable image of new, blossoming, and continuing growth emerging from an old, sturdy, and solid base, my thoughts turned to The Emanuel and its participation in the LIFE & LEGACY program.
Our vibrant Emanuel community provides new, relevant, and meaningful ways to connect to each other and to G-d as we explore our personal Jewish journeys, all the while embracing and building on our rich heritage. We are able to thrive as the beneficiaries of the heritage and history built and nurtured by our forward-looking founders and the investments in our future made by the congregants who came before us through the present and legacy gifts they bestowed upon our congregation.
My mind also turned to the lyrics sung in “The World Was Wide Enough” from the musical Hamilton. While contemplating his legacy, Hamilton sings, “Legacy, what is a legacy? It’s planting seeds in a garden you never get to see.” The seeds we plant during our lifetimes may be our ideas, our writings, the ways in which we inspire others, the physical manifestations of our labor, or the planned legacy gifts we make. I am planting my own seeds. As part of the LIFE & LEGACY program, I have signed a letter of intent to fund a Legacy gift to support the:
- Capital needs of The Emanuel Synagogue;
- Safety and security of the Greater Hartford Jewish community; and
- Leadership training for the Greater Hartford Jewish community on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
I am grateful for the opportunity to provide funding in the future to The Emanuel and to the larger community, and I am thankful for the extraordinary commitment to the community demonstrated through donors’ passion, time, generosity, and support.