Donor Stories
Each of our donors has a unique and inspirational story tied to their passion for giving. We’re honored to share their stories with you. We will continue to add new stories that show how their generosity helps create a lasting impact in Jewish Buffalo, Western New York and the World.
Featured Stories
Theodore Hofeller (1854 – 1930)
Theodore Hofeller was a well-known businessman and philanthropist born on March 17, 1854 who emigrated from Germany to the United States in 1869. He attended the Buffalo schools and initially entered the clothing business. In 1881 he formed the firm of Theodore Hofeller and Company which went on to become one of the largest waste rubber companies in the world. In 1915, Mr. Hofeller became a principal owner of the Buffalo Susquehanna Railroad.
The Awner Family
Enjoy a few minutes with the Awner family. Generations were raised with the tradition of being involved with the Jewish Community and giving back and helping people who were in need.
The Katz Family
Learn about the Katz family’s gift: coming from a legacy of Jewish values; always giving and a lot of public service, always trying to make a difference in the lives of others.
An Endowment Gift is a gift to the future. Contributed funds are not spent for current needs but rather are invested as a permanent endowment. The income generated is used year after year for charitable purposes as directed by the donor. When you make an endowment gift, you create a lasting legacy to insure the perpetuation of our Jewish heritage, our values and our tradition of caring for one another.
In order to recognize and thank those individuals and families who have created permanent endowment funds, the Foundation has established the Legacies Society. Qualifying gifts include funded trusts and endowments managed by the Foundation, where principal is to be held intact and income is to be distributed for charitable purposes. The Legacies Society encourages the creation of permanent endowment funds to insure the continuity of Jewish life, sustain our institutions and perpetuate our values. The Legacies Society is a joint undertaking between the Foundation and the local Jewish client agencies, organizations, temples and synagogues.
Visionaries | Founders | benefactors | Patrons | Partners | Donors
Visionaries ($10,000,000+)
Founders ($5,000,000+)
- Anonymous
- Al* and Rose Pastor*
- Benjamin Smith*
Benefactors ($1,000,000+)
- Anonymous (2)
- David Feuerstein
- Leonard H.* and Rose H. Frank*
- Richard S.* and Nancy S. Gordon*
- Bernard I.* and Anna E. Gross*
- Ronald J. and Sandra L.* Isaacs
- Sara R. Kasnachey*
- Dr. Sol Messinger
- Melvin* and Sylvia Morris*
- Nathan D.* and Sylvia L. Rosen
- SHELDON* and Elsie Schneiderman*
- Haskell I.* and Ruth Kahn Stovroff*
- James I. Stovroff*
- Dr. Everett S.* and Goldie S. Williams*
- Wayne D.* and Janet K. Wisbaum
Patrons ($100,000+)
- Butch* and Bunny Abelson*
- Dr. Richard* and Esther Ament*
- Daniel W.* and Frances M. Barmon*
- Dr. Howard W. and Lana Benatovich
- Hyman* and Ruth Benatovich*
- Max* and Hannah Benderson*
- The Berghash Family
- Margery Block
- Michael* and Enid M. Brown*
- David N. Bunis
- Dr. Norman* and Charlotte Solotken Chassin*
- Benjamin* and Bertha Cofeld*
- Ann Holland Cohn*
- Walter S. Collin*
- Albert E.* and Estelle S. Deemer*
- David H. and Janet R. Desmon
- Robert S.* and Ruth F. Elster*
- Isadore* and Bessie Federman*
- Beatrice E. Feldman*
- Theodore Feldman*
- Dr. Elmer Friedland*
- Samuel Friedman Foundation
- Jack A.* and Florence Gellman
- Rose S. Gerstenfeld*
- Joshua Glaubman*
- Fred Glickstein*
- Jane Cole Godin*
- Byron R.* and Dorothy F. Goldman*
- Harold S.* and Fanette Goldman*
- Howard L. and Susan J. Goldman
- Jerome E.* and Sydney E. Goldstein
- Gordon R.* and Gretchen S. Gross*
- Lester* and Minnie S. Gross*
- Myron* and Edna Gross*
- William and Diane Hein
- Henry* and Regina Holland*
- Mark S. Hubbard
- Maximilian* and Elsa Huttner*
- The Jacobowitz Family
- Benjamin* and Anne Kaiser*
- Julius* and Anita Kane*
- Irwin* and Marlene Katzman
- Beatrice J. Kohn*
- Donald M. and Nina* Kohnstamm
- Florence E. Kulick*
- Sylvia Lansky*
- Arthur Lansky LeVine*
- Laurence A.* and Sharon S. Levite
- Jordan A. and Holly W. Levy
- Gerald S. Lippes Family Foundation
- Joel N. Lippman*
- Melvin A. and Rhea S. Lippman
- Lilo Loeb*
- M&T Charitable Foundation
- Loraine Malbin*
- The Markel Family
- Dr. Enrico* and Marisa Mihich
- Samuel* and Merrill Molien*
- Sanford M. and Margery S. Nobel
- Dr. Benjamin E.* and Lila Obletz*
- Pearl B. Osborne*
- Dr. Joel H. and Linda Paull
- Edwin* and Dorothy E. Presant
- James Z. Pugash*
- Benjamin* and Helen Ravin*
- Ellen S. Reis
- Dr. Meyer H.* and Ann S. Riwchun*
- Eli* and Pauline Evans Roth*
- The Schreiber Family
- Edward I.* and Helene Seeberg*
- Eugene M.* and Susan W. Setel*
- Irving M.* and Marilyn C. Shuman
- Dr. Marvin* and Phyllis Siegel*
- Edward C. Smith*
- Isadore* and Clarice W. Snitzer*
- Leon*, Mary* and Aleksandra Thon
- Harriet Vogel*
- Louis Volk*
- Kathryn Warner*
- Dr. Robert* and Nancy S. Warner*
- Arthur* and Louise Wasserman*
- Howard A. and Leslie H. Zemsky
- Sam* and Shirley Zemsky*
- Jeffrey and Robyn Zimmer
Partners ($50,000+)
- Harold* D. & Ruth* S. Axlerod
- Raymond S.* and Ruth L. Bernhardt*
- Marvin A.* and Lillian K. Block*
- Jeremy V.* and Peggy U. Cohen
- Harold A.* and Cecele M. Dautch*
- Sally Willig Dispenza*
- Priscilla Fagin*
- Robert P. and Eileen L. Fine
- David A. Garbus*
- Irving* and Claire L. Gareleck
- Joseph and Anna Gartner Foundation
- Philip Halpern*
- Richard M.* and Roberta F. Handel
- Isaac Hoenig*
- Anne Hoffman*
- Louis M. Jacobs*
- Hyman Lansky*
- Frank and Jeanette Levin
- Mary F. Levine*
- Jay Levy*
- Stewart M.* and Faye S. Levy
- George Massik*
- Rose Meyer*
- Jerome L.* and Anne Michaels*
- Miriam I. Michaels*
- Paul J. Michaels
- Lenore Miller*
- Stephen M. and Gayle M. Newman
- Harry A.* and Thelma G. Rachlin*
- Lauren D.* and Jean K. Rachlin
- Dorothy L. Rivo*
- Dexter* and Helen A. Rosen
- Morton H.* and Joan C. Stovroff*
- Samuel* and Sophie Weinstein*
- Ida Z. Welt*
- Richard A. and Karen L. Zakalik
Donors ($10,000+)
- Anonymous
- Jerome D. Adner*
- Dr. Marvin L.* and Myra T. Amdur*
- Peter C. and Joan* Andrews
- Drs. Harvey and Marian Arbesman
- Belle Balser*
- Ethel Baras*
- Martin R.* and Esther B. Bates*
- Carla and Raymond S. Bernhardt
- Dr. Michael J. and Nancy Bloom
- Dr. Robert* and Margaret Blum*
- Deborah A. Bokobza
- Freda E. Borins*
- Evelyn S. Brizdle*
- Dr. Melvin M.* and Elaine Brothman
- Louis M.* and Anne W. Bunis*
- Maer S.* and Audre Bunis*
- Edward M. and Carin B. Case
- Dr. Irwin H. Cheskin*
- Edward Churgel*
- Edgar Cofeld*
- Ruth A. Cohan*
- Dr. Gary N. Cohen*
- Margaret H. Cohn*
- Allan J. and Karen A. Cooper
- Gerald M.* and Illene Cooper*
- Dr. Sharon F. Cramer
- Joseph N.* and Ethel Desmon*
- Mindy Birzon Doerfler
- Paul P.* and Florence M. Dosberg*
- Victor X. Dozoretz*
- Raymond* and Sara D. Ehrenreich*
- Norman Etenger*
- Evans-Devereux Memorial Foundation
- Violet Fabian*
- Samuel Fagin*
- Peter and Ilene Fleischmann
- Howard Flinter*
- Sidney J. Freedman*
- Milton H.* and Marjorie Friedman*
- Arnold B.* and Sue S. Gardner
- The Gellman Foundation
- Karl N. Gerst*
- Samuel Ginsberg*
- Arthur A.* and Patricia L. Glick
- Marlene Glickman
- Dr. Lawrence H.* and Nancy P. Golden*
- Edwin I.* and Judith B. Goldring*
- Mitch Flynn and Ellen S. Goldstein
- Dr. Andrew W. and Elaine R. Green
- William L.* and Shirley Grossman*
- Willard Groth*
- Stanley,* Abe* and Rose Halbreich*
- Jack* and Mildred G. Haniford*
- Janice Healey*
- Shirley L. Heller*
- Colman* and Bluma F. Hesch*
- Rabbi Donald Heskins*
- Samuel* and Beatrice Himmelstein*
- Michael and Carol N. Hirsh
- Theodore Hofeller*
- Dr. Martin* and Edith L. Horowitz*
- Sheldon* and Lynda Hurwitz*
- Alvin* and Ellen E. Hyman*
- Steven R. and Sharon M. Jacobs
- Jewish Funders Network
- Jacob Joseph*
- Dr. Milton E.* and Ruth H. Kahn*
- Theo M. Kahn*
- Dr. Leonard A. and Judith H. Katz
- Pauline R. Katz*
- Sam* and Minnie Katz*
- Margaret Keleti*
- Irwin Kriegler*
- Dr. Samuel B. and Sue Ellen Kriegler
- Dr. Kevin B.* and Risé P. Kulick
- Drs. Carlos and Luisa Kurek
- Dr. Marvin Z.* and Eleanor F. Kurlan*
- Dr. Richard S. and Roselyn Laub
- Bessie Leader*
- Dr. Melbourne H. Lent*
- Benjamin* and Hannah Levitt*
- Fred* and Anne Lippa*
- Carol L. Littmann Trust
- Dr. S. David and Catherine E. Miller
- Rabbi Shay E.* and Lila Mintz*
- James I. Myers
- Sandra W. Myers
- Nettie* and Sarah Nathan*
- Albert* and Esther Nudelman*
- Lorence A. and Michelle Paige
- Al,* Reuben* and Samuel Pastor*
- James Patton*
- George W. Pfohl
- Dr. Milton Plesur*
- Edwin Polokoff
- Louis* and Rolene Pozarny
- Abram* and Ruth E. Pugash*
- Allan H.* and Bette Lou Robins*
- Kenneth A. Rogers and Kathleen Corff-Rogers
- Richard A. and Judith B. Romer
- Arlette L. Rosen*
- Florence Rosenthal*
- Edwin W. Roth*
- Charles S.* and Mary Ruttenstein*
- Kalman,* Maxwell A.,* and Rose K. Ruttenstein*
- Martin* and Ina Sanders
- Alfred M.* and Josephine Lee Saperston*
- Willard B. Saperston
- S. Robert* and Doris Scheur
- Elizabeth M. Schulman*
- Anna Schwartz*
- Lillian Schwartz*
- Julia Scott*
- Elliot* and Stephanie Shapiro
- Joseph M.* and Adrienne Shleser
- Herbert Allan Shore*
- Kenneth S. and Dr. Amy L. Shuman
- Pearl E. Siegel*
- Dr. Louis Sklarow*
- Drs. Bruce and Teresa Small
- Dr. S. Mouchly* and Sophie Small*
- Samuel W. Snitzer*
- Sylvia Snitzer*
- Barry M. Snyder
- Sidney G.* and Margit Spector*
- Isidore H.* and Miriam R. Stein*
- Dr. Ronald and Andrea Stein
- Iris R. Sterman*
- Dr. Irving and Gail K. Sterman
- Joseph and Annette R.* Sterman
- Dr. Mont P. and Judith Stern
- Dr. Michael R. and Dana E. Stoffman
- William I. Swerdloff*
- Maurice* and Miriam Tabor*
- Maurice Tanenbaum*
- Al* and Luba S. Taylorson*
- Orrin D. and Noreen Tobbe
- Martin E.* and Sheila M. Trossman
- Evelyn K. Vacca*
- Gertrude Angert Victor*
- Victor* and Sophie Wagner*
- Blanche S. Wallens*
- Eugene M. Warner*
- Herman* and Malvina Waterman*
- Peter Allen and Amelida Ortiz Weinmann
- Dr. Norman J. and Marcia Weiss
- Golda Willig*
- Martin and Charlotte Wolpin
- Florence A. Zander*
- J. Milton* and Amy M. Zeckhauser*
- Margery Zeckhauser
*z”l (zichrono l’ivracha – in blessed memory)
How to Create Your Legacy
People of both substantial and modest means can create lasting legacies at the Foundation by making provisions for endowed gifts during their lifetimes or in their estate plans. Funds can be tailored to individual philanthropic goals and charitable mission. Donors making permanently endowed gifts of $10,000 or more will be included the “Book of Life” and as a member of the Legacies Society. Donors can create a permanently named fund with any gift of $100,000 or more. Endowment commitments may be funded with both current and deferred gifts. If you are interested in perpetuating your legacy and becoming a member of the Legacies Society, please contact Irv Levy at 716-204-1139 or Irv@JewishPhilanthropies.org.
The Foundation for Jewish Philanthropies would be honored to assist you and your family in preserving your legacy.