Why We Give: Danna & Jim Halff
With the sweetness of the High Holidays, Danna and Jim Halff share why they have each made a commitment to create a legacy to organizations that are important to them, to ensure a vibrant and financially secure San Antonio Jewish community.
“My earliest memories of tzedakah were inspired by my grandfather, Sam Susser, a first generation Jewish Texan. My cousins and I spent our preschool years at the JCC in Corpus Christi. My grandfather loved to drive by and see us on the playground and he enjoyed donating playground equipment. After many grandchildren and many years of donating, the preschool playground was eventually named the Susser Playground. Later, in elementary school, he often picked us up on Sunday mornings for religious school at Temple and always gave us money for the tzedakah box. Most of his legacy does not bear his name, but he taught us the importance of participating in our small Jewish community, supporting it to the best of our abilities with our time, talent and treasure.
“I am proud to be a part of the Life and Legacy team for the Harry & Jeannette Weinberg Campus of the San Antonio Jewish Community and to support Jewish San Antonio’s crown jewels, The Campus and the JCC, as well as my synagogue and other agencies I have been involved with over the years. San Antonio is still a small Jewish community and needs all of us to contribute in order to thrive. I hope everyone who has enjoyed being a part of Jewish San Antonio at some time in their lives will consider leaving a bequest to one or more Jewish agencies through the LIFE & LEGACY® program.”
– Danna Halff
“I was raised in a household that modeled charitable behavior without giving it a name and often without pointing out to my brothers and me the significance of giving back to the Jewish community. Perhaps the thinking was that it was so obvious and ingrained that it didn’t need to be discussed… But those seeds of improving the Jewish community, that represented such important values, sprouted in recollections and memories and the impetus to give — because that was the way our family did things.
“Today I talk (a bit) more about it because giving has changed and a sense of individual responsibility for the community is sometimes harder to engage within ourselves.
The LIFE & LEGACY® initiative is a wonderful path to becoming more aware and more charitable because it offers us the chance to make a distinct difference in ourselves and our community immediately. And more uniquely, I can support several important Jewish organizations that I want to be strong for my children’s generation. By taking small steps to secure a legacy gift that won’t affect our bank account today, we still have funds to support the things we think are important now. And by making a promise to the future, I find I am more involved and focused on the present. In essence it costs nothing but the rewards are significant and empowering.”
— Jim Halff
You too can ensure sweet New Years to come! Create a lasting legacy by signing a Letter of Intent indicating your commitment to one or several LIFE & LEGACY® partners. Contact Beth Keough, Director of LIFE & LEGACY at either (210) 302-6813 or keoughb@jfsatx.org.