PACE and LOJE Funds Help Provide for the Community for Generations to Come

Each year, approximately $1 million of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Annual Campaign donations come from two very important types of funds that may be unfamiliar to many people: Perpetual Annual Campaign Endowments (PACE) and Lion of Judah Endowments (LOJE).

Each year, approximately $1 million of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Annual Campaign donations come from two very important types of funds that may be unfamiliar to many people: Perpetual Annual Campaign Endowments (PACE) and Lion of Judah Endowments (LOJE).

A PACE is a permanent endowment fund created to make an annual gift to the Jewish Federation for generations to come. Once the PACE is funded, each year a percentage of its value is distributed to the Annual Campaign in the donor’s name or the name of a loved one. A LOJE is a national program of the Jewish Federations of North America enabling a woman who makes an annual gift at the Lion of Judah level ($5,000 or more) to perpetuate it. With a commitment of $125,000 or more, a woman can give $5,000 each year in perpetuity to her local Jewish Federation’s Annual Campaign through Women’s Philanthropy.

Gladys Bernstein will turn 90 this November. Since she was a freshman in college, she has been giving to the Jewish Federation. “Supporting the Jewish Federation has been a life-long ‘thing’ for me,” said Bernstein. To ensure she could continue this support now and far into the future, Bernstein established a LOJE. “I also hope to set an example for my children,” she added.

Anyone can join the hundreds of members of the Greater Philadelphia Jewish community like Bernstein who have chosen to leave a legacy to future generations, by establishing a PACE or LOJE. If you are a current Annual Campaign donor, the amount required to endow your gift is calculated by multiplying the amount of that gift by 20. For example, if your Annual Campaign gift is $2,500, $50,000 will perpetuate it.

“Setting up an endowment fund to support our Annual Campaign is very important for the current and future sustainability of our campaign,” said Duke Nave, the Jewish Federation’s controller. “Being able to count on this revenue stream year after year is crucial to us.”

“These permanent endowment funds continue your annual gift forever,” said Rachel Gross, director of planned giving and endowments at the Jewish Federation. “They are vital to helping us continue to meet the needs of the community, both locally and globally, year after year.”

PACEs and LOJEs, as well as funds to address other priorities of the community, can be created by using any of the following methods:

You can make a gift at any time to establish a PACE or LOJE.

You can make a bequest in your will or a provision in your revocable trust to benefit the Jewish Federation or other Jewish organizations after you’re gone.

Giving the Jewish Federation your appreciated stocks or bonds that have been held for more than one year can have many tax and financial benefits.

If the Jewish Federation is the beneficiary of your IRA or other qualified retirement plan, the assets pass to the Jewish Federation free of income or estate tax, allowing you to use your retirement assets to satisfy your charitable intentions while leaving other assets to your family.

You can make a gift of an existing policy, or enable the Jewish Federation to purchase a new policy on your life, to fund an endowed gift to the Jewish Federation.

You can give real estate to the Jewish Federation either as an outright gift or to fund a trust. The property is transferred to the Jewish Federation by deed and is then sold.

You and/or your loved ones receive income for life or for a specified number of years, after which the Jewish Federation receives the remaining trust assets.

A charitable lead trust is an excellent way to transfer property to a younger generation at a significantly reduced gift- or estate-tax cost. It pays income to a charity for a fixed number of years. At the end of the term, the trust assets pass outright to the people you designate.

This agreement between you and the Jewish Federation allows you to make a gift and receive income for life. Gift annuities can generate current income for those 55 or older or be used as a retirement-planning vehicle; the remainder can be directed to a specific endowment fund.