Endowments

Temple Israel is grateful to those families who have assured the quality of Jewish life for generations to come by endowing basic programs of service which have spiritual, cultural, interfaith, philanthropic, and educational purposes.

THE SHIRLEY & ARTHUR ABELSON ENDOWMENT – To provide assistance for families suffering financial hardship in the maintenance of their Temple affiliation and/or in the education of their child(ren) at the Temple Religious School.

THE EUGENE P. ABENMOHA & REBECCA & ROBERT ABEN ENDOWMENT – To provide for the publication of the Temple Israel Chronicle and for the printing and publishing needs of the congregation, assuring that the Temple’s communication material will correspond with the high quality and dignity of our congregational activities.

THE ALTMAN-GARBER ISRAEL AFFAIRS ENDOWMENT – Created by Julius and Ann Altman in memory of their parents, Max and Sarah Altman and Jacob and Jennie Garber, to disseminate knowledge of the high ideals of Zionism and to foster community relationships of understanding with the Jewish State and its people.

THE RABBI ABRAHAM D. BARRAS & SYLVIA J. BARRAS ENDOWMENT – To provide a scholarship fund annually for a student following a course of higher Jewish education at a recognized university; or for a student pursuing a serious program of Rabbinic studies or in preparation for such studies; or for a student to attend Camp Ramah.

THE BERTHA & PHILIP BRAVMAN SPECIAL EDUCATION ENDOWMENT – To strengthen the foundations of Jewish education at Temple Israel with special concern for handicapped children or worshippers who require special assistance while participating in Temple worship and Religious School study.

THE CIMMET FAMILY ENDOWMENT – To provide Jewish educational programs and opportunities for youths and adults.

THE ROSALIE F. COHEN ENDOWMENT – To fund the necessary maintenance, repair and enhancement of Temple Israel buildings and property.

THE ESTHER & WILLIAM DAVIDOWITZ ENDOWMENT – To provide an annual subvention for a significant educational, cultural, or charitable project.

THE SHIRLEY & ROBERT FORTINSKY ENDOWMENT – To provide financial help for families within the congregation and community who have suffered a catastrophic reverse and require emergency assistance.

THE FRIEDMAN INTERFAITH ENDOWMENT – To provide support for specific communal projects which have as their purpose the construction of bridges of understanding and friendship between the Christian and Jewish communities.

THE SIDNEY FRIEDMAN TRANSPORTATION ENDOWMENT – To provide access for the elderly to services and for the children to Religious School.

THE HARRIET & PHILIP GRAY ENDOWMENT – To provide funds for the construction of handicap access facilities. (Fully utilized)

THE ETHEL & JACOB D. GROH ENDOWMENT – To provide support for activities on the part of the Temple or community groups that will link our people more closely to daily minyan worship and the study of Torah.

THE LAWRENCE & RUTH HOLLANDER B’NAI MITZAH PRAYER BOOK ENDOWMENT- To provide prayer books.

THE ESTHER & NATHAN KLEIN PASSOVER ENDOWMENT – To enable people of need and Temple Israel institutions to celebrate and participate in the Passover holiday and to encourage and enrich the observance of Passover.

THE RUTH & MAURICE KLUGER AND DAUGHTER, BARBARA LOIS WEINBERG, ENDOWMENT – To provide for the acquisition of major educational equipment and significant program material for the Temple Religious School; to enhance the quality of Jewish education by providing in-service teacher training for the instructors of the Jewish religious schools of the community.

THE KORNFELD FAMILY ENDOWMENT – To provide scholarships to local Jewish youth for a bridge-building educational experience in Israel.

THE JENNIE & ISADORE LANDAU PARKING PAVILION ENDOWMENT – To provide for the urgent creation and support of a special parking pavilion at Temple Israel , which will facilitate attendance at worship, adult classes, and the operation of Temple affairs by appropriate committees.

THE MYNE & NAT LEVY DISTINGUISHED CONCERT IN JEWISH MUSIC ENDOWMENT – To provide an annual concert in Jewish music at Temple Israel .

THE DR. HARRY & IRENE LYONS FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION ENDOWMENT – To sponsor special programs, which augment the work of our Religious School through programs which will educate Jewish families.

THE LILLIAN & GERALD OPPENHEIMER FAMILY ENDOWMENT – To advance the Temple’s education programs, and to encourage various projects in educating people with special needs in the community.

  • Oppenheimer A. To provide support in the Jewish Community of Greater Wilkes-Barre to aid handicapped and disabled children to maximize their potentials and to enhance their capabilities to function independently.
  • Oppenheimer B. To provide support for the above purposes, as well as strengthening the quality of Jewish education offered by Temple Israel, including programs to enhance curriculum offerings, teacher training, and to deepen sensitivities for moral and ethical education.

THE ALICE, DR. WILLIAM, I. MALCOLM, & STANLEY PEARLMAN ENDOWMENT (BY MR. I. ERIC FELDMAN) – To help subsidize a Jewish educational experience for high school youths in Israel; or at a program of Jewish studies; or at a summer camp.

THE ANNE & MORRIS PERLOFF DISTINGUISHED SCHOLAR-IN-RESIDENCE ENDOWMENT – To provide an annual distinguished Scholar-in-Residence program for Temple Israel.

THE HERBERT L. & JOAN F. RITTENBERG FAMILY ENDOWMENT – To provide technological enhancement and innovation to Temple Israel.

THE SALLYANNE, HAROLD, & FRANK SCOTT ROSENN COMMUNITY SERVICE ENDOWMENT – To enable the Temple to respond to local community needs and to participate actively in the work of communal agencies engaged in the furtherance of human welfare.

THE SAIDMAN-GREENWALD TORAH ENDOWMENT – To provide support for the on-going educational programs of the Temple.

THE MILTON, ROSALIND & SEYMOUR SCHWEIGER MEMORIAL FUND – to be used for such worthwhile purposes as determined by the Board of Trustees of Temple Israel.

THE SARAH & LOUIS SHAFFER FAMILY SUKKOT ENDOWMENT – To be used annually for the beautification of the Temple Israel Sukkah and for a Sukkot community experience.

THE MIRIAM K. SIMS HUMAN DEVELOPMENT & GUIDANCE MEMORIAL ENDOWMENT – To provide educational programs in the fields of Human Development and Guidance within the Temple and community.

THE MARK SLOMOWITZ MEMORIAL ENDOWMENT – To provide for special holiday celebrations and parties for the children of Temple Israel so that the joyous nature of the festivities may inspire a spirit of love for the Jewish tradition in the hearts of our children.

THE DAVID AND LILLIAN THALENFELD JEWISH ENRICHMENT ENDOWMENT FOR STUDENTS – To provide Jewish educational programs and opportunities for teenage youth and/or college age young adults of Luzerne County to visit Jewish content museums and other institutions of meaningful Jewish content with appropriate adult chaperoning.

THE DR. MYRA R. TOGUT RELIGIOUS SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT – To provide assistance for families suffering financial hardship in the education of their child(ren) at the Temple Religious School.

THE EDNA & NATHAN TURTLETAUB RITUAL FUND ENDOWMENT – To provide for the needs of the daily minyan at Temple Israel by acquisition of the sacred ritual objects of prayer and in support of the special religious programs relating to daily and festival worship.

THE MAX & TILLIE UNGAR FAMILY MEMORIAL ENDOWMENT – To encourage our students in college and university to continue their Jewish education by taking accredited courses in Jewish studies and Hebrew.

THE TESS & AARON WEISS ENDOWMENT – To provide annually for the visit of a distinguished community personage to Israel for the purpose of bridge-building relationships in the general community.

THE SUSAN YELEN MEMORIAL  ENDOWMENT – Created in memory of Susan Yelen (z’l).

THE JACOB B. & ROSABELLE ZIMMERMAN MEMORIAL ENDOWMENT – To assist Temple Israel to introduce such technological advances as will enhance its ability to better serve its membership. (Fully utilized)