Jewish Community Partners

Jewish Community Partners (JCP) will hold its 2022 Annual Meeting in-person on Wednesday, June 22, 2022 at 7:00 P.M. in the Belz Social Hall of the Memphis Jewish Community Center. Framed with the theme of Our Global Responsibility and Securing Our Future, the program will celebrate the ways Memphis Jewish Federation and the Jewish Foundation of Memphis, under the management of JCP, have worked with donors and lay leaders to address needs during the last 12 months, while working together to strategize for a shared but uncertain future.

“The fiscal year ending June 30 has been typically impactful for Jewish Community Partners, Memphis Jewish Federation, and the Jewish Foundation of Memphis,” said Scott Vogel, JCP’s Board Chair. “Our Annual Meeting is an opportunity to share our accomplishments with the community as well as our pledge to continue working diligently to improve lives while sustaining Jewish Memphis and promote Jewish continuity in our hometown, in Israel, and around the world.”

During the Annual Meeting, Vogel will join Federation Board Chair Cindy Finestone, outgoing Foundation Board Chair Anthony Morrison, and JCP President and Chief Executive Office Laura Linder in sharing highlights from an impactful year still marred by COVID and under the new shadow of the war in Ukraine. Board officers and members whose terms are ending will be applauded for their commitment to the Memphis Jewish community and global Jewry, and new leadership will be elected.

“While the factors we rally against can shift, Federation remains rooted where it was planted decades ago,” said Finestone. “We come together to meet Jewish needs, whether caused by once-in-a-lifetime events like the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, or by age-old concerns like antisemitism. Caring for this and other Jewish communities will always be our priority and the Annual Meeting allows us to recognize this year’s achievements and remind people that we are already thinking about future challenges.”

Board members nominated for election or re-election for Memphis Jewish Federation are Jason Susser, Adam Saslawsky, Hal Fogelman, Jan Groveman, Martin Klazmer, Michelle Katz, Sarah Lewis, Jimmy Ringel, Jill Shanker, and Daniel Snyder. Steve Libby and Jimmy Ringel will serve as Annual Community Campaign Vice Co-Chairs.

“Last summer, the staff and leadership of the Jewish Foundation of Memphis began shaping a new Strategic Plan to chart a course for our future,” said Morrison. “Concurrent to the planning, Foundation continued helping donors achieve their philanthropic goals through funds and endowments, training the next generation of donors through the B’nai Tzedek teen philanthropy program, building our Professional Advisory Group, and setting new benchmarks through these and other initiatives. Now with the Annual Meeting, I’m excited to celebrate these milestones while announcing big things for the future based on the recommendations of the Strategic Plan.”

A new highlight of the annual meeting, started last year, is the honoring of a member of the Foundation’s Professional Advisory Group for their work in helping their clients create charitable legacies. The Raymond Shainberg Professional Advisor Award was created in memory of long-time Jewish community leader Raymond Shainberg who was instrumental not only in the formation of the Jewish Foundation of Memphis, but is credited with helping build a culture of encouraging charitable giving among local attorneys, CPAs and other allied professionals. This year’s honoree is Sandy Blockman, CPA and a tax adviser with Watkins Uiberall. A past president of the Jewish Foundation of Memphis Sandy is a trusted advisor to many, and has been devoted to strengthening the Jewish community for decades. 

Board members nominated for election or re-election for the Jewish Foundation of Memphis are Lawson Arney, Elkan Scheidt, Ron Lazarov, and Pace Cooper. Jason Salomon will be elected to replace Anthony Morrison as Foundation Board Chair.

Agency appointees to the Foundation Board of Directors are Laura Paller, Elaine Wagner Skopp, Dot Bilsky, Emily Lennon, Judy Bookman, Marlene Gerson, Judy Royal, and Paula Jacobson.

“As my time as Board Chair of Jewish Foundation of Memphis ends with this meeting, I’m filled with a sense of gratitude- for living in a Jewish Community as generous as Memphis and for having the opportunity to help lead such an incredible group of lay leaders and staff,” said Morrison. “Foundation has become an important part of my family history and will continue to be a huge part of my life for years to come.”

During the program, Morrison will welcome Foundation Chair-elect Jason Salomon into his new position.

Board members nominated for election or re-election for Jewish Community Partners are Mitch Hodus, Jordana Berger, and Josh Sanderson. David Greenberg will be elected to serve as Treasurer/Secretary. “The annual meeting provides an opportunity to recognize the achievements of JCP-managed organizations as well as share plans for the future,” said Laura Linder. “It has been an honor to lead this organization and work with outstanding leaders such as Anthony, Cindy and Scott. Although we will miss Anthony’s leadership, we know he will continue to be committed to the mission and ideals of both Memphis Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation of Memphis.”