Congregation B’nai Israel Foundation
Established in early 2000s with proceeds of the sale of land owned by the synagogue, the CBI Foundation is a not-for-profit, registered charitable organization. The Foundation’s overriding mission is to help secure a vital and meaningful future for the Niagara Region’s Jewish community by providing financial security and viability to the Congregation B’nai Israel synagogue. Specifically, the Foundation is intended to provide opportunities for members of our community to enhance Jewish life, develop programs and provide education beyond the level that can be funded by CBI membership dues alone.
To fulfill its mission, the Foundation provides capital funding toward major renovations and improvements to our synagogue. It also provides a source of income to ensure the perpetual maintenance and care of our cemetery and various other family memorial items, as well as to support current and future Jewish programming for our community.
Donations to the Foundation can be made in various forms, including:
- Cash or securities donations in which a specified amount is donated directly to the Foundation in the form of cash, bonds, stocks or mutual funds.
- Life insurance policy in which a donor names the Foundation as the owner and beneficiary of a life insurance policy.
- A Bequest or Trust Fund in which a gift is provided in a Will to be distributed to the Foundation upon the death of the donor as part of their estate.
- An Endowment Fund in which the donor establishes a specific purpose fund in which the principal is restricted but the interest earned is donated to the Foundation to be used as directed by the donor.
It is the aim of the Foundation to maintain regular communication with the community as part of the operations of the synagogue. The Foundation was created to support the synagogue and assist in its maintenance so that the local Jewish community remains vibrant and continues to grow into the future. It is our hope that members of the community will become part of the legacy through donations that will make an impact for many generations to come. Together, we can meet the challenges and needs of our community and ensure the continuation of our long history and heritage.
CBI Foundation Board of Trustees
- President: Dr. Jonathan Pollock
- Treasurer: Sam Walters
- Dina Caplan
- Dr. Stevan Orvitz
- Dr. Howard Slepkov
- Joe Katzman
Contact information
Mailing address:
190 Church Street,
St. Catharines, ON
L2R 4C4
Telephone: (905) 685-6767
Email: foundation@jewishstcatharines.com
Testimonials
“The B’nai Israel Foundation has given us the opportunity of providing a continuing presence in this community that we love, even after we are gone. I get an annual tax receipt for my premium costs for the policy which provides me a tax savings that partially offsets the cost of the policy”.
– Marcia and Harold Nash, long-time Congregation B’nai Israel members, who chose a life insurance policy as their method of financial support to the Foundation in which the policy names the Foundation as its irrevocable beneficiary.
“I had been thinking for a long time of making a substantial donation to our shul because it holds a very special place in my heart, and I just knew it was the right thing to do. My family has a long history of celebrating simchas here. My husband was bar mitzvahed here, as were my three children, and we had bar/bat mitzvahs for all seven of my grandchildren here. I was married here, as was one of my sons. I was very active in the Sisterhood and have very fond memories of many parties and dinners at the shul over the years. The shul embraced me at a young age, gave me a lot of joyous moments and comforted me when I needed it most. The Foundation is a great way to ensure the synagogue is here to help others, now and into the future. And the tax deduction doesn’t hurt either.”
– Sandra Fruitman, whose family has roots in the Niagara area going back to the 1940s, chose to donate to the Foundation in a series of annual cash payments.