When they arrived in Memphis in 1968, Dot Bilsky says she and her husband Stanley only intended "to go Temple to pray" — until Beth Sholom Synagogue's Rabbi Becker encouraged them to step up. Ever since, the Bilskys have been a force in Jewish philanthropy. In this interview, they share their lifelong story of leadership with United Way, Beth Sholom, the Memphis Jewish Federation and the Jewish Foundation of Memphis.

Tampa may have more Jewish residents, but the strength of the Memphis Jewish community drew Ted Cohen and his wife Andrea back to the city where he grew up after 8 years in south Florida. He explains how and why he finds time to be so involved in the Jewish community as a young professional growing his family. “It’s our turn,” Ted says about the previous generation of Memphis Jewish leaders. 

“With arms wide open and big smile,” is how Brona Pinnolis describes her late son Aaron, who, prior to his death,  decided what he wanted his legacy to be.  “He wanted other kids to experience the magic of camp, like he did.”  Through Aaron’s Awesome Adventure Fund of the Jewish Foundation of Memphis, annual grants are made to support scholarships or other needs at Camp Sabra.  

Wondering who is the "world's greatest fundraiser?" In this episode, Jimmy Ringel, Chair of the Memphis Jewish Federation, shares this story and more from the community's history, of which the Ringel family has been an impactful pillar. His late father was President of the Foundation during the launch of “Create Your Jewish Legacy," Jimmy and his wife are active current leaders, and, thanks to their early education at Bornblum, Jimmy's sons are proudly sustaining their Jewish heritage. 

Notice anything different about the MJCC these days? The beloved community center recently expanded to include the new Sandy and Jerome Goldstein Lodge. Jeff Goldstein talks about the new building and its namesakes (his parents) in this episode, plus the origins of B'nai Tzedek and why he and his wife Bunny have sponsored the teen philanthropy program for 23 years.

Giving truly runs in the family - especially when it comes to the Uiberall/Shankers. In this episode, grandmother/mother/daughter trio Andie Uiberall, Jill Shanker & Sydney Shanker talk about their history of charity and Jewish leadership, from the iconic blue JNF tzedakah coin boxes that Andie grew up with to Jill's and Sydney's time in BBYO. They also discuss the joy of being Jewish at summer camp and what life is like for Jewish college students these days. 

Hal is the only "first gentleman" of the Foundation featured on the podcast so far (his late wife Ronna was president). In this episode, Hal tells the story of first meeting Ronna, the couple's decades of support for Ronald McDonald House, and the beautiful legacy he built in his wife's memory: the newly-opened Ronna K. Newburger Adult Day Center at Memphis Jewish Home & Rehab.

Current Jewish Community Partners Chair Charles Jalenak lends his professional financial expertise to this episode. Hear why Charles says the Jewish Foundation of Memphis has the "best Jewish advisory platform in the country" and how the Foundation helps donors invest their money through innovative strategies with a bent toward Israel support and investing Jewishly. 

Ken Steinberg is much more than a "pesky board member," as he describes himself. Not only has the lifelong Memphian served as past Chair of Jewish Community Partners, the Memphis Jewish Federation and the Jewish Foundation of Memphis, in this episode, Ken also discusses co-chairing the Maccabi Games and leading the Overton Park Shell. He and his family have made music and Jewish community a core part of their lives — including his young grandchildren, who are sixth-generation Memphians. 

Few people know that the Foundation's origin story partly began with a poolside conversation between Ron Belz and Paula Jacobson at the JCC. The founding Executive Director of the Foundation discusses the organization's earliest days in this episode (and gets nostalgic for working on the office floor while waiting for furniture to arrive), plus working with seniors at the Trezevant Foundation, her time as past Temple Israel president and the many strong women leading the Memphis Jewish community today.

Michael D. Kaplan went to law school with no intention of becoming a lawyer. Yet, his life journey led him to become the longtime legal counsel to Jewish Community Partners, Memphis Jewish Federation, and the Jewish Foundation of Memphis. As Donor Advised Fund holders, he and his wife Mary Anna and have made their charitable focus feeding the hungry and vulnerable - their family mantra being "you can't just pass through life." He discusses this and more in the latest episode. 

In this episode, Susie Thorp shares the incredible story of her parents' escape from Europe in the 1930s. After arriving in Memphis, the couple built an impressive collection of judaica, with some pieces dating back to the 13th century - all now residing in the Temple Israel Museum. She also discuses donating a gift of Tiffany glass through the Foundation, and how giving tzedakah is doing "God's unfinished business."

Charity is not a nice-to-have for Sandy Blockman, but an obligation. In this episode, he shares his family legacy of upholding Memphis Jewish institutions, beginning in the early 1900s when the "Blockman shul" was the mainstay of the Orthodox community downtown, and explains why Margolin Hebrew Academy is his priority as the only Torah-centered school in the city. Listen until the end to hear the "three treasures" of Blockman family.

Steve Wishnia was in the room when it happened: the launch of the Jewish Foundation of Memphis in 1995. In this episode, he discusses the origin story of the Foundation, the importance of supporting local Jewish organizations such as the Memphis Jewish Home ("People tend to forget the elderly - let's not forget our mothers and fathers"), and his still-recognizable Brooklyn accent. 

As former President of both Beth Sholom and the Memphis Jewish Home & Rehab, Nat Landau knows better than most how deeply Memphis Jewish agencies rely on having a strong local Jewish Foundation. In this week's episode, he discusses this, his "wasted time" in the Air Force, his wife's adjustment from New York to the Jim Crow-era South, and how to attract more young Jewish people to Memphis.