Why designate a legacy gift to Houston Hillel?

• Houston Hillel is Houston’s only Jewish organization solely dedicated to serving Jewish college students and twentysomethings.

• Houston Hillel creatively engages and empowers Jewish students through personal interactions and compelling programs.

• Houston Hillel nurtures intellectual and spiritual growth in a pluralistic community.

• Houston Hillel links the campus community to the Houston Jewish community.

 

Your bequest will provide for the most critical needs at the time the money is received. Or, your bequest can benefit an established endowment fund, and will provide a permanent annual source of income for Houston Hillel. You can also establish a new endowment fund at this time or in the future.

• The Houston Hillel Edith & Bob Zinn Student Programming Fund

• The 2020 Edith & Bob Zinn Endowment Fund

• The Holzband Hillel Programming Fund

• The Ernest Krautkopf Houston Hillel Special Programs Fund

• The Rubenstein Shabbat and Festival Meals Fund

• The Gloria and Jerry Ribnick Houston Hillel Passover Seder Fund

• The Ben McGuire Houston Hillel Lectureship and Program Fund

• The Houston Hillel Student Center Fund

• The Beulah Axelrad Yellen (Rice ‘36) Houston Hillel Entertainment Fund

• The Larry Massin Sports Lounge Fund

• The Sustaining Endowment Fund

• The Morris and Shirley z"l Rapoport Houston Hillel Prize Fund

• The Raymond Plotkin Memorial Scholarship Fund

• The Desiree and Max Blankfeld Fund

 

Solidify your intent by clicking here and filling out Houston Hillel’s Declaration of Intent form today!

 

By filling out Hillel’s Declaration of Intent form, you make a commitment to Houston Hillel by providing for the needs of future generations of young, Jewish people in Houston. The Declaration of Intent is not a legal document. It only indicates your commitment and does not require you to make any financial arrangements at this time.

 

Gifts by Bequest

A bequest can be made through a donor’s will or trust and is the easiest way to make a planned gift. It can be in the form of a specific amount, percentage, or residue and can be made in honor or memory of a loved one. Using this method the donor keeps control of the assets during their lifetime and makes the gift upon death. These gifts will support the future mission of Houston Hillel.

 

Simply Include a Sentence!

To leave a charitable gift in your will or revocable living trust, you simply include a clause that directs a gift be made to Houston Hillel. You can leave a specific dollar amount, a set percentage of your estate, or the remainder of your estate.

 

If you already have a will, you can add a charitable bequest with a supplement, called a codicil. Or, if it’s time to update your will, you can include a gift to Houston Hillel in your updated will.

 

Make a General or Specific Bequest

You can make a general bequest to help provide for the most critical needs at the time the money is received. Or you can make a bequest to provide a gift to one of our Endowment Funds, where your gift is invested so you can provide a permanent annual source of income for Hillel into the future.

 

Here are some examples of how you may create a charitable bequest:

• General bequest:

  • I give $___(or __% of my residuary estate) to Houston Hillel.

• Gift to a specific program or area of interest:

  • I give $__ (or __% of my residuary estate) to Houston Hillel to support __________ (here you would specify a specific area of interest or program, such as Israel, Shabbat, Graduate Student life, etc).

• Designated bequest to our existing endowment fund:

  • I give $___ (or __% of my residuary estate) to Houston Hillel to contribute towards the endowment fund to support enriching Jewish learning programming for years to come.

 

Charitable Gift Annuities

A gift annuity is an agreement whereby the donor transfers assets, such as cash or appreciated securities, to Houston Hillel. In return, the donor receives a guaranteed payment for the rest of the donor’s life. Gift annuities, which are income-producing gifts, are popular with donors because they receive a charitable income tax deduction, possible estate tax savings, a fixed payment for life, some tax-free income for a period of time, and possible capital gains tax savings.

 

You can also make a gift now and defer having payments made to you until a future date. This type of gift is called a deferred gift annuity. The rates are generally higher than the rates on current gift annuities depending upon the annuitant’s age and the length of the deferral.

 

IRAs and Retirement Plans

Under certain circumstances it may be advantageous to name Houston Hillel as the beneficiary of an Individual Retirement Account or your employer’s pension plan. Doing this may benefit you and your heirs. You retain control of these funds during your lifetime. At your death, these funds, if left to Houston Hillel qualify for a charitable deduction and, thus, may save on estate taxes.

 

Gift of Life Insurance

A gift of life insurance can be made through a new or existing policy by the donor designating Houston Hillel as the owner and beneficiary. The donor receives an income tax deduction for the value of the policy when the gift is made and income tax deductions for future premium payments each year.

For additional information and to explore the impact of a legacy gift, please contact Rabbi Kenny Weiss at 713-526-4918 or kweiss@houstonhillel.org.