August:  Menachem Lifshitz Went to Europe to Support Chana

Last May of this year, Menachem Lifshitz travelled to Europe to support Chana, an organization of women who are dealing with infertility.   Read the rest of the entry here.

September: Menachem Lifshitz hosts Holiday Retreat

Menachem Lifshitz, a Long Island based philanthropist and avid golfer, invited 100 family members and guests to join him at the Hilton in Stamford Connecticut, for the Jewish holiday of Shavuot.  Read the rest of the entry here.

October: Mel Lifshitz with the Camp Bais Chana Kids

The kids from Camp Bais Chana always make the Lifshitz’s household livelier.  For Mel Lifshitz, the sound of them laughing and having some fun is enough a reward.   Read the rest of the entry here.

November: Jerusalem Marathon 2012 Proceeds Goes to SHALVA

Shalva, an association for Mentally & Physically Challenged Children in Israel, is one of the charity organizations that will benefit from the upcoming marathon event next year – the Jerusalem Marathon 2012 on March 16.  Read the rest of the entry here.

You may visit Mel’s official website at www.mellifshitz.com.

Giving 2.0 is a book, website, and blog created by Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen to help everyone make their giving—in all forms and amounts—matter more!   Giving 2.0: Transform Your Giving and Our World, is a guide to living a life of generosity that is socially impactful, emotionally rewarding, and rich with learning.

Check out Giving 2.0 and learn more about its great advocacy.  Mel Lifshitz also encourages everyone to  follow Laura’s tweets at @LAAGiving2.

Mel Lifshitz, as one of the supporters of Shalva, encourages more people to join the running event to raise more money for the organization.  Below is an excerpt from the event site on how Shalva can benefit from the marathon.

“A unique and dedicated training program named “Team SHALVA” will unite runners of all backgrounds and ages and assisting them to walk, run or combine the two for the upcoming Jerusalem Full and Half Marathons. As part of this process, runners raise money for SHALVA.  Team SHALVA is committed to help participants reach their fundraising and personal training goals.” Reference  (More about Team SHALVA here. )

The 2^nd International Jerusalem Marathon aims to showcase the city’s important historical spots and new cultural landmarks.  Visit www.jerusalem-marathon.com to register or to read more details about the event. Image Source

Photo Credit

Mel Lifshitz congratulates Morgan Binder of Verde Valley School for winning the Youth Philanthropist of the Year and Richard Ross, Chairman of Rosetrees Trust,   for receiving the Philanthropist of the Year Award.  These two philanthropists are role models of their generations who are worthy to be emulated.  Check details of separate news below.

Teen named county Youth Philanthropist of the Year

The Yavapai County Community Foundation honored Verde Valley School senior Morgan Binder as the organization’s Youth Philanthropist of the Year with a Joy of Giving award.

The honor came as a result of Binder’s involvement with Yavapai Big Brothers Big Sisters in her sophomore year as a big sister; however, her volunteer work goes back to middle school when she took a field trip to Sedona Recycles. Read more here.

Richard Ross wins Philanthropist of the Year Award

Richard Ross Chairman of Rosetrees Trust last night won the award for Philanthropist of the Year award at the Spear’s Wealth Management Awards 2011.  This is recognition for Rosetrees and the team which works hard to find and support cutting edge medical research.  Check here to read the rest of the story.

For Menachem Lifshitz, recognizing these people is a way of encouraging and telling others that helping one another and promoting a worthy cause are priceless achievements that bring personal satisfaction and give people the promise of hope and love.

For today’s philanthropy news, late and former first lady, Eleanor Roosevelt is featured in theinvisiblementor.com dubbing her as an International Diplomat, Writer, and Philanthropist.  Author Avil Beckford called her as the first politically active First Lady in the history of American democracy.  Check an excerpt of Beckford’s article below.

“Eleanor Roosevelt was the first politically active First Lady in the history of American democracy. She supported the formation of the United Nation and was a delegate to the UN General Assembly from 1945 and 1952. Early on, she supported child welfare laws, equal pay and employment legislation, civil and women’s rights.”  Continue reading.

Del Mar Times, on the other hand, features Larry Marcus, a Del Mar philanthropist, community volunteer and former co-owner of 10 TV stations and 34 radio stations.  Larry supports environmental causes, help kids, and comfort the dying.  Read more about Larry Marcus here.

Mel “Menachem” Lifshitz believes that philanthropy lessens the gap between the rich and the poor and it is a driving force that balances the inequality that causes so much hardships and sufferings worldwide.

The kids from Camp Bais Chana always make the Lifshitz’s household livelier.  For Mel Lifshitz, the sound of them laughing and having some fun is enough a reward.  The kids remind him of his happy childhood and he wants to pursue that happy memory by continuing his support to the Summer Camp.

The Camp Bais Chana, which is named after Melly’s daughter, is a precious legacy that the whole Lifshitz’s family wants to keep.  Helping and supporting kids with mental and physical disabilities make the family’s bond stronger as each member realizes the importance life and how to appreciate it.

The Camp Bais Chana children visited the Lifshitz’s household last month and enjoyed their time together with Mel and Rochelle.  They surprised the couple by baking a cake for them followed up by a fun-filled photo-shoot at the Lifshitz’s lawn.   Mel and Rochelle were also having some fun entertaining all them.

Menachem Lifshitz, a Long Island based philanthropist and avid golfer, invited 100 family members and guests to join him at the Hilton in Stamford Connecticut, for the Jewish holiday of Shavuot.  A rather unique and eclectic group from across the globe came to the lovely Connecticut resort to celebrate the holiday commemorating the giving and acceptance of the Torah by Moses and the Jewish people.  

Menachem Lifshitz and his wife Rochelle planned the elaborate event in honor of their daughter Ariella’s Bat Mitzvah.  According to Jewish faith a woman at the age of 12 accepts the commandments of the bible or Torah, thus the holiday of Shavuot presented a wonderfully appropriate opportunity to honor this tradition.

Gateways mission is to empower Jews of all ages to unlock the treasure of their heritage (gatewaysonline.com).  Dedicated to ensuring a vibrant Jewish future, their immersion learning approach enables Jews of all backgrounds to engage the richness of Jewish values and traditions while building and reinforcing their bond with the Jewish people and Israel they were privileged to partake in inspirational seminar lectures by a distinguished panel assembled by the Gateways organization.

Among the noted Rabbis and other dynamic speakers were  Rabbi Mordechai Becher, Rabbi Jonathan Rietti, Rabbi Zechariah Wallerstein, Mrs. Debbie Greenblatt, Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis , Rabbi Paysach Krohn and Rabbi Mordechai Suchard.

The Lifshitz group had a dedicated dining and prayer service area and delicious kosher gourmet cuisine was prepared and elegently served by NY based Schick catering service. An array of vintage kosher wine and scotch from Mel Lifshitz private collection cellar was brought to accompany the holiday meals.

Insightful thought provoking “divrei torah,” or words of wisdom, were presented by various invitees at each holiday meal. These included a particularly poignant address by Los angeles based cartoonist/author Chari Pere (charipere.com) and an engaging note by the honoree’s brother, young filmmaker JD Lifshitz.

As a man who keeps an open-mind, Mel Lifshitz often read books from different authors and he is often inspired by their stories, opinions, debates, and discussions.  Some of them left great quotes that he cannot forget because they inspired and amused his thoughts.  Below is a list of  Menachem Lifshitz favorite Jewish quotes from famous Jewish/non-Jewish authors, leaders, and celebrities.

Israel has created a new image of the Jew in the world – the image of a working and an intellectual people, of a people that can fight with heroism. – This is from David Ben-Gurion, the very first Prime Minister of Israel who become a major Zionist leader and Executive head of the World Zionist Organization in 1946.  He received the Bailik Prize for Jewish thought both in the years 1951 and 1971.

I’m Jewish. I don’t work out. If God had wanted us to bend over, He would have put diamonds on the floor. – This quote from  Joan Rivers amuses a lot of people.  She’s a television personality known for her brash manner, loud raspy voice, and countless plastic surgeries.  Menachem Lifshitz finds this statement a bit offensive at first but everyone has the right to express what they truly feel.

It’s time to say that America is a better place to be a Jew than Jerusalem. If there ever was a promised land, we Jewish Americans are living in it.  – A statement from Rabbi Jacob Neusner, an American academic scholar of Judaism who authored the book “Israel:” Judaism and its Social Metaphors.

Let me tell you the one thing I have against Moses. He took us forty years into the desert in order to bring us to the one place in the Middle East that has no oil! – This quote is from Golda Meir, the 4^th Prime Minister of the State of Israel.  She was a teacher and a kibbutznik before becoming a PM.  She received the Israel Prize award for her special contribution to society and the state of Israel.

Yes, I am a Jew, and when the ancestors of the Right Honorable gentleman were brutal savages in an unknown island, mine were priests in the temple of Solomon. – A one-liner from Benjamin Disraeli, a statesman and literary figure who served the British government for three decades.

“if we were forced to choose just one, there would be no way to deny that Judaism is the most important intellectual development in human history.” – From David Gelernter, a Yale University Professor.

Mel E. Lifshitz has more collection of great Jewish quotes from various personalities like Anne Frank, Jules Farber, Lenny Bruce, Frances Wright, Jesse Jackson, Abba Eban, John Galsworthy, and a lot more.

Mel’s financial support has helped the Kulanu Center to purchase and renovate the Kulanu M’chayil el Chayil Building.  The Center’s  Endowment Campaign is projected at $6,000,000. To date, over $3,000,000 has been pledged, beginning with a generous building dedication in memory of Abraham Scharf, A’H by the Scharf family.

Mel Lifshitz carefully selected what type of charity institution he would extend his help to.  Over the years, he has searched for a variety of organizations locally, nationally, an internationally.  The Kulanu Center, which aims to help people from a plethora of backgrounds to overcome the obstacles that have been placed in their way, is a very dedicated organization that helps the less fortunate.

Kulanu was created in February, 2000 in the hearts and minds of a committed group of Rabbinic and lay leaders.  At an event held in his home, noted defense attorney  Ben Brafman reflects on this exciting milestone:

“At that time it was a concept and a dream. Today it is an extraordinary organization that has exceeded the wildest expectations of all who were there from the start. I salute the parents, the Kulanu and community leadership and all of the many volunteers who made this happen.”

The M’chayil El Chayil Building and Endowment Campaign honors Kulanu’s accomplishments and embraces our future by preparing for the needs of the growing population clamoring for services. The generous participation and support of the community makes all the difference in the lives of these individuals with special needs and their families and enriches those who volunteer at its many programs.

Mel Lifshitz is proud of his daughter Arielle who has volunteered at the KULANU Center.

For those who are not aware, many of the Jewish community are affected with infertility.  Most of them often deal with their situation in silence.  This is the very reason why Chana existed.  The organization provides a strict and confidential helpline, a fertility specialist with medical support and information, professional male and female support workers, confidential one-to-once counselling, an expert medical advisory panel, and updates about related events/information.

“At Chana, we face the fertility challenge together.”, this is the organization’s advocacy that prods Menachem Lifshitz to extend his support to the group.  Chana, under the Rabbinical guidance of Dayan Chanoch Ehrentreu shlita and Rabbi Chaim Halpern shlita, has helped hundreds of couples to better understand and deal with the challenges of infertility, supporting them every step of the way.

Menachem Lifshitz helps support the operation of Chana’s team comprised of professionals from a variety of backgrounds.  The team includes support workers, medical advisory panel, nurses, medical and rabbinical patrons, trustees, office and administrative staff, trustees, and volunteers.

To become part of the Chana organization, one should have a strong sensitivity to the issues that prod people to try their services.  All workers and volunteers should uphold absolute confidentiality of patients’ information.