By Lauren Mattleman Hoopes
Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City
This has been a year like no other. For many, if not most of us, we are experiencing a once in a lifetime crisis. The coronavirus has disrupted everything about our lives, causing illness and economic hardship, and has physically separated us from our loved ones and our professional colleagues. It would be easy to become overwhelmed by the sense of loss. And yet …
Hardship, disruption, displacement – this is familiar territory for the Jewish community. Throughout our history, we have found ways to adapt, to reinvent, to reimagine and to not only survive, but to thrive.
And we have done so. Like so many of you, instead of dwelling on what we have lost, we have marshalled our resources, redoubled our commitment to our community and to one another, and have found silver linings among the clouds.
I am an extrovert and I get my energy (and best ideas!) from being with others. It was a difficult adjustment for me to find other ways to animate my work. But … I was blessed with months-long visits from my adult children who, under normal circumstances, would never have been home for more than a week.
I talked to my friends more on the phone and spent more time in nature. I cooked and delivered more meals to friends and conquered my fear of baking with yeast. I was more consistent with my shabbat observance and attended more Zoom services than I had in person for many years. And I appreciated more than ever the privilege of working with the Kansas City Jewish community and my job as executive director of the Jewish Community Foundation.
And the Jewish Community Foundation itself found many silver linings as well.
Through the efforts and resilience of our staff, and with the strong support of our board, we transitioned to remote operations in mid-March. With few exceptions, our work continued seamlessly, with the use of technology. We adapted our programs to face the challenge posed by our need for social distancing. We sponsored an inspiring virtual happy hour where donors shared how they were personally addressing the challenges arising from the pandemic through their volunteer efforts. Weekly shabbat emails offered an opportunity for families interested in multigenerational philanthropy to connect over meaningful and thought-provoking questions about giving and personal values.
We had a record number of teens on the B’nai Tzedek youth council, the leadership initiative of our youth philanthropy program, and J-LEAD, our giving circle for younger adults, was able to convene virtually in April and made grants to meet the emerging needs of our community early in the crisis.
The pandemic refocused the minds of many on health and family, a silver lining for the development of legacy gifts. Whether due to changes to the tax laws, having extra time to think, or considerations of mortality, many revisited their estate plans. We were able to share creative approaches, working alongside donors’ professional advisors to establish meaningful gifts for the causes most dear to them.
Another silver lining was the ability to share our expertise to help nonprofits navigate the financial challenges created by the loss of fundraising and earned income revenue. The Foundation alerted, educated, and guided numerous agencies and congregations through the process of applying for PPP loans, financial assistance that proved vital in maintaining their operations without dramatic reductions in service and staff.
This year, we also created a beautiful new donor recognition space on campus. Our goals for the project are to honor the generosity of our Foundation Family and educate the community about the Foundation’s impact. We are excited to unveil the project and celebrate it with the community at a date in 2021 when it will be safe to gather in person.
We all long for that day. But for now, we consider the lessons this time has taught us. Gratitude, fragility – tempered with wisdom and resilience – and the enduring importance of community for our collective survival. Look for the silver linings – they are all around us.
The Jewish Community Foundation is compiling a list of silver linings for its website. If you would like to share yours, please send it to .
Speaker’s Corner features writings from a broad spectrum of local commentators on issues pertaining to the Jewish community. Please contact Editor Mike Sherry at for more information about submissions.
Lauren Mattleman Hoopes is executive director of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City
