On April 8, together with fundholder Eric Kaseff, the Jewish Community Foundation (JCF) hosted site visits to KU Chabad and KU Hillel in Lawrence, Kansas.
The site visits were part of the Foundation’s Connecting Our Giving Community series, which brings together Jewish Community Foundation fundholders for a variety of philanthropic education and engagement opportunities. During the site visits, participants have the opportunity to go behind-the-scenes of organizations’ operations and see their missions in action.
The visit began at the temporary space of KU Chabad, where JCF fundholders, staff and partners were welcomed by Rabbi Zalman and Nechama Tiechtel. The Tiechtels shared the organization’s history and described the wide variety of programs they offer Jewish students at the University of Kansas. The group heard accounts from two students who talked fondly about how the organization has made an impact on their Jewish identities.
The group then toured the construction site of KU Chabad’s new facility, located at 1203 W. 19th Street in Lawrence. Rabbi Tiechtel shared renderings of the finished building, which will feature dedicated spaces for prayer and meditation, mental health, study and social gatherings. The facility will also include a fully equipped kitchen, administrative wing for staff and hospitality suite for students’ families and visiting scholars. The façade will display a colorful mural and a large menorah that will be visible from blocks away, intended to give students a feeling of Jewish presence on campus.
The next stop was KU Hillel, where the group met with Director Ethan Helfand and Assistant Director Ben Davis. Helfand and Davis explained their student-centered approach to programming and the research they are currently undergoing to understand how to best serve their population and its needs. They’ve found that many students prefer informal engagement, and Hillel has been creative in coming up with ways to appeal to and interact with students. Such efforts have included Shabbat observance at an ice cream shop; passing out kosher hot dogs outside of a popular bar as a late-night snack (distributed by a staff member dressed in a hot dog costume); and hosting KU basketball watch parties.
“Gail and I were privileged to visit Chabad and KU Hillel with the JCF’s ‘Connecting our Giving Community’ program,” participant Gary Weinberg said. “We were so impressed with both the Chabad staff and the KU Hillel staff. The opportunities and the feeling of belonging that each of these organizations provide for Jewish students is outstanding. We listened to students who spoke of how these organizations changed their lives. Both organizations help our students deal with feelings of isolation and mental health issues. They are incredibly important to the development of our future Jewish adults in Kansas.”
Participant Paul Greenwood agreed and said, “It was deeply moving to hear from the students whose college experiences had not only been influenced, but actually shaped, by their affiliation with Chabad and Hillel. As a JCF grants committee member, it was fulfilling to see the grants we have provided those organizations are having maximum impact and enabling these organizations to realize their missions and create a sense of belonging and community for so many Jewish students.”
Because collaboration and partnership are central to the Foundation’s work, JCF invited representatives of the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City to join in the site visits and discover how its funding of these organizations is helping Jewish life at KU.
“It was extremely valuable to be able to join other community leaders and funders and get a first-hand look at the tremendous impact that our partners, KU Chabad and KU Hillel, are having on Jewish students at KU,” said Taly Friedman, director of community building at Federation. “Jewish Federation is really grateful to JCF for giving us another opportunity to deepen our relationships with our partners through these meaningful site visits.”
Attending site visits is one of many benefits of having a donor advised fund (DAF) at the Foundation. DAFs are personal charitable giving accounts that enable donors to support the Jewish and secular charities of their choice on their own timetable. DAFs may be established with $5,000 or more ($2,500 for those age 35 and younger) and are flexible, efficient and offer substantial tax advantages, especially if donors contribute longterm appreciated stock.
Future site visits are planned for Kanbe’s Markets, Wayside Waifs and Jackson County CASA.
More information about site visits or how the Foundation can help with philanthropic goals is available by contacting Suzanne Galblum Dicken, director of philanthropy, at or (913) 327-8286.