Kathleen and Richard Levin Make Estate Gift to Support AJWS’s Future

Kathleen Levin (center) with her husband Richard (right) at an event for AJWS

Kathleen Levin is one of AJWS’s most dedicated supporters—and she’s proud to be leaving a legacy for future generations.

The former chair of the AJWS Board of Trustees made her first gift to AJWS along with her husband Richard after the tsunami in Southeast Asia in 2005. “The LA Times had a list of all the organizations that were responding,” Kathleen says. “AJWS was the only Jewish organization on the list—so we knew that’s where we wanted to give. When we moved to New York, I met Ruth Messinger and was asked to join the Board. The rest is history.”

Kathleen says that she and Rich regularly revisit their will, and within the last ten years felt that they were in a very fortunate position. “We could think beyond our retirement and give some of our assets away to help others,” she says. “My inspiration to work as hard as I do for AJWS is our President and CEO Robert Bank. He is the reason I’m as committed to the organization as I am.”

The Levins have made a $1 million estate gift in their will to continue their support of AJWS beyond their lifetimes. “We support AJWS’s mission and its effective way of promoting positive change in the developing world through grassroots organizations—an approach that respects local cultures, customs and communities,” Rich says. “If we are fortunate to have more remaining at the end of our lives, we would like to devote a meaningful part of it to AJWS’s future.”

Kathleen and Rich view this gift as an important part of passing their values on to their children, whom they taught about charitable giving from a young age. “Our estate gifts are part of this education,” Kathleen says. “This gift to AJWS in our wills will be one of the last actions of ours that our children see. We hope our value of giving to others will live on in them.”

Kathleen encourages anyone who is in a position to make a planned gift to AJWS to do so. “Every dollar you leave to AJWS is just one more dollar that AJWS can use to improve the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in the world.”