PORTLAND JEWISH ACADEMY At the Schnitzer Family Campus | Think for yourself. Work for the world. Summer 2025, 5785 | Exclusive updates for our donors and supporters.
Leaving a Legacy: The 8th Grade Class Gift and the Atid Fund At PJA, graduation isn't just an end; it's an opportunity to shape the future. A tradition at PJA involves the 8th grade families uniting to make a meaningful gift in support of the school they've called home. This collective contribution flows into the Atid Fund – a Hebrew word meaning "future" – a dedicated fund within the PJA endowment held securely at the Oregon Jewish Community Foundation (OJCF - ojcf.org). The vision for the Atid Fund took root in 2019, championed by dedicated PJA parents. They recognized the profound impact PJA had on their children's lives and envisioned a powerful way to give back, ensuring the same enriching experience for generations to come. This initiative allows families to direct their generosity towards areas that resonate most with them within the endowment: enriching the 8th grade travel experience, providing crucial tuition assistance, or bolstering general school needs. Each year, a dedicated group of families steps forward to serve as co-chairs, encouraging their peers to participate in this vital endeavor. Their leadership is instrumental in fostering a spirit of collective giving and achieving high participation rates. The Class of 2025 demonstrated remarkable commitment, achieving 57% participation and raising an impressive $20,500. We extend our deepest gratitude to this year’s dedicated co-chairs: Justin Carroll and Keren Rosenblum, Jamie and Denise Shulman, Hannah Treuhaft and Marc Blackstein, Sandra Valle and Peter Mellman.
Co-chairs Left to Right: Peter, Sandra, Hannah, Denise, Justin Not pictured: Keren, Jamie, Marc
The impact of the Atid Fund is profound and farreaching. It not only strengthens PJA's long-term financial stability, but also directly empowers future students to access the transformative education that defines the PJA experience. We are immensely grateful to our past co-chairs and all the participating families whose generosity will ensure that future generations will benefit from an outstanding PJA education, just as their own children have. Their legacy of giving truly builds a brighter future for PJA.
Rise & Shine Program
Donate Today
This year, PJA is participating in the "Rise & Shine Program" - a generous matching program from an anonymous, national foundation. If PJA can raise just $9,000 more in eligible gifts by early December, the school will receive $25,000 in matching funds! Eligible gifts consist of gifts or pledges from new donors in the amount of $5,000 or more, or gifts or pledges from past donors in an amount that is at least 3x their largest gift in the last three years. If you think that you could help PJA succeed in securing this match, please contact Steve Albert at salbert@pjaproud.org.
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