Dear Fellow Chaverim,
As I write this letter just days before the Passover holiday begins, I am thinking about all that our synagogue chaverim have accomplished over this past difficult year. The generosity and support that has been demonstrated is truly remarkable. In return, we have been thinking about what we can do to thank each of you.
Beginning April 15, Congregation Shaarei Kodesh will be hosting a seven-week program entitled PLANNING TODAY FOR TOMORROW – Pre-Need and Afterlife Planning. I am confident that every adult at CSK will find this program beneficial. We welcome sacred guests to join us as well.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
The first two weeks will be led by attorneys, discussing wills, trusts and estates and advanced directives. No one really likes to talk about future illness or death, but the best gift you can give is to ensure that those you cherish are provided for and that your wishes are ultimately fulfilled through pre-need planning.
In the following two weeks, Rabbi Baum will teach us about the preparation of an ethical will. This will be an opportunity for you to make sure that, not only are your material assets accounted for, but also that your values, ideals, and life experiences are shared and passed on to your loved ones.
On week five, we will have guest speakers from King David Memorial Gardens Cemetery and Trustbridge Hospice. CSK has been in negotiations with King David to create a Congregation Shaarei Kodesh cemetery section. Based on the discussions we have had to date, we anticipate offering cemetery plots at significantly reduced prices compared to other locations, perhaps as much as 50%. During this session, a guest speaker from Trustbridge Hospice will explain both the services and misconceptions commonly associated with hospice care.
During the last two weeks, representatives from PNC Wealth Management and Federation’s Life and Legacy program will be joining us to discuss the tools that are available to ensure our lasting support for those organizations and causes that are most important to us. This session will bust common misconceptions that one has to have significant resources to create a tool for ongoing charitable giving, or that one must be deceased to create such a trust. In addition, tax treatment, insurance, and family trusts will be discussed.
I realize that these discussions may raise difficult topics: however, failing to address pre-need issues could result in your family’s future landing in the hands of the court system, your wishes unfulfilled, and the financial implications of making last-minute decisions devastating. I would encourage each of you to join this 7-week program, even if you believe that your affairs are in order. The laws are constantly changing, and hearing from the experts can be thought-provoking and illuminating.
I wish each of you a Chag Sameach.
With warmest regards,
Marty Radnor
