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Campaign update! As of March 31, 2022, the campaign has received pledges totaling just over $300,000, which is 20% above our original goal of $250,000! We are enormously grateful for the generous support our donors have expressed through their pledges. We are continuing the campaign through June 30 of this year, not only to further surpass our goal, but also in an effort to increase the ratio of cash gifts to bequests, which are currently $90,000 (about 30%) of our total pledges. Because bequests do not come to us immediately (and we hope not for a long time to come!) and since the dollar amount of bequests can vary from initial plans, we would like to increase our total of near-term gifts. And of course, we would be delighted to receive additional bequests as well. If you would like to read some of the heartfelt notes we’ve received that attest to the value of our Temple community and to an enduring feeling of connection, click here. And if you would like to donate, you’ll find our pledge form here. |
For the online pledge form, click here.
As we celebrate 65 years since the construction of Temple Sholom, we have launched a Capital Campaign to secure the legacy of our founders and to shape the future of the Jewish community in Galesburg and the surrounding area. The campaign is a joint endeavor of Temple Sholom and Brookside Cemetery.
The Jewish community in Galesburg dates back to the 1860s, but the first permanent synagogue building was built only in the 1950s, when families from Orthodox and Reform groups joined together in one congregation and built Temple Sholom. This founding generation not only raised the money to build the Temple, but gave generously over their lives for the financial well-being of the Temple, where their gifts form the nucleus of an endowment fund that helps to support the congregation to this day. We seek now to secure this legacy and invest in the future of the congregation.
Today, our small but stable membership provides a strong base of annual giving that covers ordinary expenses. Through careful management, we keep our budget in balance. However, the challenges of an aging building lead us to seek your support to strengthen the Temple’s financial base, so that we can secure the legacy for future generations. An expanded endowment will allow us to preserve the building as a place of worship, a place for Jewish education, and as a place for community gatherings. At the same time, an expanded fund for Brookside Cemetery will insure upkeep and needed improvements long into the future.
We invite all who feel the importance of having an institutional Jewish presence in Galesburg to join us in this endeavor to strengthen our financial base, which will enable us to repair and renovate our physical structures as needed, and to sponsor events and activities that enrich our Jewish life and enhance our presence in Galesburg and in the larger Jewish world.
We hope you will join us in sustaining Jewish life in this diverse community!
Campaign goals for the three areas designated for gifts are:
- Temple Sholom Building Fund, $150,000
- Brookside Cemetery, $50,000
- Temple Sholom General Endowment Fund, $50,000
Please give whatever your heart encourages and your means allow. Gifts of any amount are welcome, and will be acknowledged on a scroll of donors. Your donation or pledge can be made online using the form below or through the mail.
Giving options: A gift to the campaign made be made in a variety of forms, many of which may have estate tax and/or income tax benefits. Ways to give include:
- Cash (payable over multiple years)
- Bequest in your will or trust
- Securities
- IRA or Pension Plan
- Life Insurance
- Real Estate
See our campaign brochure for further information on giving options. Please consult your tax advisor for up-to-date information on tax benefits.
If you would like to make a pledge to the campaign, please fill out our online pledge form here.
Please join us in securing the legacy and shaping the future of Temple Sholom and Brookside Cemetery. If you have any questions, feel free to contact either of the co-chairs of the Capital Campaign Committee: Bob Bondi, Co-Chair of the Campaign Committee, bob@bondibuilding.com, 309.343.9261; Penny Gold, Co-Chair of the Campaign Committee, pgold@knox.edu, 309.335.7856.
Thank you for your support of this precious community!
