Announcing the Pomegranate Legacy Society, and its co-chairs, Kim and Alan Waldbaum
For 75 years, the SJCC has been a home away from home for Seattle’s Jewish community, serving as the centerpiece for countless connections, experiences and shared traditions. As we look ahead to the next 75 years, we are determined to deepen and widen our impact.
To celebrate this commitment, the SJCC is launching the Pomegranate Legacy Society, an initiative that invites the community to contribute planned gifts that will seed a prosperous and fruitful future for the J. There are many ways you can do this, including as a bequest through your will, or simply adjusting beneficiaries of a 401K or life insurance policy.
Kim and Alan Waldbaum, whose connections to the SJCC stretch back to their preschool days, embody the deep impact the J has had on its members. They reconnected as adults at the J’s fitness center, leading to their lifelong partnership and a shared commitment to supporting the center. Over the years, they both have been active participants in the J’s softball and basketball league programs, its adult learning offerings, and our community-wide events, celebrations, and carnivals. Their three children also grew up in the J’s Early Childhood School, participated in Dinky Dunkers, and have frequented the J through BBYO, further deepening the family’s ties.
Recognizing the profound impact the J has had on their lives, Kim and Alan have consistently given back: Kim served as Board President from 2015-17 and Alan led the J Explorers program for many years. Now, as chairs of the J’s Pomegranate Legacy Society, they are focused on ensuring the J remains a cornerstone of the Jewish community in Seattle—both now and in the future.
Even with all the J has been able to offer families like the Waldbaums, Kim and Alan are well aware of the challenges the community center has faced over the decades. Alan recalls the time during his childhood when the J faced extreme financial obstacles. He remembers how worried the community was before generous donors prevented its closure. Both he and Kim often think about what would happen if the community lost such a vital institution. “Where would all these people meet?” Kim wonders. The J is the heartbeat of the Jewish community in Seattle, and she fears what might happen if it were no longer here.
Kim and Alan believe that supporting the J is not just about making annual gifts, but leaving a legacy gift that can have a lasting impact. They point out that the survival and stability of Jewish organizations depend on the generous and collective support of the community. “We need to help our community organizations get beyond immediate survival and build an endowment that ensures strength for the long term,” Alan says.
The couple hope that everyone who has ever benefited from the J will feel inspired to contribute a legacy gift in some capacity to the Pomegranate Legacy Society to help preserve the J for generations to come.
Plan Your Legacy
Join the Pomegranate Legacy Society to help secure a vibrant and fruitful future for the J. Click here to discover how you can make a lasting impact on our community with a legacy gift.
