Donations at Woodlands

Donations to WCT support everything we have always loved about Woodlands—such as our celebrations, our worship rituals, the music that fills our sanctuary, and the many amazing workshops, guest speakers, and classes that create our one-of-a-kind education program—and help us to create and grow for the future.
 
Your generous donations are greatly appreciated and have a tremendous impact on our community and the work that we do, both at Woodlands and toward tikkun olam.

Woodlands has many areas you can support through your generous donation. Please see the bottom of the page for fund descriptions. 

Professionals’ Mitzvah Funds

• Rabbi Mara Young's Discretionary Fund: Supports various individuals, organizations, or programs at the discretion of the Rabbi.
• Cantor Jenna Mark's Discretionary Fund: Supports various individuals, organizations, or programs at the discretion of the Cantor.
• Rabbi Emeritus Billy Dreskin's Discretionary Fund: Supports various individuals, organizations, or programs at the discretion of the Rabbi Emeritus.

WCT Programs

• Chai General Fund: Supports the general needs of the Temple. All unspecified gifts are placed into the General Fund.
• Endowment Trust: Provides a long-term endowment to support the financial needs of Woodlands Community Temple.
• Geraldine and Gerald Weinberger Lifelong Learning Fund: Dedicated to creating an ever-growing love of Jewish learning and living through ongoing educational exploration for all members of our congregation.
• Music Fund: Underwrites special music programs, purchases music for the Cantor and Woodlands Singers, and funds Jewish Music Month activities.
• Rabbinic Intern Fund: Supports the hiring of a rabbinic student to assist our Rabbi and work with our Temple community.
• Scholar-In-Residence Fund: Supports the Scholar-in-Residence program.
• Torah and Ritual Fund: Provides for repairs of our Torah collection and for other ritual needs of the Congregation.
• The Jonah Maccabee Fund: Dedicated to the memory of Jonah Maccabee Dreskin, supports an annual concert of contemporary Jewish music, the proceeds of which are used to fund scholarships for children of temple members to attend URJ camping programs.

Scholarships and Support

• Bernard and Frances Shapiro Chesed Caring Community Fund: Supports Temple members in need and the activities of the Chesed Caring Community.
• Expanding Jewish Horizons Fund: Provides support for individuals post college age for travel to and attendance at Jewish educational and cultural programs.
• Lay Professional Development Fund: Supports members of the congregation pursuing lay professional activities for the benefit of the Congregation.
• College Enrichment Fund: Assists members of college age to attend Jewish programs such as URJ and NFTY conventions. Established in memory of Buddy Klein. 
• Confirmation Israel Study Fund: Aids Confirmation students where needed so they may travel to and study in Israel.Established in memory of Ellen Block.
• Education & Youth Activities Fund: Funds special religious and educational needs for young people, other than college, including NFTY camp and program scholarships. Established in memory of Harriet Rosen.
• Education Enrichment Fund: Supplements programming in the Religious School and other educational opportunities at the discretion of the Director of Congregational Learning in consultation with the president of the School Board and the VP of Education.
• Outdoor Memorial Garden: The purpose of the Memorial Garden is to memorialize loved ones, and to provide funds for the general operations of the congregation. If you would like to have your loved one inscribed on the memorial wall, please click here. 
• Rochelle and Jay Novins Speakers Fund: This fund provides funding for the purpose of bringing in speakers and panels on all topics, and with a special (but not exclusive) eye on Israel.
• Special Education Fund: Supports special education programs within the Religious School.
• Steve’s H.O.P.E: “Helping to Open People’s Eyes,” this fund promotes social justice, individual responsibility, and moral action through the Civil Rights Journey, L’taken Political Action Seminar, and other projects. Established in memory of Stephen Lelewer.

Social Action

• Social Action Fund: Funds projects organized by the Social Action Committee.
• Disaster Recovery Fund: Supports disaster recovery and rebuilding efforts, originated following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
• Domestic Abuse Task Force: Helps us to provide assistance to victims of domestic violence leaving the Hope’s Door shelter and reestablishing their lives.
• Hunger Fund: Support organizations that help the hungry and homeless in our community.
• Interfaith Caring Community Fund: Consortium of local churches and synagogues that provide continuous care for those in need, here in our local Greenburgh community.
• Midnight Run Fund: Supports the congregation’s participation in Midnight Run, which  collects and distributes food, clothes and toiletries to homeless people living on the streets of Manhattan.
• Project Ezra: Supports the elderly Jewish poor of the Lower East Side.