Stu Lessans Leaves Legacy Gift to Ensure JDS’s Vibrant Future

As some of you may know, it’s been said about me that “if an organization has a ‘J’ in its name, Stu’s a supporter!” So I wanted to explain what put JDS at the top of the list for my planned giving.

First of all, JDS’s mission, besides providing a terrific general and Jewish education, is “to ensure a vibrant Jewish future.” And that means a huge amount to me because Jewish continuity is a key issue of mine. Some demographers actually speak of the “evaporation of the American Jewish Community,” and I’m hoping my legacy gift to JDS will help to prevent such a horror!

Also, a core value of JDS is the teaching of AHAVAT YISRAEL, Love of Israel, which includes “An inextricable bond with the Jewish people—past, present, and future and a strong personal and ongoing relationship with Israel, its history, people, and culture.” Our children will sorely need this to deal with rising antisemitism, polarization, and hate and to fight those who challenge Israel’s legitimacy as a nation and threaten its very existence.

I believe our JDS is so effective because of its superb leadership, with Rabbi Mitchel Malkus at the helm, its devoted faculty and staff, and the remarkable lay leadership and loyal and generous donors.

As a lot of you know, my claim to fame is that I’m almost 80 years old and blessed with 21-year-old twins, Matthew and Faye, who attended JDS since kindergarten. They are now seniors in the Scholars Program at the University of Maryland and are the recipients of merit scholarships. Matthew is PreMed (following in my footsteps), and Faye is PreLaw (following in the footsteps of my beloved father Samuel, of blessed memory).

They are both straight “A” Dean’s List students. I attribute this nachas to the wonderful educational experience they had at JDS, for which I’m eternally grateful. I’m hoping my legacy gift will help to ensure this vital JDS experience for generations to come.

There are many ways you can participate. You can provide for JDS in your will or trust, through a beneficiary designation in your IRA, or through a life insurance policy.

Thanks so much for your help to ensure a vibrant future for this incredible institution!

—Stu Lessans, MD, parent to Matthew and Faye ’19