As a kid, I didn’t know much about charity beyond the blue-and-white rectangular boxes that my father kept at the cash register in his retail store in Berkeley. The boxes jiggled heavily, satisfyingly, as loose change piled up inside to help make the faraway land of Israel green with trees. Charity was a matter of sound: coins rattling around in UNICEF boxes at Halloween, bell-ringers and swinging red-metal buckets for Salvation Army in December.
It is my husband, Mark Moss, who broadened my perspective on giving. Having grown up poor in the Detroit area, he remained grateful to the local Jewish Federation for having helped his family purchase a home in the then-new Jewish suburb of Oak Park, where Mark attended excellent public schools. Later, he received a Hebrew Free Loan that enabled him to go to college. He understands firsthand the importance of Jewish philanthropy, and has always felt a profound urge to give back.
As a young couple, Mark and I contributed our synagogue dues and made small annual donations to the Jewish Federation in San Francisco. Over the years, our involvement grew, and we had some good fortune. The donor-advised fund (DAF) that we were ultimately able to set up with Federation has enabled us to support many Jewish causes, as well as secular ones such as our local food bank. Mark has also put in countless hours, over many years, doing board work for East Bay Jewish organizations.
Meanwhile, I co-founded the national nonprofit Bruchim, which champions full inclusion for Jews who choose not to circumcise. We honor their decisions, provide resources for meaningful Jewish birth ceremonies and create pathways for them and their families to participate fully in Jewish life. I’m deeply grateful that because of Mark’s vision and commitment, our DAF can support Bruchim alongside numerous other nonprofits.
Lisa Braver Moss | Piedmont
Bruchim president and co-founder
