Honoring Our Values by Including the Jewish Federation in Our Wills

Barbara and John are the proud parents of Stephanie (Martyn) Swift and Ben (Lilli) Rosenau and have 4 wonderful grandchildren Leah, Charlotte, Jack, and Nathan.

Lifelong Greater Philadelphia residents Barbara and John Rosenau grew up in homes that emphasized the values of giving back to their community. Their desire to support the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia was inspired by their parents’ commitment to philanthropy and tikkun olam—repairing the world.

“It was foundational to our Jewish upbringing that we were responsible to help those in need to the extent possible,” said Barbara, whose mother emigrated from Poland and understood the value of Jewish community support. Together, the couple honors these values through their participation in and contributions to the Jewish Federation. “We have always understood that the Jewish Federation is often the primary resource for many Jewish organizations in Greater Philadelphia and beyond,” they said.

The Rosenaus also pass down their values to their children and grandchildren by upholding the Jewish tradition of l’dor v’dor—from generation to generation. Important to Barbara and John was connecting their children with the Jewish homeland, which they did by celebrating their son Ben’s Bar Mitzvah at the top of Masada in 1999 and going on the Jewish Federation’s Israel 75 Mission with their daughter, Stephanie.

By choosing to provide a gift to the Jewish Federation in their wills, the Rosenaus aim to make a difference for generations to come in areas that are important to them, such as supporting Israel, combating antisemitism, and ensuring a Jewish future. “Legacy giving is an opportunity to give back and make a difference,” they said. “We believe that supporting the Jewish Federation through planned giving perpetuates the values that are vital to us as part of the Jewish people.”