AUTHOR Eleanor Rusch autographs copies of her book “WIll it Blow” about Mt. St. Helens at the first event made possible by a new cultural arts fund at Portland Jewish Academy.

 

COLLEEN SEXTON PHOTO

When passion meets philanthropy, it’s magic

By DEBORAH MOON

article created on: 2009-04-01T00:00:00

When a shidduch (matchmaker) brings together passion and philanthropy as beshert (soulmates), wonderful things can happen.

The marriage of passion and philanthropy can give birth to a host of programs and opportunities that otherwise might never have been born.

That is the concept behind collaborative philanthropy, which the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland has been developing under the leadership of former federation president Priscilla Kostiner as chair of Financial Resource Development. And while the current economic climate is hardly conducive to encouraging people to make a supplemental gift now, Kostiner was so excited by the concept, she and her husband Tony have set up the first such funds.

In addition to maintaining their pledge to the JFGP Annual Campaign, the Kostiners also pledged additional support for five years to create two cultural arts funds—one at Portland Jewish Academy and one at Mittleman Jewish Community Center.

“Setting up these funds is typical both of Priscilla’s generosity and of her vision into the needs of a community,” said JFGP Executive Vice President Charles Schiffman. “She and Tony are role models whom I hope others will emulate.”

Kostiner said when she moved to Portland 35 years ago, she spent three years as the cultural arts chair for the MJCC. Now, after the center’s renovation and restructuring she is once again serving that role.

“We are really watching pennies over there,” said Kostiner of the center. “The center should be the place families come for educational and cultural enrichment. And regarding the school, we need to take time to enrich these kids by bringing them or taking them to special programs.” The first program made possible by the Kostiners’ gift was a visit to PJA last month by 2008 Oregon Book Award-winning author Eleanor Rusch. Rusch won the children’s literature award for her book “A Day With No Crayons.” Rusch talked to two assemblies—first- to fourth-graders, and fifth- to seventh-graders—before doing a workshop with sixth-graders.

“It was a wonderful program,” said Kostiner, noting her two grandsons at PJA both enjoyed it. “She made it very personal. She told them to read everything—cereal boxes, newspapers, billboards… You never know where you’ll find an idea (for a story).”

Kostiner said she considers the cultural arts funds a safety net for programming that otherwise might never happen.

“This is an example of what we hope will happen when FRD kicks in and people feel comfortable going outside the box and funding their passions,” she said. “It doesn’t take a lot to do something over and above your regular gift,” she said. “If you really care about something, you can find ways to make it happen for other people and the community. Making something happen so others can enjoy it is a reward in itself.”

And while Kostiner doesn’t expect people to rush to jump on the bandwagon in this economy, she said she feels her family’s gift is even more important during financially hard times when many families can’t afford cultural opportunities.

“You can provide programming for people to enjoy when they don’t have to think of the expense and they can escape when the financial picture is very grim,” Kostiner said.

She added that Jewish Family and Child Service Executive Director Marian Fenimore told her that when people are feeling the stress of the economy, it’s important to know they have a safe, available place to go for cultural enrichment.

“Underwriters are angels,” said Kostiner of families and businesses that sponsor community events to keep costs down for participants. “When you make something possible for other people, it feels good.”