Generations of Giving

Episode 27: Lee Harkavy

Lee Harkavy shares his unique perspective on sustaining Jewish identity in an increasingly globalized world, informed by his extensive leadership including as a past president of Memphis Jewish Federation. In this episode, he also discusses two of his most important influences: his father, also a past president of the Federation as well as a founder of the Jewish Foundation of Memphis, and his mother's role with Jewish Family Service, helping to resettle Russian Jews to Memphis in the 1980’s.

Episode 26: Mark Halperin

Mark Halperin knows all about dedication. In addition to working at local commercial real estate firm Boyle Investment for fifty-three years, he has served as President of Memphis Jewish Home & Rehab and Temple Israel and board member of Union for Reform Judaism. Mark is particularly proud of spearheading The Temple Israel Cemetery Sustainability Fund with a group of six families who collectively donated $2 million to ensure the financial stability of the Temple Israel Cemetery. In this episode, he also recounts the time he sat in President Bush's pew at the National Cathedral with a 102 degree fever to hear Rabbi Greenstein speak.

Episode 25: Burton Weil — Part 2

Burton Weil is frank when it comes to wealth: he "never dreamed he would make this much money" and didn't want to gift his entire fortune to his children. He credits the Jewish Foundation of Memphis with showing him how to utilize his family foundation to support organizations like the University of Memphis and New Memphis. This is part two of a two-part interview.

Episode 24: Burton Weil – Part 1

Burton Weil says he was a "terrible" student. Yet the Memphis entrepreneur's lifelong journey led him to become a stalwart philanthropic supporter of college students and young professionals across the city. Through “move the needle” grants from the Burton Weil Family Foundation, Burton and his adult children, who run the Foundation with him as a team, have burst onto the philanthropic scene and are now strengthening Memphis by investing in young talent. This is part one of a two-part interview.

Episode 23: Dot and Stanley Bilsky

When they arrived in Memphis in 1968, Dot Bilsky says she and her husband Stanley only intended "to go Temple to pray" — until Beth Sholom Synagogue's Rabbi Becker encouraged them to step up. Ever since, the Bilskys have been a force in Jewish philanthropy. In this interview, they share their lifelong story of leadership with United Way, Beth Sholom, the Memphis Jewish Federation and the Jewish Foundation of Memphis.