Darren & Sara Gottlieb
“Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing.” — Albert Schweitzer
We were both fortunate to be raised in Toronto’s vibrant Jewish community in homes where a sense of Jewish identity and pride was instilled from a very young age through Jewish education, as well as trips to, and study in, Israel. Our parents and grandparents led by example, with a strong commitment to volunteering and tzedakah.
As parents of two boys — Koby, seven, and Cooper, five — we have chosen to set an example from an early age through our family’s fund at the Jewish Foundation. For us it is important to recognize the obligation we have as Jews in Toronto to assist our fellow Jews locally, nationally, and globally. Koby and Cooper have donated their birthday gifts every year to help children in Israel. Through visits to Israel, we have explained to them the importance of our homeland and, more specifically, UJA- funded projects.
Through our volunteer commitments at UJA, Robbins Hebrew Academy, and the Joint Distribution Committee, our children are being influenced by our actions. They know that all our gifts today and in the future through our family’s fund and Sara’s Lion of Judah Endowment will help others not as fortunate as them to live comfortably and Jewishly.
We hope that our leadership provides an example that will foster social consciousness and a sense of responsibility for tikkun olam in our children and in generations to come. Our goal is to lay the groundwork for them to become knowledgeable, responsible Jews and citizens. We hope in the future they will be engaged in Jewish life, having an appreciation for diversity and a commitment to Jewish living and values.
It is our wish that our children’s example will influence their peers, children, and grandchildren to undertake purposeful commitments within the Jewish world and to recognize the importance of Klal Yisrael.
