Murray Leiter & Susan Silverman
We are a couple committed to working for the well-being of both the Jewish community and beyond. In this, we are guided by “tikkun olam” - repairing the world.
For both Susan, born and raised in Winnipeg, and Murray, in Montreal, Jewish values were a guiding force. Murray was inspired at an early age by the years of service his late mother dedicated to Montreal’s Jewish General Hospital. He in turn, worked with the JGH’s social services department and Montreal’s AJCS.
When we moved to Oakville in the 1990s, our first thought was to visit Temple Shaarei-Beth El in order to become acquainted with the small but committed community there. As a result, we not only made lifelong friends, but also became active in the congregation, particularly the choir. During that time, Susan, as an adult, studied for and became a Bat Mitzvah. Returning to Toronto a few years later, we continued to pursue our love of Jewish liturgical music through singing in Temple Emanu-El’s choir.
Murray, an investment professional for over 25 years, sits on the Jewish Foundation’s Professional Advisory Committee as well as the United Jewish Welfare Fund’s Pension Plan Investment Committee.
Susan's Human Resources experience of 30 years has been applied to much of her extensive volunteerism. Initially through JIAS and now independently, she mentors immigrants in English conversation skills. She sits on the Board of Temple Emanu-El and on the Executive of MAZON Canada, a Jewish Response to Hunger. MAZON funds food banks, school meals and Out of the Cold Programs across Canada, on a non-denominational basis.
Our visit to Israel several years ago reaffirmed our sense of pride as Jews and the importance of maintaining our on-going support for Israel’s well-being.
For all of the influences mentioned, we chose to endow our gift to the Jewish Foundation. We can only hope that the values we subscribe to in our lives will influence those we help. Among those we wish to see supported by our gift is the Canada-Israel Cultural Foundation. For us, it is a fitting choice on various levels: it marries our passion for music and the arts with our support for Israel. It will be a meaningful legacy for us to know we have supported today’s youth with the potential for future greatness.
