L’DOR V’DOR
•
F A M I LY, E D U C AT I O N A N D S E N I O R L I V I N G
DAN AND RACHEL SANDLER CREATE ENDOWMENT AT JFCS FOR CHILDREN IN NEED By Donna O'Steen, Jewish Family & Community Services
Committee and is involved in supporting the marketing staff with branding and communications. Rachel, a teacher of 15 years, is a Jewish educator at the Jewish Community Alliance. She is active with PJ Library and teaches about the value of tzedakah to children of all ages. Rachel coordinates collection drives to provide support to agencies assisting in restoring normalcy to the community, with a focus on JFCS. The Sandlers met at the University of Florida at a Hillel campus BBQ on their second day at college. The two have been married for 17 years and have two children, Jordan and Alexis. The opportunity to benefit others, to perform “JFCS is child-centered at its core.” Dan stated, “I mitzvot, is one of the most meaningful things a want to help children who have faced abuse or person can do. That belief is deeply embedded in trafficking and have ended up in the foster care Dan and Rachel Sandler. The Sandlers have shared system by no fault of their own. We chose to start their time and talents across numerous community organizations, including Jewish Family & Community this endowment with that in mind. It is our way of lifting up their young lives as they move forward and Services, Girl Scouts of the USA, and Make-A-Wish heal.” Foundation. “Dan and I have witnessed so many others In 2020, the Sandlers recognized how important struggling to make ends meet and we want to give JFCS is to the Jacksonville community – not just back to the community during a time when some during a pandemic or a crisis, but every day. JFCS lost everything,” Rachel added. “We wanted to put helps to advance the common good, to strengthen the community in which they live. Most important to something in place for families who could be affected should another crisis arise, and an endowment will them is impacting the youth of Jacksonville. Since they’ve known each other, Dan and Rachel help to do that.” JFCS is grateful to the Sandlers for their have always volunteered at organizations that commitment and generosity. Their endowment will support the positive development of children. They decided to make an impact on the future by creating support children in its care and ensure that the organization can remain vital, trusted and permanent the Dan and Rachel Sandler Family Endowment, for future generations. primarily focused on children’s services. Their endowment will ensure that JFCS remains as strong The Dan and Rachel Sandler Endowment Fund is and responsive in the future as it has throughout the invested with the Jewish Federation & Foundation of last 104 years. Northeast Florida. Contributions can be made online at Dan, a JFCS board member, first became jewishjacksonville.org/foundation/existing-funds. involved with JFCS in 2018. His skill and experience in marketing made him a valuable asset to the agency. Dan currently chairs the JFCS Marketing Jewish Federation & Foundation of Northeast Florida 27
