Jewish Communal Fund recently sat down to speak with JCF Fundholder Avri Horowitz, a real estate investor from Scarsdale who is passionate about combatting food insecurity. He and his wife, Marla, recently made a large donation to UJA-Federation of New York’s new Queens Hub. The centralized location offers needy New Yorkers access to job training, emotional support, food from its digital pantry, and so much more. Here he talks about the charitable causes that are important to his family and the inspirations behind his giving.
JCF: What values drive your involvement in charitable giving?
Avri Horowitz: I was giving to a lot of different causes as they came up; I wasn’t really focused. The year 2008 was a watershed moment for me; I watched as friends of mine who were on top of the world one day were suddenly on the bottom the next day, for no reason. The world had changed. Whatever I was giving to before, it means nothing if you can’t put food on your table. Since 2008, the causes of food insecurity and job insecurity have really taken a clear precedence for me.
Then COVID happened. You could have been the most successful restaurateur or hotelier in the city, and all of the sudden your revenue went down to zero. It was heart-breaking to drive around Queens and see the long food lines. I’m 61 years old—I wasn’t alive during the Great Depression, but I imagine that was what they looked like.
JCF: Who inspired your love of giving to others?
AH: My parents were both very charitable. My father was president of our local high school in Queens. Although he experienced his own financial challenges, he made sure to give, even when it really hurt to give. The amounts my parents gave to charity were always disproportionate to their income. I remember as a little boy walking down the street with my mother, when we saw a homeless man who was not fully dressed. My mother went into the store and bought him clothing. My mother’s chessed (lovingkindness) and my father’s generosity inspire me and my wife.
JCF: Can you share with us some charitable causes that are meaningful to you?
AH: My wife and I have identified three key charitable causes. 1) UJA-Federation of New York. For many years I had this misimpression of UJA being a big bloated organization, where people joined committees to hear themselves talk. Then a childhood friend of mine, Eric Goldstein, left a lucrative job to become CEO of UJA, and that motivated me to take a second look at the organization. I joined UJA’s committee focused on food insecurity and it blew my mind how cost-effective and talented the staff at UJA are. There are absolute superstars working there. When UJA opened its hub and digital food pantry in Queens, a place I grew up, it resonated with me. My father started his business there; my mother still lives there. My mother and I took a tour of the Queens site and gave a grant to help build the hub. I wanted her to actually see the amazing work that they do there with her own eyes, and not just write a check. If you want to know why supporting UJA is important and critical, just go to the hub and see everything they do under one roof.
2) I help Colel Chabad because first and foremost it is the oldest charity addressing food insecurity in Israel, established in 1788. They are also the largest food distributor in Israel to the needy. Food is a basic need, and Colel Chabad helps feed orphans, widows and Holocaust survivors. In fact, they have a partnership with the Israeli government. They help everyone, regardless of their background, affiliation, and Jewish observance. Their programs are remarkable and my son, who teaches boys to read from the Torah for their Bar Mitzvah, has taken part in the mass Bar Mitzvahs they make for orphans, which is just an incredible project.
3) Friends of Israel Disabled Veterans (FIDV)–Beit Halochem. When my father passed away about eight years ago, we were looking for a cause to memorialize him. My father was in the Israeli army and in his 50s, he had a very bad accident where he smashed his femur, and spent next 20 to 30 years in rehab for his leg. He was very diligent about his rehab. Beit Halochem operates centers throughout Israel that cater to soldiers who have been wounded physically or emotionally with PTSD. We dedicated one of the centers in Jerusalem in memory of my father. My father had spent half the year in Israel in his later years, so we felt it was an appropriate way to honor his memory.
JCF: Any advice for those first getting started with philanthropy?
AH: Everyone needs to find a charity that speaks to them. Everyone has different priorities and experiences in their life. Giving to causes you care about will help you feel good about giving and feel connected to the cause.
JCF: How did you hear about JCF?
AH: JCF is one of my favorite organizations to talk about—it is such a vital part of my life. The technology makes the ease of donating so easy. I first heard about JCF from my accountant. My dad had set up a foundation. He was 92 and was doing all the paperwork himself for the foundation. We closed the foundation and transferred the assets to a donor advised fund with JCF, and it’s been so much easier for us to manage our giving. With all of the investment options JCF has, you can be as conservative or aggressive as you’d like. It’s an invaluable tax tool for me. As tax laws change, and market changes, it’s an integral part of my plan every year.
JCF: What has been your most meaningful gift?
AH: Definitely the hub in Queens. It literally it’s a living, breathing function of UJA-Federation of NY. It literally changes thousands of people’s lives for the better every month. They are changing the world, one person at a time.