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JOEL DUDECK, OVER 50 YEARS BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH PLANNING AND ENDOWMENTS
For more than five decades, Joel Dudeck has helped clients navigate one of life’s most important and challenging aspects: planning for retirement and their eventual passing, while ensuring their legacy will continue.
In doing so, he became a terrific advocate of the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba, as someone who not only understood the power of endowments but also made it his mission to help others understand it too. A prime example of how we work with professionals to help their clients meet their philanthropic goals.
"As I spoke with them, I found that many clients didn’t know anything about endowment funds; they didn’t know this option existed.” He continues, “Once I explained how they worked and the long-term impact they could have, the idea seemed to resonate.”
In showing clients the difference between leaving a bequest directly to an organization versus directing it to an endowment, people were often quite surprised, he notes.
“If you leave $1,000 to an organization, it goes to operations. It is important, but it is temporary,” he explains. “If that same $1,000 goes into an endowment, it lasts forever. The annual distribution might be fifty dollars or so each year, but that fifty dollars goes on forever.”
Joel’s close relationship with the Foundation deepened over the years. He has served in various capacities as a volunteer with the JFM, including sitting on the Executive, and together with his wife, was part of the Board leadership that launched the Endowment Book of Life. Today, Joel continues to volunteer with the Foundation as a Director for the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba USA, Inc.
His belief in the Foundation’s mission is both personal and professional.
“Being Jewish, this is near and dear to my heart; it’s important to me to help build assets for future generations.”
His belief in the importance of this extended to his practice as well. When donors who had chosen to leave a gift to the JFM in their will were referred to him, Joel often provided his services pro bono, grateful for the opportunity to help strengthen the community he cared about.
After 50 years of practice, Joel has recently retired. He admits this is an adjustment, but reflects proudly on his successes both in law and in helping the Jewish community build for the future.
Joel’s work reminds us that the Foundation can help turn generosity into permanence for those who want to leave a legacy in the community. Every gift, large or small, will support the community forever.
If you are a professional advisor interested in working with the JFM to help your clients create a lasting legacy, please contact Ian Barnes at 204.202.7365, toll-free from the U.S./Canada at 1.855.284.1918, or by email at [email protected]