Sadly, we have too many fires in our region. We see the devastation from the fires in Oregon (more than two million acres burned in two months) and Washington (the Spokane area where over 65,000 people are under evacuation orders and hundreds of structures, including homes and businesses, have been destroyed). To support those impacted by the fires, the Jewish Federation is taking donations to work with community partners to get funding where it is needed most for immediate and long-term needs. 100% of all contributions will be distributed to nonprofit organizations across the region providing assistance and relief. Please make your contribution here. Thank you, as always, for being there when others need our help.

I am excited the Portland Jewish Festival is only three weeks away. Join us on Sunday, August 30 at Zidell Yards on the Waterfront! Great musical acts…plenty of food and drinks…activities for children…and so much more. Buy your tickets here! Ticket prices will increase after August 15.

August is National Make-a-Will Month. Estate planning attorneys and non-profit organizations use the month to remind people of something surprisingly easy to put off -- writing a will.

Most adults do not have a will. Studies consistently show that over half of Americans die without one. When that happens, state law, not the individual, decides who inherits the assets, who raises the minor children, and how the estate gets divided.

A will allows you to protect your loved ones and gain peace of mind by clearly documenting your wishes:
 

• Choose who inherits what -- including specific items, financial gifts, and property, rather than leaving it to a rigid legal formula.
   
• Name a guardian for minor children -- arguably the single most important reason for young parents to have a will. Without one, a court decides, sometimes without your input at all.
   
• Designate an executor -- someone you trust to carry out your wishes, pay debts, and settle the estate.
   
• Reduce family conflict -- clear instructions minimize disputes among relatives during an already difficult time.
   
• Support causes you care about -- through charitable bequests that might otherwise never happen.

Too many people assume wills are only for the wealthy or elderly. In reality, anyone with dependents, property, savings, or even sentimental belongings can benefit. Plus, a will may not prevent loss, but it can prevent confusion, expense, and unnecessary hardship for the people left behind.

Make-a-Will Month is also a natural moment to think about charitable giving as part of your estate plan. A will or broader estate plan offers several ways to support Jewish causes and organizations that matter to you, whether that is the Jewish Federation, your synagogue, a Jewish day school, Israel-focused organizations, summer camps, Jewish museums, or organizations serving Jewish communities in need.

Common charitable vehicles include:
 
Bequests -- a specific dollar amount, percentage of your estate, or particular asset left directly to a charity through your will.

• Charitable trusts -- such as charitable remainder trusts, which can provide income to you or your family during your lifetime before passing the remainder to charity.
   
• Donor-advised funds (DAFs) -- the Oregon Jewish Community Foundation offers DAFs, allowing you to contribute now, receive a tax benefit, and recommend grants to specific organizations over time. It is also a wonderful way to involve your children and grandchildren in philanthropy.
   
• Beneficiary designations -- naming a charity as a beneficiary on retirement accounts or life insurance policies.
   
• Endowments -- help strengthen the Jewish community in perpetuity.

Make-a-Will Month is more than a nudge -- it is a reminder that a few hours of planning now can spare your loved ones a great deal of stress later. I am not a lawyer, so for anything specific to your situation, it is worth checking with a planned-giving professional, talking to organizations of interest to you, or reaching out to the Oregon Jewish Community Foundation who can help structure a gift that fits both your values and your family’s financial needs. Most importantly – write or update your will!

It has been a while since I last shared a fun (perhaps only of interest to me) fact. Today, I actually have three to share.

On August 5, 1914, the first electric traffic light in the United States was installed in Cleveland, Ohio. The American Traffic Signal Company installed an electric traffic signal system at the intersection of East 105th Street and Euclid Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio. (I remember my great grandmother proudly telling me about the light since she grew up there and everyone went to see it.) 

The light was designed by James Hoge, who had patented a version of an electric traffic signal system. The system only used red and green lights -- no yellow yet -- mounted on four corner posts. It was wired so police or traffic officers could control it manually from a booth at the intersection, switching the lights from red to green, to manage the flow of the growing number of automobiles, streetcars, and, yes, horse-drawn carriages. It also included audible signals to alert pedestrians and drivers when the lights were about to change, since visual signals alone were not always noticed. This led to standardized traffic signal systems being adopted across the United States.

Tomorrow will be 57 years since photographer Iain Macmillan captured the iconic image of The Beatles crossing Abbey Road outside EMI Studios in London. The photograph became the cover art for the Abbey Road album. For those of you who have been to London, how many have done that walk?

Monday, August 10 is the 33rd anniversary of Ruth Bader Ginsburg being sworn in as the first Jewish female U.S. Supreme Court justice. She served 27 years. (FYI -- there have been eight Jewish justices on the Supreme Court -- Louis Brandeis, Benjamin Cardozo, Felix Frankfurter, Arthur Goldberg, Abe Fortas, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Stephen Breyer, and Elena Kagan.)

Shabbat shalom.