A message from Ari and Ruth Schwartz, parents of Ezra Schwartz:
We are deeply grateful for all of the love and support we have received from so many people and organizations, locally and globally. Every thoughtful note, every consoling visit from near and far, sometimes very far, every bus full of students, every one of Ezra’s friends who shared a sweet or funny story about him, every tree planted in Israel, every commitment to memorialize Ezrathrough good deeds or learning, everyone who brought food or who helped or who donated in Ezra’s memory, every person who took time from their busy lives, sometimes very busy lives, to offer us condolences, every caring thought and gesture, all of it was meaningful to us and gave us comfort and strength when we needed it most. We can never sufficiently thank all of you, but please know that we appreciated all of it and that you are in our thoughts as we are in yours.
In response to various requests, we have decided to establish a memorial fund at the Jewish Communal Fund that we can use to aggregate some of the various donations being made in Ezra’s memory. We will recommend that any donated funds be granted to a charitable project that will serve as a fitting legacy to Ezra’s life and pursuits, and we have begun the process of identifying what that charity or project will be. For those wishing to donate to the Ezra Schwartz Memorial Fund, you may donate online via credit card at https://secure.jewishcommunalfund.org/ or by sending a check to the Jewish Communal Fund, 575 Madison Ave., Suite 703, New York, NY 10022, and either way, be sure to indicate in the memo portion of your check or in the online form that the contribution is for the Ezra Schwartz Memorial Fund. The Jewish Communal Fund is a 501(c)(3) charity, and all donations are tax deductible. If you need additional assistance with making donations to the Fund or if you have any questions, you may visit https://www.jcfny.org/choosing-jewish-communal-fund/ways-to-contribute/ or call 212-752-8277 for assistance. In addition, we continue to encourage gifts to the four institutions that we originally identified and that helped to form Ezra into the beautiful young man that he was. They are: The Striar Hebrew Academy of Sharon, MA, The Maimonides School in Brookline, MA, Yeshivat Ashreinu in Bet Shemesh, Israel and Camp Yavneh in Northwood, NH.
Looking forward to peaceful times and sharing happy occasions.
Gratefully, Ari and Ruth Schwartz
The words of this author reflect his/her own opinions and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Orthodox Union.