Our Funds

Thank you for contributing to Congregation Agudas Achim. Contributions comprise about 30 percent of our budget and are critical to the success of our efforts. It is a time-honored Jewish tradition to make a donation to the congregation in honor or in memory of a loved one or to express gratitude for any event. We have a variety of funds to which you can donate. Please learn more about these funds below. Contributions can be made by clicking here.

Discretionary Funds

Rabbi Blumofe’s Discretionary Fund– Used for charitable, community or synagogue purposes at the discretion of the Senior Rabbi.

Rabbi Swedroe’s Discretionary Fund– Used for charitable, community or synagogue purposes at the discretion of the Associate Rabbi.

President’s Discretionary Fund– Used at the Congregational President’s discretion, with Board oversight, for non-routine expenses outside of budget.

Education Funds

Anne & Sol Ginsberg Adult Education Fund– Supports adult education programs including guest speakers, materials and administrative functions.

Berber Family Endowment – Provides educational and programming assistance, which is not otherwise budgeted. An Aytz Chaim Fund.

CAARS Simcha Book Fund- Books for the CAARS Library.  Parents purchase books in honor of their children.

CAARS Tzedakah Fund- Provides additional funds to those collected to classes.

Claire Seriff Fund – Established in memory of Claire Seriff, longtime administrator of our Religious School to benefit students of our Religious School by awarding scholarships and supporting enrichment programs and outings. An Aytz Chaim Fund.

Jed Sack Memorial Fund – Established in memory of the son of Rabbi Mark Sack and Margo Sack to be used for scholarships on an as needed basis for children to attend a Conservative or non-denominational Jewish Day School. An Aytz Chaim Fund.

Manny Seiden B’nai Mitzvah Fund-  Used to assist students with the expense of B’nai Mitzvah tutoring, and to provide books and teaching tools for the B’nai Mitzvah program.

CAARS Parent Teacher Org (PTO) Fund– Fund is used for all
things CAARS: special programs, family education, holiday programming
and staff gifts.

Ruth Rothstein Religious School Staff Development Fund- Founded in memory of the mother of Janet Forman, it is used to provide training for Religious School teachers.

Worob Family Fund – Created by Naomi Worob and the Worob Family, in memory of Sid Worob, to support students in the CAA Religious School and to provide prayer. An Aytz Chaim Fund.

Zachary Smith Scholarship Fund- Used to provide scholarships for Religious School students whose families are unable to pay tuition.

Operations Funds

CAA General Fund– Supports the general operations of CAA including payroll, building and grounds maintenance, supplies and kitchen operation.

Cemetery Fund-Used for the repair and maintenance of the cemetery.

Cemetery Future Acquisitions Fund – Provides monies to expand cemetery lots available to members, the interest from this fund is used to provide scholarships to CAARS students. An Aytz Chaim Fund.

Foundation Fund– Help us to pay down the construction debt on our sacred address. Building a foundation for our future.

Kiddush/Minyan Fund– Provides Kiddush luncheons and Minyan noshes for the congregation.

L’dor V’Dor Endowment Fund– Provides a source of income to enhance and deepen our Torah Learning and to guarantee that our sacred space will be maintained for Generations to come.

Sh’ma Project Garden Fund-The Sh’ma project develops the Sid and Naomi Worob Meditative Garden outside the eastern wall of the sanctuary.

Sisterhood Sunshine Fund- Kitchen Supplies and Equipment.

Stan Friedman Fund– Honors the horticultural work of Stan Friedman and provides materials to improve our grounds.

Technology Fund– Provides for advanced Internet and computer capability for office staff.

Programming Funds

Aytz Chaim Foundation General Fund- Provides grants for cultural, religious and educational purposes for the benefit of CAA and its members as determined by the Fund’s trustees and consistent with the stated exempt purposes in the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of CAA. Click here to learn more about Aytz Chaim.

Brotherhood Fund- Supports Brotherhood activities and programs.

CAA History Project Fund– Provides funds to archive, preserve and exhibit historical materials about the congregation.

Choir Fund- Help support CAA Choir activities.

Hazak Fund- Supports Hazak activities and programs.

Joshua Panzer Tot Shabbat Fund– Founded in memory of the son of Miriam and Ira Panzer, it is used for supplies for programs like Tot Shabbat.

Kogut Family Fund – Provides for educational, cultural and religious opportunities and programming for members of CAA which would not otherwise be available. An Aytz Chaim Fund.

Lewis Family Fund – Provides funds to support the Jewish cultural and educational needs of CAA members and their immediate families as well as the Jewish cultural and educational programming needs of the synagogue. An Aytz Chaim Fund.

Rubinett-Bagelman History Project Fund – provides grants to the CAA History Project or to support continuing Jewish education. An Aytz Chaim Fund.

Sisterhood Fund- Supports Sisterhood activities and programs including providing support for inventory and expenses to run the Gift Shop.

Ritual Funds

NACHAT Fund– For support of activities of NACHAT (North Austin Community Outreach activities)

Selah Fund-  For support of activities of SELAH (South Austin Community Outreach activities).

Torah & Ritual Fund– Used to purchase or repair CAA Torahs or ritual items such as Kiddush cups, Havdalah sets, etc.

Tzedakah Fund- Provides funds the Rabbi can disburse to needy individuals and to general social action in the community.

Weinberger Cantorial Fund – Established in memory of Rose and Josef Weinberger to enrich the congregation’s appreciation for our musical heritage by providing cultural events, concerts and special programs such as bringing noted cantors into our midst. An Aytz Chaim Fund.

Social Action Funds

Lillianne Grace Finch-Walton Endowment – Established in memory of Lillianne Grace Finch-Walton to help CAA members or their immediate families with disabilities that substantially impair or restrict one or more major life activities, including caring for one’s self, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and walking. An Aytz Chaim Fund.

Rose & Morris Bernstein Family Endowment – Provides health or education assistance to needy individuals. An Aytz Chaim Fund.

Rubinett-Bagelman Social Action Committee of CAA Fund – supports the Social Action
Committee of CAA and its programs. An Aytz Chaim Fund.

Chesed Fund- Supports CAA members and close
associates in times of sickness, stress and loss through meals,
visitations, and community building and through service projects
outside the CAA community.

Youth Funds

Freed Family Fund – Provides support for programming and attendance at Kadima and USY activities. An Aytz Chaim Fund.

Hannah and Richard Selig Memorial Fund – Provides financial assistance to chilidren of members in good standing to attend Jewish summer camps in cases where the family cannot afford to cover the full tuition. An Aytz Chaim Fund.

Harold M. Schulweiss Endowment Fund – Established by Sisterhood Agudas Achim to support CAA youth organizations such as Kadima & USY. An Aytz Chaim Fund.

Rubinett-Bagelman Family Fund – Provides funds for an annual Scholar-in-Residence Program at CAA, scholarships to attend Jewish oriented camps that provide a social, cultural and religious Jewish experience, and support for continuing Jewish education. An Aytz Chaim Fund.

Sharon and Richard Kammerman Endowment Fund – provides support for Religious School materials and equipment; scholarships for religious school and religious school retreats, Jewish-oriented camps and other similar Jewish activities. An Aytz Chaim Fund.

Shauna Steinberg Fund– Established in memory of the daughter of Joe and Fai Lee, to provide funds allowing attendance and participation in Jewish summer camps such as Camp Young Judea or Tel Yehudah. An Aytz Chaim Fund.

Shoshana Weintraub Jewish Youth Fund- Provides funds that will benefit CAARS and other important youth and youth programming needs. All funds will be submitted to the Austin Community Foundation Fund under the same name.

Steven Kogut Israel Scholarship Fund – Established in memory of longtime congregant Steven Kogut to provide financial assistance for trips to Israel sponsored by Jewish Organizations. An Aytz Chaim Fund.

Youth Department Fund- Provides for USY, Gesher and Chaverim programming and scholarships to enable members to attend out of town conventions. May also be used to pay USY dues on behalf of needy students.