MCK offers $1 million
A NEW independent charitable foundation set up by the Melbourne Chevra Kadisha (MCK) is set to give around $1 million in grants to communal organisations in its first year.
A NEW independent charitable foundation set up by the Melbourne Chevra Kadisha (MCK) is set to give around $1 million in grants to communal organisations in its first year.
The foundation’s funds were leveraged from the sale of properties bought in the 1980s and 1990s. MCK CEO Fred Grossman explained that only one of these properties, on Glasscocks Road, Lyndhurst, has been required for cemetery use, and this land is sufficient to serve the needs of the Melbourne Jewish community for more than 150 years.
The other properties have now been sold “and have proven very profitable”, he said.
As the proceeds are not required for funeral parlour operations, MCK decided to establish the Chessed Foundation, so that funds can be used to benefit the Victorian Jewish community, particularly Jewish education and welfare, said Grossman.
Donations made to the Chessed Foundation will assist Jewish primary, secondary and tertiary students, for programs based on student numbers, and Jewish schools can apply for grants. The funds will also be available to Jewish welfare organisations. Funding will be available to organisations but not to individuals, and will be open to the entire Victorian Jewish community for Judaism-related programs that accord with the Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish law), said Grossman.
The Chessed Foundation plans to distribute around $1 million in its first year of operation. There will be two funding rounds each year, and organisations seeking funding need to apply through the Chessed Foundation website.
For more information, visit www.chessed.org.au
AJN STAFF
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