All in the Family: Two Generations of the Sachs Family Give Back to Beth Tfiloh

The Sachs family’s relationship with Beth Tfiloh spans four generations, making their family history intertwined with BT’s, so it’s only fitting that their philanthropic generosity is ensuring BT’s future. Alvin Sachs was “born in BT,” as his parents were married by Rabbi Samuel Rosenblatt in 1928. He and Marcia were also married at BT, as were their son Michael and daughter Ellen. In fact, all the Sachs family life cycle events have taken place at BT, “and we hope that will continue for many years.”

To ensure that trend continues, Marcia and Alvin have left substantial legacy gifts to Beth Tfiloh through the Chazak Campaign. “We had already left a nice gift in our will, but decided that a major gift both now and in our estate, along with a dedication ceremony that our children and grandchildren could experience with us, will solidify for them our belief in BT and hopefully they will continue to do the same,” says Alvin.

Alvin and Marcia dedicated the Synagogue’s business office, where Marcia spends “countless hours” as one of three members of the High Holiday seating committee. “Some while ago, my friend Sandy Dobres volunteered to join the seating committee and I, along with Helen Gordon, became the seating committee,” shares Marcia. “We worked long and hard to place the BT members with their families and we still serve on that committee today!” She notes that once Beth Jacob merged with BT, the task of placing everyone in comparable seats was “enormous,” but that they welcomed the new Beth Jacob members with open arms. Additionally, being long-time business people with an understanding of finance, the business office seemed a natural choice for their dedication.

Alvin and Marcia have a long history of involvement and generosity at both local and national organizations. Beyond Beth Tfiloh, their beneficiaries include the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF), AIPAC, The Associated, the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society and the Baltimore Child Abuse Center. This involvement demonstrates to their children and grandchildren their commitment to helping the community and to sustaining traditional Jewish values, because “nothing is more important than their being Jewish and continuing our dedication and involvement with BT,” says Alvin.

And their children are paying close attention.  “My parents have instilled generosity in our family, which we are hoping carries on to generations to come,” comments daughter Ellen Shevrin, who considers Beth Tfiloh like a family and home for her family. “They are a fabulous example for us and our children. We love being active at BT,” she notes, adding that she has served on the School’s Parent Association for many years in a variety of roles, including chairing the annual Mishloach Manot program, Yad B’Yad’s Mitzvah Miles fundraiser, and this year’s Spirit of Shabbat Chanukah Dinner.

Their youngest son, Greg, sees his parents’ involvement at BT as both a testament to and manifestation of their commitment to Jewish values, which they have passed on to their children and grandchildren. “Between involvement at Beth Tfiloh at every level of our lives — school, camp, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, weddings, holidays, charity — and their unwavering support for Israel, Jewish values were part of our lives from our youngest memories,” says Greg.

“Our parents have taught us that the reward is in giving and the intrinsic value far outweighs any monetary costs,” says their son Michael, who, along with his wife, Jen, have followed their parents’ examples, both philanthropically and as communal leaders. Jen is the Baltimore Child Abuse Center’s board president, where she gives her time to help children and families begin recovery from abuse, as well as serving on Jemicy School’s Parents’ Association executive board. Besides serving on several boards at Beth Tfiloh, Michael is also a trustee at Jemicy School and an avid fundraiser for Baltimore Child Abuse Center.

“Initially I took the leadership role as Chair of the Beth Tfiloh Camp Committee to support Beth Tfiloh Camp,” notes Michael. “Subsequently, it has been rewarding to use my business acumen to better the institution. I feel that integrating all aspects of Beth Tfiloh—the Synagogue, Camp and School will provide for a better future for our children’s generation.”  

Michael and Jen have expressed their deep commitment to Beth Tfiloh with a gift to Camp through the Chazak Campaign. “To me, it is very important that Jewish children connect with the outdoors and nature in a positive and meaningful way,” shares Michael, who attended BT Camps as a child. “I fondly remember collecting critters and walking up streams in the woods and I remember playing all kinds of sports.” Additionally, their own sons, Matthew, Bennie and Zachary, are big BT Camps fans themselves.

Jennifer and Michael have made several gifts to the camp including the nature center, the ropes course and most recently the lake and slide. “We dedicated the ropes course to provide children with team-building opportunities and to build a giant swing set that is just fun to climb,” explains Michael. They chose the nature center, which is one of Zachary’s favorite parts of camp, because of their strong personal dedication to and love of nature education, and the lake and slide “because there was a need for improving it—we are blessed with having the ability to meet a need and to give to the community that we care so much about.”

Both generations of the Sachs family have created a strong legacy of involvement and generosity that benefits the entire BT community. But it’s their family’s future that is their inspiration: “We want our children to be philanthropic, kind-hearted, hard-working, successful and generous.”

To make a meaningful gift of your own to Beth Tfiloh, contact Mandi Miller, Director of Development, at 410-413-2399 or mmiller@btfiloh.org.