Anne and Steve Fassler

Anne and Steve Fassler have a proud Jewish heritage and have been committed to strengthening the Jewish community throughout their lives. Anne was raised in Phoenixville and grew up at Congregation B'nai Jacob. Steve grew up in Portland, Connecticut at Congregation Adath Israel. Both were instilled with a deep connection to their communities by their parents, who taught them the importance of active engagement.

Steve's parents were leaders for his local synagogue and community. They impressed upon him the importance of volunteerism and philanthropy. Steve has served on scholarship committees for Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. He has also served as the camp physician at Camp Ramah in the Poconos, where the Fasslers' three children spent their summers and where Anne was a camper.

Anne was fortunate to spend the first few years of her life in Israel, when her parents moved there with her and her brother, Joshua (z'l). She has always felt a deep connection to Israel and to giving back to the Jewish community. In addition to being the former President of Congregation Adath Jeshurun of Elkins Park (where all three of her children were confirmed and had their mitzvah celebrations), Anne is a current member of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia's affinity group Women of Vision .

Anne and Steve met as undergraduates at Brandeis University and have been married for almost 29 years. They have long felt it is their "responsibility as community members to contribute what we can to others." Their shared belief in supporting the Jewish community is one of the things that brought them together.

Steve added that they believe in "sharing what you have with others and creating opportunities where there otherwise may have been none." They felt an even greater sense of urgency during the ongoing, rising tide of Jewish hatred. As Anne explained, "At a time when antisemitism is rampant, it is empowering to help strengthen our Jewish community and to leave a legacy for the future."

Leaving a legacy to preserve a vibrant Jewish future inspired them to add a gift to the Jewish Federation in their wills. Anne and Steve said that the organization's wide-reaching scope meets all the needs of our community, "from education to food insecurity to summer camp and beyond" and a gift made to the Jewish Federation "will serve generations to come."

Anne and Steve described that legacy as "leaving behind an example to others that it is everyone's responsibility to repair the world." Making a bequest is not only empowering, but simple for anyone else who is interested in doing the same. Anne and Steve credited the team from the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Philadelphia, a branch of the Jewish Federation, for making the process effortless. "We just made a bequest, and [Chief of Planned Giving Officer] Jennifer [Molish Brier, Esquire,] took care of the rest."