Members of the TBE community aged 60+ are invited to enjoy a delicious lunch and hear a compelling speaker at our monthly lunch series. Our speaker this month will be Jay Sherwin, who will be giving a talk on writing a “legacy letter,” a Jewish ethical will for the 21st century. Feel free to bring a friend (Jewish or not)!

A legacy letter (also called an ethical will) is a written document that allows people to share their life lessons, express their values and transmit their blessings to future generations. A legacy letter is not a formal legal document or a full-length memoir; it’s a brief personal statement, typically just a few pages. Writing one is a rewarding experience that creates an enduring gift for children, grandchildren and other loved ones.

Ethical wills (tzava’ot in Hebrew) are deeply rooted in Jewish tradition, beginning with Jacob’s instructions to his sons in Genesis 49. There has been a recent resurgence of interest in this tradition and people of all faiths and backgrounds are choosing to write an ethical will or legacy letter.

This presentation is designed to introduce the concept of legacy letters and to help you begin to frame your own legacy letter. The program offers advice and a model structure to help you craft your letter,
share it with loved ones and preserve it for future generations.

Jay Sherwin
In a long and varied career, Jay Sherwin has practiced law, given away money for Jewish and secular charitable foundations, worked as a philanthropy consultant and served as a hospital chaplain. Drawing
on all those experiences, Jay created the Life Reflections Project to educate people about legacy letters and ethical wills.

Jay grew up in Worcester, Massachusetts; he has lived in seven states and spent a year of study and volunteering in Israel. Jay and his wife Rachel Lefkowitz moved to Maine in 2018 and they are actively
involved in the Portland Jewish community.

Jay has taught legacy writing classes for adult learning programs, retirement communities and synagogues in Maine and nationwide, including the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at USM, the Center
for Small Town Jewish Life, The Cedars, OceanView at Falmouth, and numerous Maine public libraries. You can read more about Jay and the Life Reflections Project on his website at http://www.jaysherwin.com.