Life & Legacy is an endowment program designed to ensure the sustainability of local Jewish communities through after-lifetime giving. The Harold Grinspoon Foundation partnered with the Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville to bring the program to Nashville in 2017. We will spotlight a donor, or the family of a donor, in this section.
Kevin Alexandroni and his siblings were born in Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, which he said is “one of the most sophisticated hospitals in Israel.” He left Israel for New York in 1996, then moved to Nashville in 1999, but he hasn’t forgotten his roots: Alexandroni and his wife, Theresa, will leave a legacy gift to Nashville’s chapter of Hadassah.
The Alexandronis have also promised legacy gifts to various other local Jewish organizations — the Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville, the Gordon Jewish Community Center, Jewish Family Service, Congregation Sherith Israel and Vanderbilt Chabad — through the Federation’s Life & Legacy program.
Alexandroni said he has become well acquainted with the Jewish community, especially as the owner of Sova Food, one of the few kosher catering companies in Nashville. He and Theresa registered to become donors with L&L in March 2019.
“Parts of the community have done things for us to help us; it’s always a strong community [in] Nashville,” Alexandroni said about why he is choosing to leave a legacy gift.
Nashville chapter of Hadassah
Hadassah is a nonprofit women’s organization that advances health care and medicine, connects to Israel and Zionism and advocates for change, according to its website. Founded in 1912, Hadassah continues community work in both the United States and Israel.
“My grandmother was a lifetime member of Hadassah; my mother’s a lifelong member of Hadassah,” Alexandroni said. “It was important to me to help preserve that organization because all the women in my family were always involved in that. I’ve seen the work that Hadassah does in Israel.”
Deana Goldstein, the L&L committee chairperson for Hadassah’s Nashville chapter, said Hadassah’s mission is to raise money for programs in Israel, including hospitals, medical research, emergency clinics, summer camps and youth villages that began as support systems for displaced Jewish children pre-World War II.
“Hadassah has hospitals in Israel that are open to everybody — Jews, Arabs; there’s no discrimination,” she said, adding that the organization provided emergency medical aid to Ukrainians at the start of the Russia-Ukraine war.
Goldstein said that L&L gifts to the Nashville chapter can help send some of its 700 members to conventions, especially younger members.
“What I like to tell people about Life & Legacy is the great thing is, it costs you nothing because the gift isn’t made until you die,” Goldstein said. “And the person that makes the gift can designate where that money goes, so it can stay here in Nashville and help support the chapter here.”
Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville
The Alexandronis are also choosing to give to the Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville, citing its strong leadership.
“[JFed] had some amazing leaders — Naomi Sedek and Harriet Schiftan were amazing women who ran the organization,” Alexandroni said. “[They were] people that really put an effort into doing good and [taking] care of the community and they spread the wealth around and [helped] everybody and made good decisions.”
Rabbi Dan Horwitz, the CEO of JFed Nashville, said he is grateful for the Alexandronis’ ongoing support.
“As an organization dedicated to growing Jewish philanthropy, it's a privilege to work with folks who think not only about how they want to impact the world as they walk in it, but also how they want their legacies to be felt after they've gone,” Horwitz said. “Kevin and Theresa have nourished our community in many ways — quite literally through Sova [Food]'s kosher catering business division — and knowing that they'll continue to support our community in perpetuity is both humbling and admirable."
Jewish Family Service
Alexandroni uses his catering business as a way to give back to the community in times of need, according to Pam Kelner, the executive director of Jewish Family Service, who said she has known him for two decades.
Immediately after the Oct. 7 attack, a group of Orthodox Israelis flew to Nashville by charter plane. Kelner said JFS was responsible for coordinating necessities for these families, including kosher meals, one day in advance of their arrival.
“Not only did [Alexandroni] step up at the last minute to provide an absolutely delicious meal, he also provided a 50 percent in-kind donation,” Kelner said. “This is the true essence and spirit of Kevin, which we are all so fortunate to be the beneficiaries of. He puts his heart into all he does.”
The Jewish Observer is published by The Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville and made possible by funds raised in the Jewish Federation Annual Campaign. Become a supporter today.
Kelner said the Alexandronis were among the first to sign a letter of intent with JFS, promising a gift through L&L.
“I love what the mission of the organization is; I love what they do,” Alexandroni said. “I love helping families of all walks of life.”
Adoption is important to the Alexandronis for a reason closer to home.
“I distinctly remember the conversation we had about the ‘why,’” Kelner said. “They both care deeply about the broad range of social services that JFS provides, but adoption in particular. [One of] Kevin’s sibling[s] had adopted and this was something that they are passionate about. That, to me, is the beauty of L&L, having meaningful conversations with donors like Kevin and Theresa about their core values and how they can ensure that through legacy giving.”
The Alexandronis are joining more than 400 community members who have promised a legacy gift to ensure the longevity of Jewish Nashville, according to Norma Shirk, the L&L community coordinator.
“L&L has been a wonderful endowment program for Nashville’s Jewish community,” Shirk said. “This program has highlighted the diversity of interests that are important to the Jewish residents of the Greater Nashville area.”
Alexandroni said his goal is to “try to keep it going and keep it vibrant” by supporting the various activities because Jewish Nashville is “such a small community.” He said the registration process to become a legacy donor was simple — the paperwork took about 20 minutes. Although he may not be able to see the impact of his after-life gifts, Alexandroni is glad to help out any way he can and encourages others to do the same.
“At least you know that when you go, you make a little bit of difference,” he said.
Sign up to be a legacy donor at https://www.jewishnashville.org/life-and-legacy. For more info, contact Norma Shirk at 615-354-1678 or norma@jewishnashville.org.