Bruce Baumgarten, who has been giving steadily to UJA since 1977 or 1978, was solicited for his first UJA gift by a colleague in the securities field, Nathan Schlossberg, who even then was a long-time supporter and volunteer.

When Baumgarten was interested in becoming more involved, he talked with Schlossberg and was soon invited to a Young Leadership Division dinner. "There was a $500 minimum, and that seemed a fortune then for a young man with a family," Baumgarten recalled. "I was flabbergasted at seeing other young men and their wives and the kinds of gifts they made."

Not too long after, he was invited on a mission to Israel. "I went with a great group of guys, led by James Schwarz [later president of the United Jewish Federation of MetroWest]." That experience played an important part in Baumgarten's decision to become active in the Jewish community. In addition to being a faithful contributor, he has also been a member of many boards, chaired numerous committees, served as vice president of the Jewish Education Association of MetroWest NJ, and has always been active in the Securities Division, chairing many events.

"Selfishly, I also had in mind that our children should see their parents' involvement and commitment," he said. His wife, Jaimee, has also been active in the Jewish community, especially with National Council of Jewish Women. Their three children, now in their 20s, all went to Alexander Muss High School in Israel. The family has gone on various missions and trips to Israel.

"On my first trip to Israel, we had just adopted Ramat Eliahu," Baumgarten observed. "When I went back two years later, they already had a community center, and the entire community was developing fast. It was great to see the dollars UJA raised going for a real purpose, making a significant difference in people's lives."

If you, like Bruce and Jaimee Baumgarten, have given to UJA for 25 years or more, the Jewish Community Foundation of MetroWest would like to recognize you as a Ner Tamid Achiever, with a listing on the Ner Tamid honor roll and invitations to special events. If you are already a Ner Tamid Achiever, JCF encourages you to share your thoughts and feelings about UJA at .