Meet the Manekins: THE ASSOCIATED Center for Funds & Foundations

In 1963, when Vivian Huberman and Bernard Manekin married after each lost their spouses to cancer, they brought together their six children—her three daughters and his three sons—and formed a large, blended family committed to the Jewish value of tzedakah.

They supported Jewish causes, the arts and innovative projects in Baltimore City. Bernie was an active leader in the Jewish community, serving as both campaign chair and chair of the board of , a figure his children describe as larger than life.

Vivian was more of a behind-the-scenes person, but also held numerous leadership positions in the community.

Dick Manekin, the eldest of Bernie’s sons, and Jane Glick, Vivian’s youngest daughter, serve on the board of the Bernard and Vivian Manekin Foundation, which their parents established at THE ASSOCIATED in the mid-1980s.

There are also 20 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren who proudly carry on the family’s commitment to philanthropy.

The grandchildren put their generosity into action through The Grandchildren’s Grants Committee, which receives 10 percent of the amount allocated in any given year and is managed by one representative from each family.

The next generation is encouraged by their parents to support causes near and dear to them, and to perpetuate the lessons they all learned from Bernard and Vivian. Dick and Jane recently talked about their parents, the foundation and the important lessons they have learned from their parents’ generosity.

What is the goal of the foundation?
This foundation feels that it is extremely important to honor their legacy by contributing to organizations that support their philanthropic giving and their community.

Your family is scattered across the United States and in Israel, how have you managed to make decisions together on behalf of the foundation?
Each family designates a representative from among the grandchildren to help select the causes supported by the foundation. Working with our outstanding professional partners at the Center for Funds and Foundations (CFF), we have managed to use technology—conference calls, email, etc.—to get the group together and ensure that everyone’s voice is heard. This process brings our family closer together, it makes our bonds stronger and reminds all of us of the folks.

How are the Manekin grandchildren carrying on their grandparents’ mission?
Sarah Manekin, one of the first representatives on the Grandchildren’s Grants Committee, speaks on behalf of her siblings and cousins about the role that they play in perpetuating their grandparents’ commitment to tzedakah. Watch Sarah's video>>

I don’t really think of us as “fulfilling” a legacy as much as continuing it through the next generation. My grandparents cared a great deal about Baltimore and the Jewish community, and they were fortunate to have acquired the means to fund programs, initiatives and organizations that supported those larger causes.

We, the grandchildren, watched and listened as our grandparents (and our parents) took leadership roles in a wide range of civic and religious organizations, here in Baltimore and across the country. We learned the value of a deep commitment to things that really matter. Looking at my amazing siblings and cousins, I see those same commitments echoed in our generation.

We have become our own cohort of leaders, activists, and philanthropists, and we are working to affect change from California to Cleveland, Boston to Baltimore, and New Jersey to Jerusalem. I know that each one of us is inspired by the example that Nana and Pop Pop set for us. It is the legacy we carry forward.

Watch Sarah's Video>>