SJM is currently closed to the public during redevelopment. Our education programs continue at a temporary location. Please visit our Learning pages for program and booking information.

Legacies and Bequests

Leave a Legacy.

Secure the future of our Museum.

A bequest to the Sydney Jewish Museum ensures our stories, our history, and our community continue to educate and inspire future generations

Leave a legacy gift
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Why it matters

Leaving a legacy to the Sydney Jewish Museum does more than honour you and your family name. It speaks to what is important to you and ensures your vision for a just, respectful and accepting society will be passed on to the next generation.

The Museum is a leading cultural institution and one of the only physical spaces where the broader Australian public can engage directly with Jewish history and lived experience. Your legacy will help us educate about Holocaust history and Judaism, challenge hatred, and demystify what it means to be Jewish.

Founded in 1992 by Holocaust survivors, the Museum today stands at the forefront of using technology to preserve their stories ensuring they remain compelling and impactful as we look to a future without direct witnesses. The Museum also continues to collect testimony from more recent tragic events, including 7 October 2023 and the Bondi Beach shooting on 14 December 2025, providing a permanent space for commemoration and reflection.

The new Centre for Contemporary Jewish Life, will celebrate thousands of years of continuous culture and more than 200 years of contemporary Jewish life in Australia. With visitor numbers expected to double to 100,000 annually by 2032, more people than ever will hear our story.

A GIFT THAT LASTS BEYOND A LIFETIME

Your legacy gift will help us:

  • Keep history alive — Preserve Holocaust survivors’ stories and Jewish experiences for future generations.
  • Reach more people — Expand programs for students, professionals and civic leaders — challenging antisemitism and celebrating Jewish life.
  • Pass on your values — Build tolerance, respect and a just society as a natural extension of who you are.
  • Create enduring memory — Support permanent spaces and memorials that honour our community’s resilience.

No matter the size, every legacy gift adds value in preserving our shared history.

Write your Will online with SafeWill

In partnership with SafeWill, our community can write a legally valid Will online and include a gift to the Museum as part of the process.
Get started →


LEGACY STORIES

Be inspired by others.

Read how members of our community have chosen to make a lasting difference.

Securing the Future — The Role of the Foundation
Read more →

NEXT STEPS

Leaving a legacy is simpler than you think.

  1. Start the conversation — Talk to your family and reach out to us. There is no obligation, we are here to help.
  2. Explore your options — Consider the type of gift: a specific sum, a share of your estate, or a lifetime donation.
  3. Include a gift in your Will — Work with your legal advisor or write your Will using our SafeWill partnership.
  4. Let us know — Share your plans so we can thank you and welcome you into our legacy community.

All bequests are honoured and acknowledged on our donor recognition board.

SUGGESTED WORDING

Ready to include us? Here’s the language to use.

Share the following with your solicitor or enter it during the SafeWill process.

Specific gifts

“I give and bequeath to the Sydney Jewish Museum the sum of $[amount] free of Estate Duty, to be applied for the purpose of the said Museum in such a manner as the Board of Directors thereof may determine. I declare that the receipt of the CEO of the said Museum shall be a complete discharge of this bequest.”

Residuary gift (share of estate)

“I give and bequeath to the Sydney Jewish Museum the rest and residue of my Estate, to be applied for the purpose of the said Museum in such a manner as the Board of Directors may determine. I declare that the receipt of the CEO of the said Museum shall be a complete discharge of the bequest.”

 

GET IN TOUCH

We’d love to hear from you

All conversations are completely private and confidential. We recommend discussing your intentions with your family and consulting your legal and financial advisors.

Email us at legacy@sjm.com.au or contact us directly:

Lauren Kavnat

Legacy Program Manager
(02) 8036 0107
Book an appointment →

Norman Seligman

Director, SJM Foundation
0408 277 340
Book an appointment →