Wendy Kraft (l) and Laurie Gliklich (r).

We are so excited to welcome Laurie Gliklich and Wendy Kraft to the Women’s Philanthropy leadership team, as our new President and Campaign Chair, respectively. With their passion for and dedication to WP and CJP, we know that Laurie and Wendy will lead us to great things in the coming years. Welcome, Laurie and Wendy!

Read on to learn more about what drives their commitment to WP, CJP, and the Jewish community.

Laurie Gliklich

When she was a part-time professional with three young children, Laurie Gliklich knew she wanted to find a deeper purpose, build community, and help those in need. When she found CJP and Women’s Philanthropy, she was hooked.

Laurie dipped her toe in with the Women’s Philanthropy Leadership Development Series; from there, she found her way to Me’ah, the Cynthia and Leon Shulman Acharai Leadership Program, and the WP Executive Board as a Vice President of Caring.

Now, 10 years later, she’s taking the reins as the new Women’s Philanthropy President to “inspire women of all ages, stages, and geography to get involved and widen the circle of women that WP impacts.”

“The women of Boston are smart, caring, passionate, philanthropic, and involved,” she says. “By banding together and forming community, we — as mothers, sisters, daughters, and spouses — can reach beyond our inner circle and make our community flourish. If we work together, using our collective talents, we can build a stronger, more cohesive community and help those in need.”

Laurie says that Women’s Philanthropy provides a great platform from which to give back and make the world a better place. It also plays a role in helping women find a sense of belonging.

“Within WP, we are a family — beyond the technical terms,” she says. “We support and encourage each other throughout all of the phases of life. We help each other enjoy the day-to-day and the big life events. We all want to belong, and as a WP community, we are here to support each other.”

Laurie says she’s excited to be planning for an impactful — and fun — year ahead with WP.

“As two of my children go off to college next year, I am ready to fully immerse myself in Women’s Philanthropy as the next president,” she says. “I am most looking forward to meeting and getting to know countless committed volunteers and working with the incredible women of WP, including volunteers and professionals.”   

Wendy Kraft

Wendy Kraft grew up in a home deeply rooted in the Jewish values of Tzedakah (charity) and Tikkun Olam (repair the world). As a child, she regularly went through her toys, books, and clothes to donate to children without, and was encouraged to pull from her piggy bank to help support Israel.

“My parents instilled in me that it was always possible to make sacrifices to help someone else,” she says. “I grew up with a giving spirit.”

Years later, Wendy’s giving spirit remains strong. A longtime leader at CJP, Wendy has just stepped into the role of Women’s Philanthropy Campaign Chair, working side-by-side with incoming WP President Laurie Gliklich.

“I’m honored and privileged to serve as the WP Campaign Chair,” Wendy says. “We each have strengths and talents that we bring to the table and together we are stronger in numbers to help those in need. I believe an active women’s philanthropic community is vital to ensuring Jewish values are passed down to future generations to keep our families, our community, and our world strong.”

Wendy credits her passion for CJP to the strong influence of her mother-in-law, Myra (z"l).

“Through the experiences we shared, she touched my heart and soul,” Wendy says. “Myra’s influence deepened my love of Israel and helped me grow a philanthropic heart for CJP. Each experience I’ve had and the wonderful connections I’ve made with incredible women have led me to become increasingly committed to and engaged with CJP.”

Moving forward, Wendy wants all women to feel included and empowered by Women’s Philanthropy, so that together, we can effect great change.

“I am excited to bring new women into WP and inspire those who are already involved to become more invested in our community,” she says. “When women come together with a passion and a purpose, we can achieve anything.”