A Century of Commitment
January 23, 2026
Achieving a Mother-Daughter Milestone in the Jewish World
When Mid-Atlantic Director Claire Winick reflects on her 40 years with Americans for Ben-Gurion University (A4BGU), she doesn’t begin with fundraising totals or milestones. She begins with people.
“It’s really like an extended family,” says Winick. “I care deeply about them, and they in return care about me.”
That sense of relationship—authentic, enduring, and deeply human—has defined Claire’s professional life in Jewish communal service for six decades, four of them at A4BGU. Last month, she marked a remarkable milestone alongside her daughter, Eden Winick Aaronson. Together, they have now devoted 100 years (60 for Claire and 40 for Eden) to serving the Jewish world as professionals and lay leaders.
They celebrated that shared legacy with a trip to Israel—including a visit to the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) campus, a place that has shaped Claire’s work, values, and vision for the future of Israel for four decades.
From Volunteer to Visionary
Claire’s journey into Jewish communal leadership began long before A4BGU—and before she ever imagined a career in the field.
“I was a young mother,” she recalls. “Eden was three months old, my son Rick was three when my husband David, z”l, and I moved into a new house. I was ready to find and embrace something new, an interest outside of the home.”
That “something” turned out to be Women’s American ORT. What began as attending a meeting at a neighbor’s invitation quickly grew into deep involvement, leadership, and eventually serving as President of the Philadelphia Region and a national board member.
“I loved every minute of it,” Claire says.”Working with talented and dedicated women was exhilarating, as I learned so much about community service from my mentors. Privileged to form many new chapters during these ORT years, that was my legacy for the organization that changed my life.”
Eventually, Claire believed that she could take her skills to the other side of the desk and serve as a professional in the community. This led to her position as Director of the Women’s Division of Israel Bonds in Philadelphia, a role she held for seven years.
She had also attended a number of local events hosted by American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (then AABGU and today A4BGU). In 1985, the professional opportunity that arose at AABGU would define the next chapter of her life. “It was the beginning of a 40-year journey,” she says.
Why BGU?
For Claire, Ben-Gurion University was never just another institution to support. It represented a bold Zionist vision: that the Negev—long overlooked—would be central to Israel’s future.
“The University is poised to be a leader of the future,” she says, “BGU is considered the anchor institution for Negev development…and the government of Israel is set to approve $31 million dollars to encourage growth in the Negev. David Ben-Gurion’s vision for the future of the Negev has come to life.”
Over four decades, Claire has helped cultivate generations of lay leaders and supporters, forming chapters across Pennsylvania, South Jersey, Delaware, and Washington, D.C. Many leaders have remained engaged for decades and their children continue to be part of the A4BGU Family.
“I believe very strongly in the partnership between professional and lay people,” she explains. “It’s not just about the check you write. It’s about being an advocate, being engaged, and feeling valued.”
She describes her greatest professional pride not as a single achievement, but as a process.
“Somebody attends a meeting or event because a friend invited them,” she says, “and then we share our remarkable story and we ignite a flame, sparking their interest and soon, their passion.”
That flame has led to transformational support for BGU—from naming opportunities at the University’s gates, to many professorial Chairs, to a psychological walk-in service, to multi-generational involvement by families who now see BGU as part of their own legacy. It has also produced staunchly dedicated lay leaders who serve as ambassadors for A4BGU’s mission.
Sherrie Savett, Philadelphia Chapter Chair of A4BGU, calls Claire “the consummate Jewish organizational professional.”
“She emanates authenticity and passion and people automatically feel her deep commitment to BGU and to the Jewish people,” Savett says. “Using her personal warmth, intelligence, and organizational skills, she has built, over three decades, a strong structure of supporters of our great university from the combined Philadelphia and Delaware chapters.”
A4BGU’s Delaware Chapter Co-Chair Dr. Neil Hockstein echoes that sentiment. In his estimation, Claire has “perfected the art and professionalism of nonprofit service.”
“She helped shape my understanding of what it means to build our local A4BGU community with intention, humility, and respect, and time and again, she kept me organized, grounded, and meaningfully connected to members of our broader community,” he says. “Simply put, without Claire, there is no A4BGU in the Mid-Atlantic.”
A Daughter Watching, Learning, Absorbing
For Eden Winick Aaronson, Jewish communal service was not something she discovered later in life. It was what she grew up with.
“My mom was having meetings and writing speeches, guiding philanthropic journeys and helping people help themselves,” Eden recalls. “Those lessons were always part of our relationship.”
She remembers sitting nearby as agendas were drafted and ideas took shape—absorbing not only the work itself, but the purpose behind it. Synagogue life, Jewish learning, and leadership became second nature.
“I grew up understanding what would happen at these community events,” Eden says. “I was eager to plan and execute these important meetings myself one day.”
That immersion eventually became a career of its own. Beginning as a young teen volunteer Torah Leader at Congregation Adath Jeshurun, after graduation from the Jewish Theological Seminary/Columbia University joint program, her professional positions included, Israel Bonds, Jewish Heritage Programs, Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, Tel Aviv University, and currently, she serves as Director of Volunteers and Community Programming at Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Mercer County, N.J. She also has twice been a part-time staff member of A4BGU.
At one point, the continuity between generations became strikingly tangible.
“On my first day at Israel Bonds,” Eden remembers, “I opened my desk drawer—and I found my ruler from when I was a kid. It said ‘Eden Winick.’ It was my mom’s ruler, in the desk she used when she was the Director of the Women’s Division, a position that was newly mine.”
Shared Values, Shared Conversations
Despite forging distinct professional paths, Claire and Eden have remained close collaborators—formally and informally—throughout their careers.
“At night, we solve challenges together,” Eden says. “We figure out what’s next, or how to be more creative, or how to involve people in a new way.”
That collaboration is grounded in shared values: love of Israel, belief in Jewish continuity, and confidence that there is always another way forward.
“There’s another answer, and another idea, and another method,” Eden says. “That’s something I internalized from watching my mom.”
Claire, for her part, saw her daughter’s path emerging early.
“I saw it coming when she was a teenager,” she says. “When she was at the Jewish Theological Seminary, I knew she was embarking on a lifetime of service for the Jewish community.
Marking the Moment—in Israel
Their recent trip to Israel was both celebratory and deeply meaningful. For Eden, it was her first time seeing the BGU campus in person—a place she had heard about her entire life. For Claire, it was another chapter in a relationship with Israel that spans 20 visits, many focused on the Negev.
Walking the BGU campus together brought decades of relationships and impact into vivid focus for Claire and Eden. At the Marcus Campus Gate of Knowledge, they reflected on the legacy of Murray H. Shusterman, z”l, the Philadelphia Chapter donor whose generosity funded the gate’s renovation—including critical security measures to protect the students employed there. Nearby, they experienced Yazamut360, BGU’s flagship entrepreneurship initiative, generously supported by the Ingerman Family Foundation in memory of Ira Ingerman, z”l, a beloved local and national A4BGU leader. Soon to be dedicated at the 2026 BGU Board of Governors Meeting is the singular entrance gate on the new North Campus, The Gate of Innovation, that carries the name of Ernest Scheller, Jr., a longtime leader and magnanimous donor, formerly of Villanova, Pa.
At the University’s Founders Wall, they visited the inscription honoring Claire and her late husband David Winick, z”l, alongside the Violet and Richard Zeitlin family inscription just below, representing another Philadelphia Chapter legacy. The visit concluded with a surprise celebration in honor of Claire’s 40th anniversary with A4BGU—a fitting acknowledgment of a career defined by enduring relationships, visionary leadership, and generations of impact.
Still Building the Future
When asked about retirement, Claire prefers to focus on continuity.
“To me, every day is fresh with new possibilities,” she says. “I intend to continue my efforts for A4BGU for as long as I possibly can.”
Together, Claire Winick and Eden Winick Aaronson embody dedication across generations, leadership rooted in relationships, and unwavering belief in the promise of Israel’s future.
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