PROFILE

Charity is in our DNA, Anthony says as he calls for more legacies

ANTHONY Broza has been entrenched in the music industry for the majority of his adult life.

Jewish Telegraph readers will have heard of his independent music publishing and distribution business Wienerworld — most recently for the release of Graham Gouldman’s latest album Love and Work.

But those in the north of England may not have heard of his latest venture as chairman of Jewish Legacy.

Although, when I put this to the 63-year-old father-of-four, he said: “Why isn’t it big up north?

“There are charities out there that might want to become associated with Jewish Legacy in terms of joining us.

“We don’t get anything out of it — we don’t make a penny. There’s nothing in it for us.

“All we are doing is to try to get as many people on board and use the subscription money, which each charity will pay, to talk to the press and promote it.”

Jewish Legacy aims to help make members of the Jewish community aware that leaving a gift in their will is vitally important, by working together and pooling their resources.

Anthony, who is also a grandfather-of-five, added: “Our aim is to help people understand that the charities you support today really need your support to continue, through this unique form of giving.

“I recently read an article in The Times newspaper, when Aretha Franklin died, that featured a comment made by a big non-Jewish charity called Will Aid.

“They said that they are hearing of more and more people in the public eye who are passing away without a will or a legacy.

“Aretha Franklin joined Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, Amy Winehouse and Prince on a list of celebrities who have died in that position.

“I thought to myself that not only did they not have a chance to make a legacy, but they never even made a will in the first place.

“Only six per cent currently include a charity when writing a will, but, thankfully, the figure in the Jewish community is higher, because giving tzedaka is in our DNA.”

Jewish Legacy was born five-years-ago. Anthony had already been involved with another Jewish charity, called Akim, for the best part of 30 years.

Akim was one of the first charities to join Jewish Legacy, which now boasts UJIA, JNF, Jewish Care, CST, MDA and others among its ranks.

He said: “I had a call to say that they wanted Akim to join.

“We were a small charity, founded in 1951 by Israeli parents to improve the State’s welfare system, and I could see the advantages of being aligned to a bigger charity.

“I’ve watched over the past few years as more than 50 charities joined.”

He added: “As a creative thinker and someone who is passionate about my Jewish heritage and my Jewish values, I believe that charitable-giving, including leaving a gift in one’s will is a meaningful way we can all make a positive difference in the world.

“That is what is so appealing about Jewish Legacy and why I am very honoured to have been appointed its chairman.”

Anthony already has a full CV, and a busy life.

Muswell Hill-born Anthony — who is related to Israeli singer David Broza — spoke to me less than 24-hours after completing the Rosh Hashana lehening for Belmont United Synagogue, Stanmore, where he is chairman.

He said: “I lehened both days, and davened mussaf — I’m a bit hands on. I’m one of these guys who always gives a hand.

“It’s a lovely shul, with around 1,000 members.

“On the family side, we had all of the children and grandchildren with us, and my father — it was bedlam.

“It was one of those moments where, in the morning, you might just stagger to get a white shirt and blue trousers on and you can’t wait to get out of the house and into shul because the kitchen is chaotic.

“The shul is quieter and you just want to get there and think ‘I’m out’.”

But for all of Anthony’s admirable charity work, he does have one negative — he supports Manchester United.

This is thanks to the former headmaster of Liverpool’s King David Primary School, his late father-in-law John Wiener.

“I got married to a northern girl whose maiden name was Wiener,” he explained. “Sue was born in Manchester but moved to Liverpool.

“John supported two teams — both Manchester United and Liverpool.

“And to make it more difficult, when he retired to Bournemouth, he started supporting them!

“I just decided to go with United.

“We’ve had a challenging start — Jose Mourinho does like to make things challenging.”

Anthony seems to take after the United boss, as he likes a challenge.

And his biggest one, to date, is running Wienerworld, which was founded in 1991, while being Jewish Legacy chairman at the same time.

But, he pointed out, the jobs do not clash.

After a very, very long pause, he said: “I was trying to think how to respond to this with humour.

“If you want a job done, ask a busy man.

“Yes I’ve got time. Yes, there are releases to be made and yes we’ve come back from yomtov and have a busy office at Wienerworld.

“There are tons of emails to see to, a press release coming out about something we’ve closed on Sunday and yet I’m on the telephone to the Jewish Telegraph to promote my new role at Jewish Legacy.

“That is where my head is at — it’s more important to me that I take the time out to talk about what we are doing.”

* Details: jewishlegacy.org.uk

 
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