NANCI AND CRAIG SKLAR
NANCI AND CRAIG SKLAR FAMILY FUND
In 1983, when Dr. Craig Sklar first moved to New Haven to begin an ophthalmology residency at Yale, he couldn’t have foreseen that 30 years into the future, the following things would occur: he would remain in the area and settle in Woodbridge with his wife Nanci, raise a family, build a successful ophthalmic medicine practice (The Eye Care Group), and, in 2018, be poised to become the next in line for chairmanship of the local Jewish Foundation. It comes as no surprise to learn that the Sklars’ connections to community, giving back, and Jewish values have deep roots.
“Philanthropy has always been important to us,” he shares. “My father was the only member of his family to survive the Holocaust (he left before the war as his mother recognized the growing anti-Semitism in Europe). He always stressed the importance of giving as long as one had something to give.”
Longstanding members of B’nai Jacob in Woodbridge, the Sklars were initially introduced to the Greater New Haven Jewish community through participation in the Jewish Federation’s Young Leadership program. Nanci has served as vice president and on the Board of Jewish Family Services and is an active member of B’nai Jacob’s newly formed Sweet Singers choir. Craig has served on both the board and investment committee of the Jewish Foundation and is currently the Foundation’s vice chair. He looks forward to collaborating with his fellow board and staff members, who “provide a seamless conduit to both establishing a fund and completing the donations to qualified charities.”
Sklar feels “very fortunate to be in a position to give back to the community” and encourages other like-minded families to do the same. By doing this, he also hopes “to create a continued legacy to encourage charitable contributions by our children who can continue our family traditions.”
“…to create a continued legacy to encourage charitable contributions by our children who can continue our family traditions.”
— Dr. Craig Sklar