She Always Puts Others First

Joan Goodman of Anaheim Hills, who has raised funds for the Jewish Federation of Orange County for more than 12 years, knows how to survive the process.

“The hardest thing to do when someone says no is to realize it’s not personal. The donation is not for you; it’s for the organization,” said Goodman, who has been named the Anne Entin Woman of the Year for her work in the Jewish and secular communities.

Joan and her husband, Ken, were among the founding families of Temple Beth Tikvah in Fullerton, where she served on the temple and sisterhood board of directors. She’s also served on a Fullerton PTA board, as president and campaign chair of the federation women’s division and on the board of the Jewish Senior Center of Orange County. She’s a women’s division board member and co-president of the North Orange County chapter of Heritage Pointe, a planned Jewish retirement home. She’s also a mother of two and grandmother of three.

She devotes so much time to the organization because it answers local and universal needs, she said.

The award, named after the first recipient, will be presented Monday at the Women’s Voices luncheon at the Hyatt Regency Irvine, 17900 Jamboree Road. The luncheon is a fund-raiser to support Jewish community services locally and around the world.

“Joan Goodman exemplifies what a true Jewish women’s leader should be in her continuing support of Jewish Federation and other community involvements,” said Donna Weinstein, division president.