One of his fondest Jewish memories growing up was the Walk for Israel. 

“The Walk for Israel was always a big deal. I remember the year when I had just received my driver’s license. My family owned a huge Chevy Suburban at the time, so they asked if I would drive along the Walk for Israel route and pick up people who could not walk any farther. I was to take them to the JCC. I had a chance to talk with so many wonderful Baltimoreans that day and learn why they were such big advocates for Israel.” 

A trip to Israel, a commitment to giving back. 

“When I was a teen, the BJC (Baltimore Jewish Council) had a vision to help create the next generation of Jewish leaders in Baltimore. They held a subsidized six-week trip to Israel, and I traveled there in 1983. 
 
The experience was life-changing. When I returned, we met with the BJC board. Someone said they hoped that someday we would be able to give back so others in our community would get a similar chance to visit Israel. I never forgot that request and have tried to honor it with my volunteer work.”  

Rallying for Soviet Jewry in D.C. was something he will never forget. 

A student at Franklin and Marshall College, Maury traveled to Washington, D.C. with his college friends to attend the rally on the Mall. “I never saw such a mass of Jewish people,” he recalls.

“I particularly remember when Shoshana Cardin went up to the stage, I turned to my friends and said, ‘she belongs to my synagogue.’ It was such a powerful moment to know someone who was this national leader at this historic time.” Later, Maury would get the chance to study Torah with Shoshana through his volunteer work. 

His Associated journey 

It began when he was asked to join the Young Adult Division. It was here that he and his wife made many friends, often celebrating Shabbat together and meeting up with families, while expanding their circle of friends among other young adults. “We had so much to learn from each other, and these fellow volunteers became our lifelong friends.” 

He continued to volunteer in various capacities, including chairing the JCC Board from 2017 to 2019 during the period when the JCC adopted a strategic plan. 

Creating a legacy has a long-term impact on children and grandchildren. 

“Creating a legacy shapes more than the future; it shapes families. The decisions parents and grandparents make are often remembered long after the gift itself. I have witnessed many times clients reflect about the choices their parents or grandparents made to create an endowment,” he says. “These clients then elect to leave a charitable bequest because of the precedent set by those who inspired them. These final gifts were made with intention, and they left a deeper impression than anyone expected.”  

He met his wife on the first day of college. 

What started out as a friendship turned into a lifelong love story and a marriage that is lasting more than 30 years. 

 A celebrity, thanks to an appearance on Antiques Roadshow. 

“I had an older sibling who died before I was born. It was an incredibly difficult time for my parents, and my father encouraged my mother to choose something special for herself that might bring her a bit of comfort. She purchased a lapel watch, but afterward placed it in a safe deposit box and never wore it. 

Years later, Antiques Roadshow came to Baltimore. Maury attended with his mother, bringing the watch with them. While they were waiting in line, a producer noticed the watch as they walked by, and they were selected to appear on the show. Maury’s interview appeared on the Baltimore episode. 

What he’s learned from his Associated participation — do this just for Associated participation. 

“It has been the greatest education I could have received.  I have had the chance to travel to Cuba and Camp Szarvas in Hungary, meet Jews around the world, and see how we support Jewish life so it can continue. I have visited Israel and seen firsthand the impact of our help and the connections we are building with the people of our Jewish homeland. And during Associated meetings, I have met and learned from so many great Jewish leaders who were pillars in the local and national Jewish communities. It has shaped my life and my family.”