Foundation News

Koret director Michael Boskin pays tribute to colleague, mentor, and friend George Shultz, a longtime Koret advisor who left a lasting impact on US policy, diplomacy, and the economy. (Photo: Mary Anne Fackelman / White House via CNP/Getty Images)

George Shultz, the Reagan administration secretary of state who made it his mission to bring about freedom for Soviet Jewry, lived in the Bay Area for three decades before his passing at age 100. “I had the privilege of working for and with George Shultz for over 36 years,” said Abraham Sofaer, a Koret director who served as legal adviser in the State Department under Shultz. “He cared deeply about human rights, helped liberate Soviet Jewry, and supported Israel.”

Koret is saddened by the passing of George Shultz at the age of 100, a longtime Koret special advisor and lauded statesman. The well-respected diplomat held three presidential cabinet positions, advised every U.S. president since Eisenhower, and leaves the legacy of a distinguished career in government, business, and academia. May his memory be a blessing.

The California Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum (ESMC) is currently under review. The new ESMC will be used as the model curriculum for high schools across California and could ultimately be adopted across the nation. The Jewish Community Relations Council has worked tirelessly and in partnership with other Jewish community organizations to help build a balanced and inclusive ESMC. The third version of the curriculum will be reviewed for approval by the California State Board of Education this March.

The San Francisco Symphony and Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen announced the launch of its on-demand streaming service, SFSymphony+. Launching February 4th, the membership-based service features exclusive original digital content, all-new SoundBox programs and CURRENTS episodes, and special projects. The service will also offer select content free of charge, including previously released programs, newly recorded chamber music performances, and the SF Symphony’s 2021 Chinese New Year Virtual Celebration for the Year of the Ox.

USC Shoah Foundation harnesses the power of its archive of personal testimonies from witnesses to genocide to build a better world. Survivor testimony in IWitness offers timeless insights about standing up to hate and building a respectful future. Testimony from Tom Lantos, the only Holocaust survivor who served in the United States Congress, as well as additional testimony and curricula are available for educators and students to explore these issues.

As part of a collaborative research project supported by Koret, archaeologists from the University of Haifa and the University of California have uncovered groundbreaking discoveries from the Neolithic era near Haifa, Israel. (Photo by Amir Yurman/University of Haifa)

A project of the Oshman Family JCC, “Z3 2020: Visions of a Shared Future,” took place throughout Hanukkah. Over 5,000 people came together for conversations, interviews, and other inspiring content from leaders from across the Jewish World to explore and reimagine Israel and Diaspora relations.

Now open for patient care, UCSF’s new Vision Center at Mission Bay significantly expands UCSF Health’s ability to provide state-of-the art ophthalmology services. “Koret looks for leading institutions to help elevate the quality of life in the Bay Area, especially for the most vulnerable among us,” said Jeffrey Farber, Koret Foundation CEO. “Improving access to research-informed care is a commitment we’re proud to make.”

Celebrate Hanukkah this year with the world-renowned Israel Philharmonic. Its December 2020 global celebration will be available to view, listen to, and enjoy throughout the month of December.