News

Happy Earth Day! Koret believes that caring for the earth (the Jewish value of shmirat ha’adamah) is a fundamental part of sustaining healthy and vibrant communities. Our grantee Urban Adamah is meeting critical needs of food distribution and community connection through a Jewish, earth-based lens.

Happy Birthday Israel! Yom Ha’Atzmaut marks the anniversary of the establishment of the modern state of Israel. Koret is deeply committed to strengthening the US-Israel relationship and educating the broader community about the diversity of modern Jewish life in Israel, Israel as a Jewish homeland, and the importance of Israel’s contributions to the world.

Bay Area Jewish funders and fundraisers reflect on the pandemic one year later. “At the beginning of the pandemic, the only thing that was certain was that no one knew what to expect — foundations and grantees alike,” recalls Danielle Foreman, Koret’s director of programs. (Photo/Seth Leslie)

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 Koret Foundation announced funding for seven Bay Area food banks and meal delivery services, to help groups serving the hungry during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has caused the number of people requiring assistance to skyrocket. Michael Boskin, president of the Koret Foundation, said that he hopes Koret’s grants will “encourage other donors to do the same.”

Koret will award $9.5 million to nine Bay Area colleges and universities over the next five years for the Koret Scholars program, which helps first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented minority college students overcome barriers to persistence and degree completion. Koret Foundation president Michael Boskin says, “These scholarships are even more important so universities can create greater access to quality education for these young people at this most trying time.”

Koret president, Dr. Michael Boskin, says support for higher education is vital. “Given this time of disruption and great uncertainty, we believe now is a critical time to invest in the next generation of talent, innovation and leadership.”

Distributed over five years, the grants will provide support for school leadership priorities, campus programs and initiatives, new models for learning, and campus technology and infrastructure.

Koret, along with other major Jewish funders, released a joint statement addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, laying out an approach to their philanthropies as non-profits and communities face uncertain times.

Inside Philanthropy explores funding trends in Holocaust education among younger Jewish donors. Our CEO, Jeff Farber weighs in, “By teaching the lessons of history and imparting how they resonate within the context of today’s politics, Holocaust education programs can help reverse the worrying trend of growing identity-based hate.”

Koret announces a $10 million grant to the USC Shoah Foundation for a new global Holocaust education curriculum for elementary and middle school students. The announcement of this project is timely, as the world commemorates the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz this week.