Two $10 million donations lift Campus for Jewish Life

Until recently, the Taube Koret Campus for Jewish Life in Palo Alto remained short of its fundraising goals.

But after two large donations announced this week, the CJL is much closer to crossing the financial finish line.

To date, $134 million of the ambitious project’s $140 million fundraising goal is in the kitty. That total is up $20 million thanks to separate gifts from the S.F.-based Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund and the Moldaw Family Supporting Foundation.

The CJL is being built on a 12-acre parcel in Palo Alto. Two leading institutions to be housed at the new

CJL — the Oshman Family Jewish Community Center and the senior living complex — will benefit from these funds.

The Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund has donated $10 million to the Oshman Family JCC, the new name for what is currently the Albert L. Schultz JCC. The new JCC site now will include the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Center for Adult Living and Learning and the Goldman Sports and Wellness Complex.

The Moldaw Family Supporting Foundation also gave $10 million, to be directed to the senior living complex that has been known simply as 899 Charleston. Still under construction, the complex has now been renamed the Moldaw Family Residences at 899 Charleston.

“We are pleased to support the Campus for Jewish Life in providing a vibrant community space for the growing Jewish population on the Peninsula,” Richard Goldman said. “This will be an important center for the Jewish community into the foreseeable future.”

Said Stuart Moldaw, “Phyllis and I have lived in the south Peninsula for almost 53 years. We feel very strongly that the rapid growth that has occurred in this region is a great benefit to the Jewish community.

“We wanted very much to participate in this growth with our family, particularly in the area of senior residences.”

The Moldaw Family Residences will offer 193 private apartment homes for seniors. Residents will have access to skilled nursing care through affiliation with the Jewish Home of San Francisco.

“The leadership and commitment shown by these community philanthropists is so gratifying,” said Jim Koshland, president of the board of directors of the Taube Koret Campus for Jewish Life. “The support of the Goldmans and the Moldaws is ensuring that this campus will indeed be a center for Jewish life in our community.”

Dan Pine

Dan Pine is a contributing editor at J. He was a longtime staff writer at J. and retired as news editor in 2020.