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Laura Lauder, a Bay Area philanthropist and venture capitalist known for her passion for Jewish education, has been named the recipient of the 2012 Rambam’s Ladder Award. The award, given annually by the Oshman Family JCC in Palo Alto, honors individuals and organizations who “exemplify righteous giving.”

Lauder, who lives in Atherton, serves as vice chair of the $1.6 billion S.F.-based Jewish Community Endowment Fund. In 2002, Lauder raised $6 million to found DeLeT, or Day-school Leadership through Teaching, a program that annually trains 20 fellows for day school teaching positions through Hebrew Union College and Brandeis University.

In 1999, she was awarded the Bay Area Dinkelspiel Young Leadership Award, and in 2004, she was named one of “10 Women to Watch” by Jewish Woman magazine.

She’ll be honored at the Rambam’s Ladder Award gala and auction, which begins at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11 at the OFJCC’s Taube Koret Campus for Jewish Life, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto. The silent auction and fundraiser will help support OFJCC’s programs and scholarships.