Gerson Bakar z’l, a Beloved Visionary, Remembered You might not know of Gerson Bakar z’l by name but you have almost certainly seen his work in San Francisco. Levi’s Plaza, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the UCSF Mission Bay campus—these are just a few of the iconic San Francisco institutions that Gerson helped bring to life. Gerson, who passed away last June, supported many charitable projects yet it was giving back to his Jewish Community that brought him the most satisfaction, saying, “Asking me why the ‘Jewish Community’ is important to me is like asking me why the… Read More

For 30-plus years Carl Grunfeld, MD, Ph.D, has been a well-loved and deeply knowledgeable JFCS supporter. He and his family have strengthened the organization in significant ways that will continue to be felt for generations. Carl is treasured by JFCS clients and staff, and he humbly acknowledges, “I’ve pretty much done whatever JFCS felt I could contribute to doing.” Carl has been a member of the Board, the JFCS Palliative Care Taskforce, and the Loans and Grants Committee, as well as chairing the Ethical Care Committee. He has even taught Russian emigre teens how to bake desserts! As an internationally… Read More

It’s not just because she’s something of an “investment nerd” that Barbara Otto was inspired to set up her own endowment fund with Jewish Family and Children’s Services two years ago. The international banking veteran wanted to make sure support for a cause she felt passionately about would carry on. That cause is helping young women gain access to higher education in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Barbara didn’t start out in finance; she double-majored in Spanish and Latin American Studies and Art History at Hunter College in New York City. She says, “I was the… Read More

Like many children who had a parent who survived the Holocaust, Lydia Preisler Shorenstein felt an obligation to find a way to honor her father’s memories and experiences, as well as to educate others about the tragedy of the Holocaust so that history would not continue to repeat itself. For Lydia the call to action came when she and her late husband, Doug Shorenstein, visited the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. along with her family, including Lydia’s parents, Simon and Etelka. Simon Preisler was born in Fancsicovo, Czechoslovakia to an observant Jewish family. A survivor of Auschwitz,… Read More

May their memories be for a blessing. Frank Stein and his life partner, Paul May, drove cross-country to San Francisco in the 1960s to seek their fortunes, knowing that they could live their lives more openly as a gay couple out west. In the years that followed they created an incredible life together and became successful businessmen. Growing up from humble beginnings in Brooklyn, New York, Frank understands firsthand how some families struggle. With a generous grant to JFCS’ Parents Place, he and Paul’s success can now help parents, children, teens, and families get the tools and support they need… Read More

This past year Jewish Family and Children’s Services said goodbye to one of our dearest friends, Jerry Rosenstein. A Holocaust survivor who bravely told his story after decades of silence, a businessman with keen financial acumen, a gay man who cared about human rights, and a generous person who fully gave of himself in service to others, he made an impact on JFCS equally immeasurable and enduring. As a holocaust survivor, Jerry was active in Holocaust education and a solid supporter of the JFCS Holocaust Center. Jerry’s relationship to JFCS dates back to the mid-1980s when he made his first… Read More