News & Impact

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 contribution—$25 for services where most needed. He served on the JFCS Board of Directors from 1990 through 1996 and played important roles over the years on several committees.

As a member of the Finance Committee, he contributed key insights which helped shape the agency’s financial portfolio. He liked that JFCS’ Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA) program allowed him to be both an investor and a philanthropist at the same time, so he became the first to establish an account when the program launched in 2002. In 2010 he set up his own named endowment fund and created a bequest to further JFCS’ work.

As a survivor, Jerry was active in Holocaust education and a stalwart of the JFCS Holocaust Center. He participated several times in the Next Chapter Project, where he worked with teens learning about the Holocaust. He also helped the Holocaust Center by serving on the committee that reviewed reparations grants.

His survivor story is like so many who lived to see the end of the war—some amount of luck and instinct carried him through. Born a German Jew, his family eventually fled anti-Semitism and settled in Amsterdam, only to be transported back to Germany after the Nazis invaded Holland. He and his father were sent to several work camps and even went through Dr. Joseph Mengele’s selection process at Auschwitz.

Amazingly, they managed to survive together. After the war they reunited with Jerry’s mother, who also had beat the odds. His brother, who had been transported a year prior, did not live, nor did his other brother, who fought in the war with the British army.

Jerry immigrated to America with his parents in 1946. In his oral history for the JFCS Holocaust Center he said that, once reunited, his family never spoke about their ordeal. However, as a gay man, he felt it was important to speak out not only about the atrocities of the Holocaust but to put a spotlight on the persecution of homosexuals during that period.

In spite of his traumatic childhood, Jerry had an indomitable spirit. His move to San Francisco in 1946 was the beginning of a rich and full life. He quickly found work and eventually made his fortune in the import and export business.

He worked for the firm, Delvalle, Kahman and Co., and he became the sole West Coast provider of wood paneling for the famed California-modern Eichler Homes, which made home ownership accessible to many middle-class families.

In the late 70s, Jerry joined Sha’ar Zahav, a synagogue originally founded for the LGBT community in San Francisco’s Castro District. Friends, work, and philanthropy were his passions. He not only supported the efforts of the Holocaust Center, he cared very much about the way JFCS helped seniors, children, and families in crisis and gave generously to the agency on every level.

Jerry was also a great ambassador who not only extolled the high quality and full scope of services JFCS provides to the community but also the benefits of Charitable Gift Annuities through JFCS. In turn, JFCS honored his many years of service by awarding him a Fammy in 1998. His close friend, Martin Tannenbaum, recalls it was Jerry who brought him to his first Fammy Gala in 2006, which led to his own long-time association with JFCS. “He was an ebullient man who belied any tragedy in his life—always interested in everything and everyone.”

For all he has done for his community and JFCS, Jerry Rosenstein will be greatly missed. He will also be remembered for a long time to come for the caring legacy he created at JFCS.