Editor’s Note: Among the speakers at the memorial service Tuesday, June 17, for Jerome and Miriam Katzin were Marjory Kaplan, president and CEO of the Jewish Community Foundation; Rabbi Philip Graubart of the host Congregation Beth El; Katrina Kurnit, a granddaughter; Irwin Jacobs who described Jerry’s influence at Qualcomm; Dick Atkinson, former Chancellor at UCSD, and Dr. David Katzin who made the mourners laugh and cry at the same time as he described life with his parents. Another granddaughter, Erica Katzin, sang a beautiful rendition of ”What a Wonderful World” to close the service. Kaplan graciously sent to San Diego Jewish World a copy of her remarks.
By Marjory Kaplan
(UCSD photo)
My name is Marjory Kaplan and I hold the Jerome and Miriam Katzin Presidential Chair at the Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego.
I’ve been asked to speak about Jerry and Miriam’s place in our community. So many of you in this room have felt their positive influence first hand. It’s my deep honor to try to capture what these remarkable people meant to our community.
First, I’ll describe Jerry’s leadership and influence as a powerful mentor. Second, I’ll tell you about Miriam and Jerry’s extraordinary record of philanthropy.
First, Jerry’s leadership. For those of us who can remember EF Hutton, Jerry always reminded us of their famous commercial. When Jerry talked, people listened. You could see people stop talking, even stop texting and lean forward to hear what Jerry had to say. He would come up with simple, elegant solutions to problems we were all struggling with.
Jerry’s calm, wise influence was felt when he chaired the board of the Jewish Community Foundation and when he served on many boards and committees in the city. His last leadership position was chair of the Beth El Endowment Foundation. Only Jerry could have led this new organization. It was unchartered territory for us and Jerry’s brilliant legal mind and strong governance skills got us off to a solid start.
Not only was Jerry listened to, but he was a great listener. Up until a month ago, Jerry was having lunches with many of us, listening intently and guiding us gently with his kind words and advice. Jerry was the perfect mentor…letting us go on and on about our problems and then helping us find solutions. He was the best therapist in town for the CEO’s of many organizations. And he would never, ever let us pay for lunch.
Jerry was a highly esteemed member of the investment committee for the Leichtag Foundation and participated in his last meeting on May 16th.
He was also a trusted colleague to the volunteer leaders in our community and was routinely called upon for advice and counsel when times were tough. When the markets were crashing in 2008, we asked Jerry to speak to about 120 board members from Jewish community organizations. Everyone came. His advice was simple: increase your oversight, be disciplined and strategic and we’ll all get through this.
Now for the philanthropy of Miriam and Jerome Katzin. Jerry was quick to remind everyone about Miriam’s role. In fact, I found some remarks that Jerry made and I’m pleased to read to you his own words about Miriam: “Miriam has concurred or consented to every gift our family has made. Not a penny leaves the house without her agreement. Some of you may know that the Alzheimer’s Residence at Seacrest was wholly her idea. She persuaded the Seacrest board that our Jewish community needed a residence for those suffering from Alzheimers and and volunteered to make the naming gift.”
Miriam also helped get a Jewish dating service off the ground a few years back. The group was called Meet Your Match. Jerry said Miriam decided we needed more Jewish grandchildren.
The Katzin gifts and endowments are legendary in our community. Dick Atkinson will speak of their extensive influence at UCSD. For the Jewish community, Jerry and Miriam supported every major organization in town. They were great friends of Seacrest (Village Retirement Communities). Pam Ferris, the President and CEO told me that she routinely forwarded the notes from families who were very grateful for The Katzin Residence and Jerry acknowledged each and every one of them.
At Jewish Federation in San Diego, Jerry and Miriam gave every year for over 40 years, gave generously and truly understood the important role of our Federation. Jerry believed deeply in a strong connection to Israel.
At Jewish Family Service, Jerry and Miriam were the first Co-Chairs of the Friends of the Family Campaign. Jerry also initiated the Hebrew Free Loan Association by nudging 10 or so of his friends to support it
And there are many other groups that Jerry and Miriam supported: Hillel, Soille Hebrew Day, ADL, JCC, Agency for Jewish Education, the Friendship Circle.
Today we sit in at Congregation Beth El, a Conservative synagogue where Jerry and Miriam were members and long-time supporters. Jerry attended weekly services here for many many years when THIS (the social hall) was the sanctuary.
Rabbi Graubart mentioned Jerry’s deep ties to the Jewish Theological Seminary and the Schechter Institute in Jerusalem. He was a major donor and set up endowment funds at both organizations.
Jerry was also pleased to be part of the greater community and through their donor advised fund at the Jewish Community Foundation, gave to organizations around the city including the San Diego Symphony, Hospice and many others. Jerry also served on the Board of the San Diego Foundation.
Miriam and Jerry gave generously. They believed in endowments that would support the organizations they loved for perpetuity. They gave without fanfare. They were humble, brilliant philanthropists.
To close, I’d like to quote Jerry once again. In a speech from 2009, Jerry reminded us of the famous line from the Ethics of the Fathers, “you are not expected to finish the job, but you are not free to quit.”
Jerry and Miriam, you never quit. You kept on leading and giving with wisdom and heart. And may we never quit either. May we have the same commitment and the same resolve you had to improve our world.
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Marjory Kaplan is president an CEO of the Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego County