Giving | Michigan-Israel Partnership
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The Michigan-Israel Partnership for Research and Education has been a thriving, collaborative program since its inception in 2011. Since then, we have leveraged the insights of entrepreneurial scientists and the skills of clinicians and biomedical researchers from three of the finest Israeli and American universities. We have built a portfolio of scientific achievements; fostered lasting collaborations across medical, scientific, and engineering disciplines; and shown that there is no end to what we can accomplish. We find ourselves now in a world where a pandemic has changed all of our lives — and science has the only answers. Our leadership and faculty can’t help but see the needs, challenges, and hopes of the future — and want to do all they can to meet them. You, too, may feel that pull. Join us as we envision our next decade and beyond. This is an effort that can only be realized through passion, dedication, and generosity. We are honored to work alongside you to secure a legacy of camaraderie, academic freedom, and scientific progress that will forever change the world for the better.
This work, and the ongoing fruitful collaboration between my lab and that of Dr. Santhi Ganesh at the University of Michigan, could not have been done without the funds we received. Many thanks for the help.
DONOR HIGHLIGHTS
Coming of age during the Great Depression taught D. Dan Kahn many valuable life lessons. With hard work and his genuine good nature, he learned to survive and succeed despite many obstacles. But he never forgot his humble beginnings. His generosity and dedication to making the world a better place will be his enduring legacy. It is carried on by the D. Dan and Betty Kahn Foundation, named for him and his wife.
From Dan’s initial support of international research projects to the D. Dan and Betty Kahn Foundation’s transformative gift advancing robotics and precision health, the family has been dedicated to improving the lives of people around the world by advancing scientific collaboration. In the Michigan-Israel Partnership for Research and Education, Dan brought together his love of U-M and of Israel and his belief in the transformative power of education.
He had a vision that world-class institutions would come together to solve some of the world’s most pressing medical challenges, that this discovery process requires brilliant minds working together, and that those relationships are often with global partners.
Through his foundation, he supported numerous initiatives in medical research and education at U-M and in Israel, in particular at Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, where the D. Dan and Betty Kahn Mechanical Engineering Building is named in their honor.
Betty died in 2004, Dan in 2012. Today, their foundation is headed by son-in-law Larry Wolfe. He and his wife, Andrea “Andi” Wolfe, are dedicated admirers of the Michigan-Israel Partnership, often attending the annual D. Dan and Betty Kahn Michigan-Israel Partnership Conference for Research and Education.
Larry is owner and president of Production Tool Supply, the company founded by Dan in 1951. He serves on the board of directors of ORT America, the Jewish Fund, Jewish Hospice & Chaplaincy Network (Bloomfield/Detroit), Yeshiva Beth Yehudah Partners in Torah, American Friends of Rambam Hospital, the Shabbat Project and the Michigan Israel Business Accelerator. He’s a member of the board of trustees of Kids Kicking Cancer and the Detroit Zoological Society. Andi serves on the National Advisory Board of U-M’s Rogel Cancer Center. She also is on the board of directors of ORT America, which she has been involved with since 1973. She serves on the board of Hebrew Free Loan Society, is a transgenerational member of the Jewish Women’s Foundation and is a life member of Hadassah, National Council of Jewish Women and Adat Shalom Sisterhood. She’s been involved in Israel Bonds for more than 35 years and is a national board member of the American Technion Society.
From the time Bruce Goldman was a child, his family taught him the importance of giving back. He has carried that legacy through his career and into retirement. Bruce and his wife, Lisa, have touched the lives of countless individuals through their involvement with and support of a wide range of causes.
Their impactful giving to the Michigan-Israel Partnership for Research and Education fosters innovation and collaboration to shape the future of medicine, supporting solutions that will enhance the well-being of generations for years to come. They are truly committed to the success of this endeavor, even travelling to Israel to meet with partners and experience firsthand the advances being made toward understanding the pathways of disease.
The Goldmans also support the Mary H. Weiser Food Allergy Center at U-M, Jewish Child and Family Services Chicago, the Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, and other environmental and Jewish service organizations.
After receiving his B.S. from U-M, Bruce went on to earn his J.D. from the University of Illinois. He worked as a market maker in interest rate options for his own firm and later in association with Equitec Group for more than 25 years. He was an initial equity investor and has served on numerous boards of directors for Sterling Partners, a private equity firm based in Northbrook, Illinois. Bruce has generously served on the boards of Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago and Jewish Child and Family Services Chicago (JCFS), where he was recognized with JCFS’s highest honor, the Irving B. Harris Award, in 2011, for his outstanding dedication to improving the lives of families. Recently retired, Bruce and Lisa now live in Nevada, where he serves as treasurer for Jewish Nevada, Nevada’s Jewish federation.
David and Meredith Kaplan’s philanthropic support of the University of Michigan spans more than two decades and a wide range of initiatives. Their passion for Jewish and Israeli causes, coupled with a dedication to promoting scientific advances, led them to commit significant support to the Michigan-Israel Partnership in 2013, just as the partnership was expanding its mission and scope.
A particular focus of theirs is to stimulate research in the life sciences. Through the partnership, they have specifically supported projects that explore genetic disorders, the heart and vascular system, antiplatelet therapeutics that can help heart attack victims, and patterns of gene expression.
The Kaplans’ time as students at U-M instilled indelible life lessons. In 1989, they watched a diverse group of individuals come together as a team to beat the odds and win a historic NCAA men’s basketball championship for the university. This sentiment of putting aside personal gain for the good of the whole informs their philanthropy.
At U-M today, the Kaplans are well-known for their support of the Athletic Department, including funding for the Michigan Stadium renovation, scholarships for student-athletes in men’s basketball and for naming and endowing the David and Meredith Kaplan Men’s Basketball Head Coach position. They also have funded scholarships at the Ross School of Business and assisted programs in the Office of Student Life. David Kaplan is the co-founder, director, and partner of Ares Management, a private equity corporation that was founded in 1997, and a member of the Ares Executive Management Committee. He has also spent time at other prominent investment firms, including Shelter Capital Partners, LLC; Apollo Management, L.P.; and Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corp. He serves as chairman of the boards of directors of the parent entities of Neiman Marcus Group, Inc., and several other corporate enterprises. He also serves on the board of directors of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and on the President’s Advisory Group of the University of Michigan. Meredith Kaplan is the founder and CEO of Gratus, a women’s retail clothing boutique based in Beverly Hills, California.
The Goldstein family’s generosity has made a remarkable difference in the realm of collaborative research and education through their founding contribution on behalf of the GB Foundation in 2011 was instrumental in propelling forward the groundbreaking biomedical collaborations behind the Michigan-Israel Partnership (MIP) for Research and Education.
Their support has not only enabled the advancement of crucial research initiatives but also fostered partnerships that unite top scientists from around the world to tackle some of the most pressing medical challenges. The progress achieved thanks to their contribution is showcased through the partnerships below, illustrating the tangible impact of their commitment.
The GB Foundation’s dedication exemplifies the power of collective action and philanthropic vision. Their investment in our shared mission underscores the transformative potential of such collaborations, ensuring that the quest for knowledge and improvement in human health continues to thrive. As we celebrate their legacy, we look forward to the continued success and extraordinary achievements made possible by their unwavering support.
