The stars shined in San Francisco on April 20. Hollywood celebrities, paparazzi, international news media — all turned out in force, not for a movie premiere but for the annual Goldman Environmental Prize ceremony.
For that, we have San Francisco philanthropist Richard Goldman and his late wife, Rhoda, to thank.
The Goldman Prize is sometimes called the Nobel of environmental activism. Now in its 20th year, the prize honors grassroots activists around the world — many of them ordinary citizens combating entrenched interests — who make a difference when it comes improving environmental conditions in their home territories.
The Goldman Prize honors them and their work. We now want to honor Richard Goldman.
At 89, he would be forgiven if he chose to retire to the hammock, but that has never been his style. Instead, the indefatigable Goldman has been one of the Bay Area Jewish community’s guiding lights, making a career out of repairing the world.
Established in 1951, the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund has granted more than $550 million in support of worthy causes, many of them centered on the American Jewish community and in Israel.
Those causes include everything from battling anti-Semitism to supporting Jewish summer camps to funding progressive ventures in Israel. For all the help Goldman has provided to the Jewish community, we could never adequately thank him.
Yet his interests span the broader community as well. In recent months, the Goldman Fund has bolstered the Bay Area with generous grants to the Exploratorium, the Glide Foundation, the San Francisco Food Bank, and so many more.
As a passionate advocate for a cleaner environment, Goldman was way ahead of the curve, having made this issue a top priority for decades. In addition to the $150,000 Goldman Prizes, Goldman has funded organizations working to clean up the oceans, parks, forests and agricultural lands around the state and across the country.
Pouring over the list of Goldman Fund grantees, it becomes clear that Richard Goldman cares deeply about making the world a much better place.
As our story this week notes, Goldman has made tzedakah a family affair. He set up a Grandchildren’s Fund for his 11 grandchildren, to teach them the art and science of giving. To date, those grandchildren have collectively donated $2.1 million to diverse organizations.
The Bay Area Jewish community has long been blessed with an abundance of generous philanthropists. Among them, Richard Goldman stands out for his vision, commitment and generosity. He deserves our effusive thanks.