Page 2 - Jewish News | November 2021

2A November 2021 FEDERATION NEWS

Shep Englander...continued from previous page Kretzmers underwrite Jerusalem Garden...continued from previous page
Inclusive Jewish Community side the Jewish community. where he earned his doctorate degree. January 2018, to join his father and
‹ Build Bridges between Sarasota Our board and volunteers are He was soon recruited by Bell Labs, made the move to Sarasota.
and Israel working hard at updating the plans the research arm of AT&T, and moved Ernie and Alisa (who passed away
Why do we need a community for the campus which were slowed by to New Jersey with his first wife. They in 2015) are well known in Sarasota’s
campus and what can we look for- Covid. This has also given us more had a son, Peter, and daughter, Wendy, cultural circles for their many philan-
ward to? time to complete our due diligence and were married for 27 years. thropic contributions, and Peter has
My whole career has been about and improve our inspiring plans. The Ernie’s mother practiced immigra- built on those connections and become
building community. Community is sa- timeframe has been extended but our tion law in Worcester in the decades involved with numerous non-profits in
cred to Jews. For centuries, Jews were commitment to the vision has only following the war, while remaining ac- the community. “My dad had laid the
scattered and oppressed. Much of the deepened. I look forward to being tive in the Jewish community. Among groundwork, and I walked through the
miracle of our survival was the way able to share specifics as our board ap- her clients were the parents of their door that he had opened,” Peter said.
we supported each other through com- proves them in the next few months. dear friend, Edie Chaifetz (a Sarasota “Among his gifts to the communi-
munity. This is our birthright and our In the meantime, I can tell you that the resident). “Edie’s family and ours go ty, Ernie financed the Kretzmer Center
heritage. The Jewish way of commu- Campus will provide opportunities to back a long way. In fact, I think she at Aviva, and supports Selby Gardens
nity goes beyond a sharing of faith. It’s meet, share, learn, celebrate and eat for met my dad when he was a young guy and so many other deserving organiza-
physical. We need to gather. And hug. people of all ages and backgrounds. It just starting college and she was still tions,” Peter said. “I am very proud of
And eat together. will be the hub of Jewish life in our re- a little girl. It’s a small world,” Peter his and Alisa’s record of philanthropy.”
The Sarasota-Manatee region is gion for decades to come. said. Peter says that for a man of 96, his
blessed with one of the fastest growing Please join me in this sacred un- father is doing pretty well, though he
Jewish communities in America. We dertaking of community building. I goes to fewer performances than he
are one of the few communities that welcome your thoughts on furthering used to. One event he hopes his father
is getting younger. So it’s essential for Federation’s mission, the new campus will be able to attend will be Sarasota
us to have a home where we can gath- or Jewish community life in general. Orchestra’s welcoming concert for its
er and share our culture and traditions I can be reached at shepenglander@ new music director, Bramwell Tovey.
with each other and with friends out- jfedsrq.org or 941.343.2110. The Orchestra holds a special place in
both Ernie’s and Peter’s hearts. With
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS – the help of his caretaker and assistant,
Dorothea Sandland, whom Peter calls
THEY HELP MAKE THE JEWISH NEWS POSSIBLE “the most dedicated person he has ever
met,” his father has been able to stay in
the home he built back in 1990.
Peter notes that he and his father
Ernie and Peter Kretzmer have been members of synagogues
2021 – 2022 the 1970s. He saw a TIME magazine over the years. One of Peter’s daugh-
“My father discovered Sarasota in
ters is a Jewish scholar who attended
article that included a story on a small Jewish Theological Seminary. “She
city on the west coast of Florida called was on the path to becoming a rabbi
TORCH
TORCH
TORCH Sarasota that was a ‘cultural pearl.’” but did something even more clever –
My father has always been and
she married a rabbi,” he said. Peter has
N
SORS
SPO N SORS
SPO
SPO N SORS will always be a music lover, and af- followed his dad, becoming involved
with several Jewish organizations in
ter a business trip, he surprised Peter
when he called him at college and told the area, including Federation, AJC
him that he and Peter’s mom had pur- and JNF.
Howard Berman
and Sharon Sexter chased a condo in Florida. The unit “My dad has always been very ex-
they moved into is the very same unit cited by the story of Israel. He is a tech-
Edie and David Chaifetz that Peter would buy years later when nology guy and is very proud of the
he joined his father in Sarasota. technological prowess that Israel has
Leon R. and Margaret M. Ellin Peter’s mother passed away in nurtured over the years,” Peter said.
1981. Ernie met Alisa Sperling on New When it came to making a gift to
Debbie and Larry Haspel
Year’s Day 1982, and they were mar- the reimagined Larry & Mary Green-
Rosenthal Roots Family Foundation ried a year later. “That was a wonder- spon Family Campus for Jewish Life,
ful marriage. Alisa was born in Israel, Peter said he and his father had several
Sylvia and Norman Samet so we shared those same ties to Jew- options, but felt that the family’s con-
ish causes,” Peter said. Ernie and Ali- nection to nature and music made the
Bunny and Mort z”l Skirboll
sa’s commitment to Sarasota’s cultural Jerusalem Garden an appropriate gift
Hadassah and Martin Strobel community is legendary. Ernie also be- from the Kretzmer family. “We knew
came involved in the Jewish communi- we wanted to support this project, be-
Lois Stulberg ty, including the Federation, AJC and cause, when it is finished, this is going
other Jewish organizations. to be a truly amazing new campus,”
We offer our very deep appreciation “We met so many wonderful peo- Peter said. “Knowing how important
to our 2021-22 Season Torch Sponsors! ple, including Rich Bergman, who, I Holocaust remembrance is to David
believe, introduced my dad to the Fed- and Edie Chaifetz, I can’t wait to see
They support our Federation’s efforts to eration,” Peter said. the beautiful memorial garden, which
bring quality events and programs to our local In the mid-1980s, Ernie and Al- they are making possible. We are proud
community and help fund crucial services isa gave up their snowbird status and to play a small part in this incredible
for people in need here in Sarasota-Manatee, moved to Sarasota full-time. In 1990, project.”
in Israel and around the world. they sold their condominium and Ernie For more information on how you can
designed and built a house near St. Ar- support the JFED Strong & Proud
mands Circle. Peter and his two daugh- campaign to reimagine The Larry &
ters would often come down and visit. Mary Greenspon Family Campus for
jfedsrq.org As his daughters graduated and moved Jewish Life, please contact Ilene Fox
out on their own, Peter decided, in at ifox@jfedsrq.org or 941.343.2111.

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MOVING?
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Be sure THE JEWISH NEWS follows you to your new home.
Send your new address to Bonnie at bsouther@jfedsrq.org or 941.371.4546 x0