David Kaplan

David Kaplan was a hard-working and philanthropic man. He married the love of his life, Betty, in 1976 and the two enjoyed 38 years of marriage before David's passing in 2014.

David was born and raised in Salem, MA and eventually made his way to the West Coast to San Francisco where he met Betty. David was a graduate of Tufts University and MIT, and went on to serve in the United States Navy during World War II as a Lieutenant Commander.

Professionally, David was a real estate investor and developer for 60 years and was President of Bay Area Properties in San Francisco. He worked up until his passing at the age of 96, and he and Betty enjoyed a life of fun and travel around the world. Among their favorite places to visit was the Jewish homeland, Israel.

David's great niece, Laurie Goldman, speaks very highly of her great uncle. "My uncle was a hardworking man who treasured his family. He was generous, kind, and worldly. It would have meant so much to him to be recognized with a permanent plaque in Jewish National Fund's American Independence Park near Jerusalem."

David's parents were from Eastern Europe. They settled in Salem, near Hawthorne's House of the Seven Gables, kept a kosher home and attended Temple Sholom. David and his three siblings were raised Orthodox. Judaism had always been an important part of his life, and when the time came to plan for his estate, David made it clear that he wanted his legacy to go to a prominent Jewish charity that helps the people and land of Israel.

For over 117 years, Jewish National Fund's mission has been to ensure a strong, secure and prosperous Israel for the Jewish people everywhere. Together with our partners, we re-established our ancestral Jewish homeland in modern Israel. We planted more than a quarter-billion trees in what was once a barren desert. And we built hundreds of vibrant, bustling, life-affirming communities throughout Israel-including the modern metropolis of Tel Aviv. While we're proud of our success, we have little interest in looking backward. Today, Jewish National Fund's passion, commitment, and vision for the future of Israel and the Jewish people remains clear and unwavering. Jewish National Fund is honored to receive a bequest from the David Kaplan Trust so that we can continue doing our meaningful work.

To find out how to leave your legacy, contact [email protected]

800.562.7526 ∙ jnflegacy.org