Tag: Mark Gurvis

Historic contribution

The Roadburg Campus of Tel-Hai College, which is soon to become the University of Kiryat Shmona in the Galilee. Vancouver’s Ronald S. Roadburg Foundation has donated $50 million Cdn to the institution. (photo from Tel-Hai)

Tel-Hai College – soon to become the University of Kiryat Shmona in the Galilee – has received a transformational $50 million Cdn gift from Vancouver’s Ronald S. Roadburg Foundation. The historic contribution is the largest ever received by the institution and the largest single commitment in the foundation’s history. It expands on the decades-long partnership between the Galilee and Canadian Jewish federations and communities in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Ottawa and Halifax. It is designed to be the first steppingstone on Tel-Hai’s path after acquiring its new status as the first university in the Galilee in late January.

The investment comes at a critical juncture as the region transitions from two years of war and widespread displacement toward comprehensive renewal and growth. The university and the Roadburg Campus will meet the needs of the community, as the school prepares to take in thousands of new students, researchers and faculty members. The university is positioned as a global hub for applied research, addressing global challenges in sustainable agriculture, artificial intelligence, psychological resilience and social work, fields where Tel-Hai has gained international recognition for its field-tested expertise.

“THU is more than an academic institution; it is the heartbeat of the Galilee and a beacon of coexistence,” said Prof. Eliezer Shalev, president of the university. “Our classrooms are a tapestry of Jews, Muslims, Druze and Christians studying together. This gift from the Ronald S. Roadburg Foundation ensures that our academic excellence remains inclusive and that we continue to serve as the region’s primary engine for socioeconomic growth.”

The Roadburg Foundation’s partnership with Tel-Hai reflects the foundation’s belief that learning is the ultimate tool to bring people together, foster peace and create shared opportunities. This $50 million gift, expanded from an initial $8 million commitment to Tel-Hai’s computer science facilities, will serve as a cornerstone investment as the university continues to be a catalyst for social and economic renewal in the Galilee.

“We chose to make this landmark investment now because we believe in the resilience of the people of the Galilee,” said Stephen Gaerber, the foundation’s director. “By helping Tel-Hai elevate to a university, we are investing in a future where world-class science and social cohesion go hand-in-hand to build a stronger Israel.”

“Over the course of the war, we were involved in emergency efforts, especially in this region,” Mark Gurvis, chief executive officer of the Roadburg Foundation, told eJewish Philanthropy. “We started focusing on Tel- Hai as part of the solution for the period after the war, when people would focus on reconstruction efforts. We knew that Tel-Hai was already the major economic and social driver of the region. We focused on positioning Tel-Hai – as it was becoming a university – to be able to fulfil that potential.”

There has been a steady Canadian partnership with Tel-Hai for years, led by the Jewish Federations of Canada-UIA (JFC-UIA) together with local federations and donors.

JFC-UIA and Federations across the country collectively helped move forward the transition of Tel-Hai to a university with significant support for Israel’s north, including approximately $25 million Cdn toward strengthening the region and advancing Tel-Hai.

Israel’s Council for Higher Education approved the transformation of Tel-Hai into the University of Kiryat Shmona in the Galilee, with university recognition beginning in the 2026/27 academic year. The plan includes a 570 million NIS (nearly $200 million Cdn) investment over five years; proposals for new PhD programs in biotechnology, education, psychology and nutritional sciences; a faculty of engineering focused on precision agriculture, knowledge engineering and AI; and a veterinary school in the Golan Heights.

To read eJP’s interview with Gurvis, go to ejewishphilanthropy.com. 

– Courtesy Tel-Hai College and Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver

New foundation established

Mark Gurvis returns to Vancouver as head of the new Ronald Roadburg Foundation. (photo from Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver)

Feb. 1 was Mark Gurvis’s first full day on the job as chief executive officer of the Ronald Roadburg Foundation. A newly established Vancouver-based organization, the foundation aims to bolster Jewish communities locally and internationally while developing innovative solutions to challenging societal issues.

A fixture in the community when he headed the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver from 2002 to 2013, Gurvis is excited to be back in town.

“I had a wonderful professional experience and my family had a wonderful life experience being part of the community,” he told the Independent. “We had a great run with the Federation. It is great to come back to a fresh opportunity. We are looking forward to getting involved again.”

At the outset, Gurvis will be busy doing many of the things needed to get a young foundation up and running: sorting out technical matters, getting the office organized, and reaching out to and reconnecting with people to determine the needs of the community.

“This is a complete start-up,” said Gurvis. “As with any new organization, an awful lot goes into the beginning to work out vision, goals and priorities. We have all of that ahead of us. We have a lot to learn about the current state of affairs in each area of focus we want to dive into and explore how we can best make a difference with the resources that will become available. There is a lot of organizational development stuff to tend to as well in starting up an organization from scratch.”

The foundation will be active in examining and assessing the needs of the community. “It’s too early to be putting oars in the water and say this is where we are going,” Gurvis stressed. “I encourage everyone to be patient as we do all the things to get the focus of the organization in place and then see how we can have a positive impact on the community and the region.”

Gurvis has had a full schedule since leaving his job at the Jewish Federation. He was executive vice-president of Jewish Federations of North America through 2020. In 2021, he created Community Network Consulting, a venture that focused on the strategy of nonprofits, community planning and organizational development.

Upon learning of the new position opening up, however, it seemed like the right opportunity to return to Vancouver, he said.

The Ronald Roadburg Foundation was founded by Jack Bogdonov, Stephen Gaerber and Bernard Pinsky, all of whom serve on its board. Gurvis, as CEO of Federation, worked with Gaerber, who was chair of the Coast-to-Coast partnership with the Galilee Panhandle in Israel, and with Pinsky, who was involved with the Jewish Federations of Canada (JFC-UIA).

“We recognized Mark’s intellect, creativity, calm demeanor, and ability to build consensus among constituencies as second to none among all Jewish professionals we had encountered,” said Pinsky. “When Jack, Stephen and I looked for a CEO that could help us accomplish the transformational change we aim for, there was only one person we reached out to: Mark Gurvis.”

Pinksy added, “Our board agrees that we are very fortunate to have Mark join us and, in our view, Mark gives us a big leg up on other start-up foundations because of all of the qualities mentioned above, as well as Mark’s depth and breadth of knowledge of the Jewish community, in Vancouver, Canada, the United States, Israel and the world.”

Ronald Roadburg, the foundation’s namesake, was a local businessman who passed away in 2021. Born and raised in Vancouver, he learned business from his father, Al Roadburg, who also headed the family enterprise, Broadway Properties.

“Two things his father taught him that he especially took to heart were: own property that is where people immediately know its location; and try not to sell properties, ever. These two principles led to the Roadburgs’ great success in the property business. Ron’s will left most of his assets to charity, and the foundation named after him will carry out his intention,” Pinsky said.

To those who knew him, Ronald Roadburg stood out for his sense of humour and compassion. “He loved helping people and he loved animals. He loved art, supporting local artists, and he collected many whimsical and unusual pieces,” Pinsky recalled. “During the last 10 years of his life, he was a director and participated wholeheartedly in making donations to worthy causes through a foundation established by his father.”

Roadburg commissioned numerous murals, which still appear on buildings that he owned around town. He championed several causes to help the less privileged in society and was an unwavering supporter of Israel.

The Ronald Roadburg Foundation will be situated on West Broadway. Over the next few months, the leadership will be honing its focus on specific areas of philanthropic investment and establishing its grant-making policies and practices. To learn more about the foundation, visit roadburgfund.org.

Sam Margolis has written for the Globe and Mail, the National Post, UPI and MSNBC.