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It is with great sadness and respect that we at the National Library of Israel extend our condolences to the family of David S. (Sandy) Gottesman, among the visionary leaders and great builders of Israel. The Gottesman Family are founding partners of the renewal of the National Library of Israel.
Sandy, an early investor in Berkshire Hathaway, founded investment advisory firm First Manhattan Co. in 1964. Just one year later, he and his wife Ruth established the Gottesman Fund to facilitate their philanthropic ventures. The Fund's constant focus has been the Jewish community in the United States and Israel, and a strong commitment to education, health, arts and culture.
Their firm commitment to the State of Israel was felt throughout the decades with donations to various organizations, including the Jerusalem Aquarium, the Jerusalem Bike Path, hundreds of school libraries throughout Israel, and the National Library of Israel.
This support came to the fore when the Gottesman Fund became a lead donor, together with Yad Hanadiv and the State of Israel, in the project to construct a new National Library of Israel building in Jerusalem. This inspiring state-of-the-art facility will be one of Israel’s most compelling pieces of civic architecture, housing treasures of intellectual and cultural expression. The new building is scheduled to open to the public in the spring of 2023.
Sallai Meridor, Chairman of the Board of the National Library of Israel said, "Sandy's legacy will be felt in the landmark new Library building and I regret deeply that he will not see this magnificent project through to its completion. The new building, and educational activities that will take place within, are testament to his generous commitment and true friendship to the National Library of Israel. We express our sincere condolences to Ruth, their children Bob, Alice, and Bill, and their families. May his memory and legacy be a blessing."