2025-10-16 12:03:PM <br/> Tags: #AmericanJewry #people #Donor #oil ![[image-151.png|244x359]] # Charles Schusterman (1935-2000) - Charles Schusterman was a prominent billionaire Jewish immigrant-American businessman and donor. - Schusterman was a member of the elite and elusive [[Mega Group]], founded by [[Les Wexner]] and [[Charles Bronfman]] as a coterie of influential pro-Israel Jews. - Schusterman died in 2000, his wife [[Lynn Schusterman]] is still active today. - Schusterman made his fortune through Samson Investment, an oil investment company he founded in 1971. - In 2011 Samson was acquired by a group of investors led by the strongly Jewish private equity firm [[Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (KKR)]]. - In 1987, Charles and his wife [[Lynn Schusterman]] founded the [[Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation]] (SFF). - The SFF became their vehicle for philanthropic and political donations. - In 1997, Schusterman joined a consortium of investors led by [[Arison Investments]] to purchase a controlling stake in the second largest Israeli bank, [[Bank Hapoalim]]. - The investment group led by [[Ted Arison]] and [[Arison Investments]] included Charles Schusterman, [[Michael Steinhardt]], [[Nochi Danker]], [[Len Abramson]]. - Schusterman was one of 14 founding donors of [[Birthright Israel]], a program giving young Jews free trips to Israel. - The 14 founding donors each contributed $5 million for a combined $70 million. The Israeli government matched their contributions with an additional $70 million. - In 2000, Schusterman, [[Edgar Bronfman Sr.]], and [[Michael Steinhardt]] founded [[Synagogues Transformation and Renewal (STAR)]]. - Schusterman provided $11.25 million to found STAR. - STAR was formed to improve synagogue conditions in North America. - [[Rabbi Shmuley Boteach]], [[Richard Joel]], and the [[koret Foundation]] were involved in the inaugural summit for STAR. - [[Lynn Schusterman]] is the chair of the STAR board. - Schusterman was both a major donor and member of the board of governors of [[Hillel International]]. - Hillel is the largest Jewish campus organization. - Another campus group the [[Israel on Campus Coalition (ICC)]], was founded in 2002 by Hillel and the [[Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation]]. - The ICC is a quasi spy organization that works directly with the Israeli government to influence US colleges. - Schusterman gave large donations and was an officer of [[AIPAC]]. - Schusterman was described by former AIPAC president Melvin Dow as very "hands on" regarding AIPAC activities. - Schusterman's daughter, Stacy Schusterman, later married Melvin Dow's son, Steven Dow. - Schusterman helped fund the American Israeli Education Fund (AIEF), an arm of AIPAC. - The AIEF, among other things, sends the US Congress on free "educational" trips to Israel. - The AIEF works with the [[Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation]] on, "bringing outstanding high school student leaders to Washington, D.C., for sophisticated Israel advocacy and political activism training." - *When you see a seemingly factory-made political figure pop up, it's not unlikely they were hand picked and meticulously produced by groups like the AIEF and the Schusterman Foundation.* - Schusterman funded numerous projects in Israel including schools, family aid centers, the HQ for the [[World Union for Progressive Judaism]] (Mercaz Shimshon), etc. - Schusterman was eulogized by Israeli Prime Minister [[Ehud Barak]]. - After his death in 2000, Schusterman received the Maimonides Award from the [[Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA)]] Tulsa chapter. *Maimonides was an extremely influential 12th century rabbi and talmudic scholar.* - On Israel's 75th anniversary in 2023, Charles and Lynn Schusterman were listed jointly on a list of the "75 Non-Israelis Who Helped Shape Israel." - Included on the list is every US President since 1948 except Eisenhower, JFK, Ford, Bush Sr., and Biden. - Charles' legacy is carried on through [[Lynn Schusterman]] and the [[Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation]]. #### References - “Charles Schusterman,” _Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia_, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Schusterman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Schusterman). - Jones Day, “Samson Investment to Be Acquired by KKR-Led Investor Group for $7.2 Billion in Largest U.S. Private Equity Transaction of 2011,” _Jones Day: Experience / Cases & Deals_, December 2011, [https://www.jonesday.com/en/practices/experience/2011/11/samson-investment-to-be-acquired-by-kkrled-investor-group-for-72-billion-in-largest-us-private-equity-transaction-of-2011](https://www.jonesday.com/en/practices/experience/2011/11/samson-investment-to-be-acquired-by-kkrled-investor-group-for-72-billion-in-largest-us-private-equity-transaction-of-2011). - “Sell-off of Bank Hapoalim Marks Israel’s Biggest Privatization Act.” _Jewish Telegraphic Agency_, September 17, 1997. [https://www.jta.org/archive/sell-off-of-bank-hapoalim-marks-israels-biggest-privatization-act-2](https://www.jta.org/archive/sell-off-of-bank-hapoalim-marks-israels-biggest-privatization-act-2). - “Synagogues: Transformation and Renewal.” _Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia_. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synagogues:_Transformation_and_Renewal - Zucker, Dafna. “Schusterman’s Children Expected to Inherit Bank Hapoalim Shares.” _Globes English_, December 31, 2000. [https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-460492](https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-460492). - Schusterman Family Foundation. “American Israel Education Foundation (AIEF).” November 18, 2011. Archived at Web Archive. [https://web.archive.org/web/20111118045515/http://www.schusterman.org/programs/israel/american-israel-education-foundation](https://web.archive.org/web/20111118045515/http://www.schusterman.org/programs/israel/american-israel-education-foundation). - Schusterman Family Foundation (or Schusterman Interests), “Charles Schusterman: He Lived the American Dream,” May 9, 2011, [https://www.schusterman.org/statement/charles-schusterman-he-lived-the-american-dream](https://www.schusterman.org/statement/charles-schusterman-he-lived-the-american-dream). - McCarthy, Daniel. “Most Favored Democracy.” _The American Conservative_, November 17, 2003. [https://www.theamericanconservative.com/most-favored-democracy/](https://www.theamericanconservative.com/most-favored-democracy/). - “Bank Hapoalim,” _Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia_, last modified [date], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_Hapoalim](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_Hapoalim). - Center for Israel Education. “75 Non-Israelis Who Helped Shape Israel.” Israel@75 / CIE. Accessed October 11, 2025. https://israeled.org/75-crucial-non-israelis/