Leadership and Community
Kline Galland Exhibit
Video: Kline Galland's Commitment to the Community
Transcript and full interview from which the clip above was taken.
Past Presidents
| Henry Pickard 1918-1919 Emanuel Rosenberg 1919-1920 Isaac Cooper 1920-1922 Alfred Shemanski 1922-1925 Fred V. Fisher 1925-1927 Victor Staadecker 1927-1928 Otto Guthman 1928-1930 Hugo Loewy 1930-1932 Jacob R. Hiller 1932-1933 Emanuel Rosenberg 1933-1934 Melville Monheimer 1934-1937 Richard E. Lang 1937-1940 Morton L. Schwabacher 1940-1941 Max A. Silver 1941-1942 Lester Stusser 1942-1943 Roy G. Rosenthal 1943-1944 Louis Friedlander 1944-1945 Charles Horowitz 1945-1947 |
Edward Stern 1947-1948 Alfred Shyman 1948-1949 Leo Weisfield 1949-1950 Sol G. Levy 1950-1952 Joel Staadecker 1952-1953 Normal Clein 1953-1954 Jules Glant 1954-1955 Herman Keisler 1955-1956 Edward Starin 1956-1957 John Friedlander 1957-1958 Sanford Bernbaum 1958-1959 George Mosler 1959-1961 Edward Starin 1961-1966 Myron Spring 1966-1969 Henry Wolf 1969-1974 Robert L. Block 1974-1977 Paul Jassny 1977-1980 Barry Schneiderman 1980-1983 |
Arva Gray 1983-1986 Harold Seligmann 1986-1989 Michael Cohen 1989-1992 Richard Quint 1992-1995 Arthur Siegal 1995-1997 Thomas Leavitt 1997-2000 David Benoliel 2000-2003 Jeanie Alhadeff 2003-2004 David Benoliel 2005-2006 Alvin Martin 2007-2008 Douglas Rosen 2009-2010 Michael Morgan 2011-2012 Mark Kane 2012-2014 Allan Steinman 2015-2016 Brian Quint 2017-2018 |
Photographs of presidents will be available on the WSJHS Digital Museum site.
Board of Directors
The board of directors started with only four people: The president and secretary of Temple De Hirsch Sinai, and the president and secretary of the Ladies Benevolent Society. A similar structure remains today, with an expanded committee of 15 people in 1967 to include representation from all local synagogues. When the Kline Galland Home became a nonprofit in 1975, the board came to include 27 members, now elected from the community instead of appointed by synagogues. The board has been instrumental in pushing the Kline Galland Home forward. From securing land and donations, to involving the entirety of the Jewish community, the board has always been at the forefront of Jewish leadership in Seattle.
Transcript and full interview from which the clip below was taken.
Video:
The Only Disagreement on the Board of Directors
Transcript and full 1985 interview recording from which the clip below was taken.
Audio:
How The Board Of Directors Has Changed
Over The Years
Sol Esfeld
Sol Esfeld was one of the most successful fundraisers on the board. During his tenure, he managed to secure $4.7 million in donations. Sol served on the board for many years, and although never held the role as president, he did serve as Executive Director from 1961-1967. He personally convinced Josh Gortler, the longest executive director Kline Galland has ever had, to move across the country and work for what was then a small home for the aged that only had the capacity for 75 residents.
Transcript and full interview from which the clips below were taken.
Video: Sol Esfeld's Work on Fundraising
Video: Advice Josh Gortler received from
Sol Esfeld
Transcripts and full interviews from which the clips below were taken.
Audio:
Sol Esfeld on raising the money in 1961-1962 for the new Kline Galland Building
Audio:
Sol Esfeld talks about building extension and rezoning
Audio:
Sol Esfeld speaks about the rules for repayment and cost of care
Audio:
Sol Esfeld gives Josh Gortler a compliment
Robert Block
Bob Block was one of those board members that made things happen. He spearheaded Kline Galland’s move to become a nonprofit by working fearlessly and tirelessly to gain separation from the Seattle Trust and Savings Bank. He was able to get the trustee at the Seattle Trust and Savings Bank to sell all tangible personal property to the Kline Galland Corporation for a total of $1. Further, the lease agreement would last 99 years.
Transcripts and full interviews from which the excerpts below were taken.
Audio:
Bob Block's Story On How He Was Able To Separate
Kline Galland From The Trust
Audio:
Bob Block Speaks About Sol Esfeld As His Mentor
Arva Gray
Arva Gray was the first woman to serve as president of the Board of Directors. Her position placed Kline Galland as a diverse institution far ahead of most other organizations in the 1980s. Gray's commitment of over 55 years to Kline Galland left a lasting impression on how women in leadership positions can provide a different, vital perspective to powerful organizations. Upon her death in 2010, the Arva Gray Scholarship Fund was created in her honor.
Mike Cohen
Mike Cohen has served on the Board of Directors for over 30 years, providing expertise in law, as well as the perspective of a person native to Seattle. Cohen served as president of the board from 1989 to 1992 and continues to contribute as a senior member to this day. Mike's commitment to preserving the history and culture of Kline Galland remains apparent in his advocacy for the Kline Galland community.
Volunteers
Most volunteers for the Kline Galland Home originally came from women’s philanthropy organizations such as the Golden Age Club and the National Council of Jewish Women. While volunteers started out as mostly married women, that demographic has shifted towards retirees and school-groups. Much of the volunteering consisted of conducting art classes, keeping residents company, assisting in the occupational needs of residents, and providing religious services.
The Golden Age Club most commonly taught painting classes and took residents out for day-trips. For religious services, especially High Holy Day services, different rabbis and religious scholars, such as Rabbi Samuel Grandenz and Jacob Lagawier, would lead services and read the megillah on Purim, respectively. Additionally, a reform as well as orthodox Shabbat service would be offered on Friday nights.
Transcript and full interview from which the clips below were taken.
Audio:
How The Demographic of Volunteers Has
Changed Over The Years
Audio:
What It Was Like To volunteer As A Rabbi
Audio:
How Rabbi Tatel Impacted Kline Galland
Interesting Documents
- Last will and testament of Isaac Cooper, April 29, 1932
- News from Seattle Jewish Family and Child Service, Winter, 1970
- Joshua Gortler, Executive Vice President of the Kline Galland Center, letter to Phillip Levine concerning a payment for the sculpture portrait of Sol Esfeld, May 15, 1985
- John M. Friedlander letter to Mr. Edward Starin, of the Caroline Kline Glland Home for the Aged concerning the appointment of Mr. Sol Esfeld as the new representative of the Board, June 23, 1964
- Caroline Kline Galland Home, Board of Directors meeting minutes, November 17, 1976
Compare what the newsletter originally looked like to what it looks like today!
