Elissa Czuker, who with her husband, Edward Czuker, donated to many prominent Jewish and political causes, died on Aug. 25. She was 53 years old.
The mother of nine was active in the Young Israel of North Beverly Hills in Southern California and was “a well-known figure in the local Orthodox community,” according to eJewish Philanthropy.
Pini Dunner, the Orthodox synagogue’s senior rabbi, told the publication that Czuker was a “powerhouse,” whose “enthusiasm for community affairs, and her generosity in every sphere of community life, will be remembered for generations.”
Czuker was a member of the boards of the Republican Jewish Coalition, American Society for Yad Vashem and Early Alert Canines, which provides medical service dogs to people with diabetes. She and her husband also supported ArtScroll, Israel Bonds, Chabad and Grass Roots Neighbors.
“Elissa, together with Edward, have been steadfast supporters of Holocaust remembrance and education, in addition to playing leadership roles in Jewish communal life across the U.S. and Israel,” stated the American Society for Yad Vashem.
Czuker supported the presidential campaign of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, and she and her husband reportedly supported Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) for president in 2016 before then donating to Donald Trump’s campaign.
In recent years, she had been drawn to “more progressive causes” and gave to the campaign of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat.
