LAWRENCE Y. GOLDBERG

Lawrence Y. Goldberg Lawrence Y. Goldberg (Larry), who has served on the National staff of three Republican Presidential Campaigns as Executive Director of the effort to secure voting support from the Jewish community, and who served in the Nixon White House as a liaison to the Jewish community, has died of cancer on Sunday, January 29, 2012 at his home in Tiburon, California. He was 80. Educated at Brown University and Harvard Law School, Mr. Goldberg spent his entire life actively participating in the electoral process, in helping to implement public policy, and in serving as a leader both nationally and in his local community. He has participated in over 50 political campaigns at the Federal and State level. His major motivation was as a life-long Zionist and the importance he attached to having both major political parties seek support from the Jewish community. Mr. Goldberg was a National Co-Chair of Republicans for Clinton-Gore in 1992 because of his dissatisfaction with the policy toward Israel of President George H. W. Bush and Secretary of State, James Baker. Mr. Goldberg's career in national politics was described in "Jews in American Politics" a book by Stephen Isaacs of the Washington Post and in numerous articles by The New York Times and other publications. Mr. Isaacs described his work as "creative and brilliant," especially in the 1972 campaign which was the first time the Republican Party had initiated a national campaign for Jewish support. Mr. Goldberg was Assistant Director of the Federal Preparedness Agency (a predecessor of FEMA), Assistant Director of the Community Services Administration (War Against Poverty), and a member of the U.S. Commission on International Education and Cultural Affairs (US State Department). Mr. Goldberg was confirmed twice by the U.S. Senate for several of these positions. Mr. Goldberg has long been considered a reliable and wide-ranging authority on the political process. He delighted in political conversation. He has transmitted his knowledge and insights to students at the Fromm Institute of the University of San Francisco, where he was a Professor and taught a group of courses on analysis of federal elections and primaries starting in 2004. He has also served as Vice President of Brandeis University. An activist in the Jewish community, Mr. Goldberg held national leadership positions with the American Jewish Committee, American Israel Public Affairs Committee (National Executive Council), CAMERA (Vice Chairman), Anti-Defamation League (National Commission), UJA, HIAS, and other organizations. While living in Rhode Island, he served as the Founding Chairman of the Community Relations Council and Vice President of the Jewish Federation of Rhode Island. In California he was the founding co-chairman on the Interfaith Alliance of California. Mr. Goldberg was instrumental in the fight to bring Jews out of the former Soviet Union, and served as the National Executive Director, Union of Councils for Soviet Jews Mr. Goldberg, who enjoyed warm relations with political and community leaders, also sought out ordinary citizens as well as political adversaries for discussion and friendship. His primary concern was always the best interests of the nation and the community. During his last illness Mr. Goldberg participated in the creation of materials for the palliative care programs of the Jewish Family and Children's Services. He spoke about the importance of families planning ahead and described his own situation in an open and forthright manner. Mr. Goldberg was born in Providence on July 21, 1931, the son of Jean and Jesse Goldberg. He is survived by his wife, Nancy, two children, David (Roslyn) and Melissa Bailey (Chris), two step-children Jonathan Barker (Angela) and Lori Barker, and four grandchildren, Benjamin Goldberg, Amanda Bailey, Harrison Bailey, and Adam Barker. A memorial service will be held Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 4 PM at Temple Emanuel, 2 Lake St, San Francisco, CA. Contributions to the Palliative Care Program of Jewish Family and Children's Services of San Francisco, or Jewish Community Relations Council.