Community Leader and Philanthropist, Barbara Kay, Passes Away

Barbara Kay

Boca Raton, FL – Barbara Kay, a devoted mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and iconic philanthropist considered a matriarch of the Palm Beaches’ Jewish community, passed away on May 8, 2019. She was 87 years old.

A visionary leader of the Palm Beach Jewish community and Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County, Barbara created an unprecedented impact locally, in Israel and throughout the world.

“Barbara Kay was one of the most profound leaders, truly responsible for creating and shaping the vibrant Jewish community we have today,” shared Michael Hoffman, president and CEO, Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County. “Her passion over the past five decades has transformed countless lives in the Palm Beaches, in Israel and around the world. Her legacy will last for generations to come.”

Barbara’s leadership and philanthropy had a far-reaching impact through her significant involvement with several organizations, including:

Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County: Barbara’s leadership roles at Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County included past Board Chair of both Jewish Federation and its Women’s Philanthropy division. Her philanthropy is among the most widely recognized in the history of Federation, including her dedication of the Kay Conference Room at Federation’s headquarters.
Ferd & Gladys Alpert Jewish Family Service (JFS): To demonstrate her passion for caring for the vulnerable, Barbara and her late husband Jack Kay dedicated the organization’s Kay Family Conference Room.
American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC): Barbara’s involvement with JDC’s board of directors began in 1994 and lasted for many years. Her significant contributions, along with those of her late brother, Professor Stanley Mills, included the creation of the JDC’s healthy living programs which impacted tens of thousands of people in 25 Israeli cities.
Lorraine & Jack N. Friedman Commission for Jewish Education (CJE, now a part of Jewish Federation): Barbara was among the first philanthropists to support the creation of the Jewish Family Life department and its implementation of PJ Library^®.
Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA, formerly the United Jewish Appeal): She was an officer for United Jewish Appeal, a trustee of JFNA’s board from 2004-2007 and an ongoing supporter and believer in the Federation movement’s mission.
Mandel Jewish Community Center (JCC) of the Palm Beaches: With her late husband Jack, Barbara demonstrated her commitment to the Jewish future by naming the Mandel Jewish Community Center of the Palm Beaches’ Barbara & Jack Kay Early Childhood Learning Center in 2013.
Arthur I. Meyer Jewish Preparatory School: Barbara was an ongoing supporter of the community’s only Jewish day school throughout its 40+ year history.
MorseLife Health System: Barbara and her family were among the original founders in 1983, served in leadership roles through the years, and she made significant donations to the organization including a transformative contribution to MorseLife’s Meals on Wheels program.
Taglit Birthright Israel: Barbara and her daughter Susan Shulman Pertnoy provided key leadership in the founding of Birthright Israel Leadership Council in Palm Beach. Her generosity with Birthright Israel since 2012 provided 150 young adults with all-expenses-paid journeys to Israel.
American Friends of Magen David Adom: Barbara and her late husband Jack’s significant donations funded construction of a laboratory at the Marcus National Blood Services Center in Ramla, Israel. The lab will be instrumental in storing cord blood and will be used by hospitals to provide stem cells for patients undergoing treatment for cancer and other diseases. She also donated funds to purchase ambulances that are used daily to provide urgent medical care to people all over Israel.
Temple Emanu-El of Palm Beach: Barbara demonstrated her devotion to Temple Emanu-El of Palm Beach by naming the Barbara & Jack Kay Rabbinical Chair.
Washington Institute for Near East Policy: Barbara served on the board of directors for 6 years. She and her late husband Jack channeled their passion for Israel into the funding of the Kay Fellow on Israeli national security and the Kay Family Fellow on Gulf politics.

“We have lost a wonderful human being, a communal leader and a woman who cared so very much about the world in which we live,” shared Charles Bronfman, one of the world’s most widely recognized business and philanthropic icons and co-founder of Taglit Birthright Israel. “Barbara gave of herself extensively to many organizations, and had a very soft spot in her heart for Birthright Israel. On a personal note, I was and am proud to have been a good friend and admirer of Barbara Kay, a unique and exceptional person.”

Barbara’s commitment to the Jewish value tikkun olam (Hebrew for “repair the world”) can be felt across the globe, most notably in Israel through her founding of the S&P Foundation with her late brother Professor Stanley Mills. The foundation supports programs of the JDC that benefit at-risk children and families in Israel’s lowest socio-economic cities. These life-changing initiatives encourage nutrition enrichment and healthy living via consumption of healthy food, preventative dental care and engagement in physical activity for thousands of vulnerable people.

The S&P Foundation was recently renamed the Barbara Kay Family Foundation so Barbara’s extraordinary legacy can continue through her children’s leadership. Barbara’s son David Shulman sits on the board of the Barbara Kay Family Foundation, her daughter Nina Saslove is a current JDC board member, and her daughter Susan Shulman Pertnoy is the immediate past president of the Mandel JCC and a member of Jewish Federation’s Executive Committee.

In 2016, Barbara’s unique and remarkable impact on the Jewish community was celebrated with the Jewish Federation’s highest honor: the Jeanne Levy Community Leadership Award. The award is named in honor of Barbara’s dear friend Jeanne who, like Barbara, is widely recognized as a matriarch of the Palm Beach Jewish community.

“Barbara Kay was a unique combination of love, compassion and warmth combined with a keen intellect and drive,” said Mark Levy, longtime family friend and former board chair of the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County. “More than that, she was like a second mother to me and my wife Stacey, and treated my family like we were her family. I have never met a finer human being than Barbara Kay.”

In her professional career, Barbara was president of Barbara Gordon Associates, an advertising and marketing public relations firm.

Barbara created mosaic, Jewish Federation’s TV news magazine program on Jewish issues that airs on local NBC affiliate WPTV/NewsChannel 5. For 40 years, she hosted and interviewed some of the Jewish world’s most prolific figures. In recent years, she co-hosted the program with her daughter, Susan Shulman Pertnoy. Barbara also produced seven documentaries for the JDC, traveling extensively around the world. In addition, she was the executive producer of The Bridge, a multimedia presentation highlighting the first International Jewish Women’s Conference in Amsterdam and Israel.

Barbara is survived by her children Susan Shulman Pertnoy and husband, Ronnie; Nina Saslove and husband, Joshua; and David H. Shulman and wife, Jill; her grandchildren Alexandra Fabrikant, and husband, Eric; Samantha Carroll, and husband, Brendon; Michael Katzenberg, and wife Meredith; Adam Katzenberg; Andrew Katzenberg; Isabella Katzenberg; Harris Mufson and wife, Michal; Brett Mufson and wife, Alexa; Whitney Shashou and husband, Alexander; Alexander Saslove; Jacob Shulman and wife Amanda; Amanda Shulman; Sydney Shulman; Jonathan Shulman; and great-grandchildren Payton Carroll, William Carroll, Georgia Carroll, Caroline Fabrikant, James Fabrikant, Charlotte Fabrikant, Rowan Mufson, Julian Mufson, Cy Mufson, and Dean Mufson.