IsraelCast Episode 112

“I feel a responsibility to talk about this as much as I can.” So recounts Stephen B. Jacobs, one of the last remaining survivors of the Holocaust. Sent to Buchenwald concentration camp at the age of 5, Stephen recalls his memories hiding in the TB ward where his father worked, being reunited with his family after liberation, and how he remembers “too much” while his brother remembers nothing, having blocked out his harrowing experiences. Fast forward to the present, with Stephen helping to memorialize the heroic acts of Albanians who risked their lives to save Jews during the war, and again to the future, as he takes a prominent role in enhancing the future of the Jewish people as a judge in Jewish National Fund-USA’s Envision Tomorrow’s Israel competition for their new world-class campus in Be’er Sheva, Israel. This week’s episode of IsraelCast reminds us not just to “never forget”, but also to build on the past for future generations.

An early advocate of using obsolete buildings as a housing resource, Jacob’s “sensitive renovation” projects have become textbook examples of how to develop the highest economic potential of an existing building while, at the same time, preserving its architectural and historic significance. In the past decade, Jacobs, along with Andi Pepper, his frequent collaborator and affiliate interior designer, have become one of the most sought-after teams in hospitality industry. Their super-hip designs for The Library and Giraffe Hotels, followed by the stunning success of the Gansevoort in the Meatpacking District in New York, has led to tremendous recognition in the national press, as well as to more commissions throughout North America. In addition to his professional practice, Jacobs lectures extensively on architectural design and preservation subjects. He has won many awards and been the recipient of many honors in real estate, construction and design. For more information on the Jewish National Fund-USA World Zionist Village, click here.