June 22, 1941 - November 1, 2010
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chattanooga, Marty got his start in the Jewish communal world of the South as a social worker in Jackson, Mississippi, where he ran a treatment facility for troubled teenagers. From there he became director of the Memphis Jewish Community Center before moving on to head Nashville’s JCC, where he succeeded in the process of moving the facility to the newly constructed building of their dreams. He would do this over and over again, in communities such as St. Louis and Detroit, which ultimately catapulted him to New York City and the lead national position at CJF, the Council of Jewish Federations.
Marty’s love of Israel was profound and proactive. As a student at the Hebrew University, he learned to speak, read and write fluent Hebrew. He was involved in the immigration of Moroccan Jews, whom he would meet on the tarmac and help transfer to absorption centers.
He had the distinction of being the first Director General of the Israel Office of the Council of Jewish Federations in the mid-1980s, where his experience with new immigrants served him well as he facilitated the airlift of tens of thousands of Ethiopian Jews – Beta Israel – to Israel. Israel had a profound impact on his life choices, and the last forty years were spent in activities that built bridges between Jews around the world and Israel.
Marty's relationship with philanthropy and foundations during his professional career prompted him to design approaches to funding that were client- and donor-centered. His philosophy was that his major job as a consultant was to help donors feel connected and realize their goals and dreams. Doing that, he would say, would certainly make a difference to them, their lives, and to Israel.
Having been a social worker and psychologist who was trained in non-profit management, Marty’s path provided him with the tools to look at situations from a variety of points of view and focus on the issues in a real way. In addition to his numerous professional involvements, affiliations and recognitions, Marty taught management personnel administration and supervision courses and has served as a lecturer, instructor and trainer for various Jewish federations, national Jewish agencies, and other organizations on such topics as leadership development, facilitation training, board/staff relationships and nonprofit management and Israel-Diaspora relationships.
Marty Kraar was one of the Top Ten influential leaders in Jewish life for more than 40 years. He had been central to the “Alphabet Soup” of organizational life. He reengineered agencies, renewed relationships, consulted with top philanthropists globally, Jewish and Israeli organizations, individuals, foundations, and was also instrumental in constructing modern buildings and physical facilities to house various Jewish endeavors.
Prior to his position at ACWIS, Marty headed the Council of Jewish Federations for a decade, where he managed Jewish service organizations in 200 communities throughout Canada and the United States, serving millions of Jews in North America, Israel and abroad.
Under Marty’s leadership, fundraising to ACWIS increased fourfold, topping the unprecedented $125 million mark, and relations with the Israel-based Weizmann Institute were never closer or clearer. This prompted Marty to build unique relationships with philanthropists in order to make things happen that would change the human condition and improve Israel and her standing in the world.
The Martin S. Kraar Observatory is a testament to the steadfast bonds forged by Marty at ACWIS and the Weizmann Institute of Science. Although the project was not completed during his lifetime, Marty was able to receive as a gift the concept of the Observatory as a place where the sky was truly unlimited. Marty’s legacy is the generosity of those who dare to transform dreams into reality.