The Technion’s story has been intertwined with Israel’s for more than a century, from laying the foundations for a new nation to shaping its future.
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Greg Tanenbaum developed his passion for the Technion in the same way he chose his baseball affiliation. “You’re watching your dad root for the Yankees, and you become a Yankees fan,” he said. “I saw how proud my grandparents were of the Technion. That was my foot in the door. Since then, it’s grown by leaps and bounds.”
As a teenager, he would drive his grandfather, Joseph Tanenbaum, of blessed memory, and his grandmother, Bernice, 94, to American Technion Society (ATS) events. “They’d be super excited,” Greg recalls. “They built a social network through ATS.” Later, his grandparents would walk him around their home, filled with Technion memorabilia. “They loved showing us pictures of being on campus, receiving the honorary doctorate. My grandfather would share his stories with such great pride.” His parents, Richard and Karin, as well as his aunts and uncles, support the Technion through a family foundation established by Bernice and Joseph.
Coming full circle, descendants of his parents’ and grandparents’ ATS friends helped him launch the New York Metro Innovators program. “I want to inspire the next generation of people to care as deeply about the Technion as my grandfather’s generation did,” he said. “So I saw an opportunity to start a ‘junior’ board in New York,” said Greg, who at 32 is a vice president at the consulting and brokerage firm NFP. “Once you dip your toe into the water it becomes incredibly interesting.”
In the years since, New York Metro Innovators has hosted events such as “Pitch Night,” in which Technion Startup MBA students presented business plans to a panel of hard-nosed NYC entrepreneurs and investors — much like TV’s “Shark Tank.” On another occasion, the Innovators arranged an underground tour with the head engineer in charge of building the Grand Central Terminal Connection to the Long Island Railroad, a Technion alumnus. As a co-chair of the Innovators, which has grown to 15 members, Greg is always looking for ways to engage the next generation of Technion supporters.
Bernice is a goer and a doer, and Joseph was too. They attended five ATS missions to Israel between 1992 and 2007, and as Technion Guardians, their gifts have included doctoral fellowships, a chair in preventative medicine, and the Tanenbaum Dormitory. Both were longtime members of the ATS National Board of Directors and the New York Metropolitan Chapter, and honorary lifetime members of the Technion Board of Governors. Joseph was recognized with an honorary fellowship in 2000 and an honorary doctorate in 2007.
Greg lives in Manhattan with his wife, Kelly, and a baby girl and intends to continue his family’s legacy of support. “Given the war in Gaza in October, it becomes even more important to grow the next generation of Technion supporters. I am incredibly thankful that my grandparents instilled in me the importance of Israel, and I will make it my mission to carry that conviction throughout my lifetime.”