Alan Cornell

April 16, 2020

Obituary

Alan Cornell, the beloved husband of JFS Board Member Jane Cornell, died on April 16, 2020, at age 74, following a long illness.

Born to Holocaust survivors who had fled Germany after four years of hiding in the Netherlands, Alan was a year old when he crossed the ocean to New York with his parents. Their experiences in Europe and struggles in their new country profoundly shaped Alan’s lifelong fervent priorities of love and support for the Jewish people and our Jewish homeland, Israel – priorities fully shared with Jane, his wife of 51 years, and also a child of survivors.

After graduating from New York University, Alan joined the family Art Supplies business, and the couple raised their children, Michael, and Lauren, in New Jersey. Arriving in Boca Raton nearly 25 years ago, Alan and Jane quickly immersed themselves in local Jewish life, applying their wealth of experience in Jewish leadership and philanthropy in their new community.

Their commitment to helping Holocaust Survivors was very important to them, and they established the “Alan and Jane Cornell Holocaust Survivor Fund” to ensure our survivors would always be cared for by our community. JFS recognized the couple for their local and worldwide philanthropy with the 2016 Rales Humanitarian of the Year Award.

Alan served on the Jewish Federation’s Board and Executive Committees, the Jacobson Jewish Community Foundation Board, Planning & Allocations, Campaign Cabinet, the St. Andrews campaign, and much more. The couple was inducted as members of the Federation’s prestigious Ketubah Society for cumulative giving. To ensure that support for their beloved community and people will always be there, Jane and Alan also established legacy gifts. They fully endowed their longtime King David Society gifts, and, with great vision and generosity, named the Israel & Global Needs Fund of our Federation’s Annual Campaign.

Their generosity has also been directed to Hillel, both locally and internationally, and to B’nai Torah Congregation, where they are members of the Ner Tamid Society. Beyond our community, in Israel, the Cornell’s have named the Hadassah Cornell Family Gene Therapy Research Laboratory, and the Cornell Child Care Center at the JNF Medical Center in Halutza.

They have also been major supporters of Builders of Yad Vashem, Simon Wiesenthal Center, AIPAC, Israel Bonds, and Yemin Orde Youth Village, to name just a few. Our sympathies and prayers are with Alan’s beloved wife, Jane; their children, Michael (Kimberly} Cornell and Lauren (Jason} Lazar; and their grandchildren, Chloe, Zach, Emma, and Hudson. May they be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem, and may Alan’s memory always be a blessing.

Funeral Service

Funeral services and burial for Alan took place in New Jersey, and Jane sat Shiva with family up north. A local memorial service is planned for a time when we can gather in person.

Memorial Contributions

Alan and Jane Cornell Holocaust Survivor Fund

Jacobson Jewish Community Foundation and/or the

Jane & Alan Cornell Fund for Israel & Our Global Family at the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County, (both at 9901 Donna Klein Blvd., Boca Raton, FL 33428 or (561) 852-3142).

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