Joseph Meyerhoff, Russian philanthropist. Member Maryland. Board Public Welfare, 1953-1957; Member National Association Home Builders United States (president 1946-1947, directory); Club: Center (Baltimore) (president 1964-1974).
Background
Meyerhoff was born in the Ukraine and was brought to the United States as a young boy in 1906. He grew up in Baltimore and graduated from Baltimore City College (which, despite its name, is a public high school). He then attended and completed his law degree at the University of Maryland in the mid 1930s.
Education
Bachelor of Laws, University Maryland., 1920. Doctor of Hebrew Literature (honoris causa), Baltimore Hebrew College, 1970. Doctor of Hebrew Literature, Dropsie University, 1974, Towson State University, 1980, U. Maryland., 1981, Johns Hopkins University, 1983.
Doctor of Philosophy (honorary), Tel Aviv University, 1973, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, 1977, Weizmann Institute, 1979.
Career
Monumental Properties was responsible for many buildings in the city, including various shopping centers throughout the west side. In the early 1950s Meyerhoff and other prominent Jewish-American businessmen were chosen to assist Israel during its initial establishment crises. He retired in 1965. Meyerhoff continued his career as an avid philanthropist serving as president of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in the 1970s, where he personally contributed money and helped raise millions of dollars.
He is credited, along with music director Sergiu Comissiona, with re-organizing and revitalizing the group.
The BSO"s primary home, the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, is named after him. Meyerhoff also supported many other Jewish charities and art museums throughout Baltimore and was eventually inducted into the Baltimore Business Hall of Fame along with Robert Merrick.
Meyerhoff"s legacy lives on through charities and scholarships and through his various contributions to the BSO. The “Joseph and Harvey Meyerhoff Family Charitable Funds” is a group of Baltimore-based family foundations making philanthropic contributions in the local area as well as nationally and internationally. A child daycare center in Rehovot, Israel carries Meyerhoff"s name as the main donor.
His name also lives on with the "Joseph Meyerhoff Library" in Beersheva, Israel.
Meyerhoff also donated funds for the establishment of the Tel Aviv Museum"s Joseph and Rebecca Meyerhoff Art Education Center, housing over 2,000 art students in Israel.
Achievements
Membership
Member Maryland. Board Public Welfare, 1953-1957. Member National Association Home Builders United States (president 1946-1947, directory). Club: Center (Baltimore) (president 1964-1974).
Connections
Married Rebecca Witten, August 21, 1921. Children: Peggy Meyerhoff Pearlstone (deceased), Harvey M., Eleanor Meyerhoff Katz.