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"Lowell Milken: Founding Traditions"

Article in Lifestyles magazine

(click on image to download PDF)

Made available courtesy of Lifestyles

Lowell Milken

Founder, Milken Archive of American Jewish Music

Lowell Milken is one of America's most generous philanthropists (Worth Magazine). For more than two decades, the chairman and co-founder of the Milken Family Foundation has led efforts to improve the effectiveness of education and medical research, with the mission to help individuals lead productive and satisfying lives. Lowell's vision of quality education for all children has informed the development and active implementation of major initiatives including the Teacher Advancement Program (TAP)� and the Milken National Educator Awards.

Lowell Milken is honored onstage
at Lincoln Center for his historic
contributions to Jewish culture by
Jewish Theological Seminary
Chancellor Rabbi Ismar Schorsch

These nationwide, nonsectarian programs are complemented by Lowell's lifelong commitment to Jewish education and issues in the U.S. and Israel. In his home community of Los Angeles, Lowell continues to be a force behind the Milken Community High School, the Bernard Milken Jewish Community Campus and Ferne Milken Youth & Sports Complex, the Jewish Educator Awards, and the Milken Family Foundation day school scholarship program with the Bureau of Jewish Education. His extensive involvement in Israel includes "Beit Milken," housing the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs; the library and technology center of Shevach Moffet High School in Tel Aviv; education and recreation facilities for the technology-intensive city of Ariel; and the Gesher Center/Milken Family Campus in Jerusalem, working to bridge the gap between secular and religious communities.

Composer Herman Berlinski and
Lowell Milken

Many of Lowell's efforts cross over sectarian and nonsectarian arenas. Prominent among these is the Milken Archive of American Jewish Music, a cultural and historic project of unprecedented scope, created by Lowell in 1990 to preserve the diverse body of sacred and secular music inspired by 350 years of Jewish life in America. Key elements include 50 CDs being released through Naxos American Classics, a curriculum for higher education, oral histories, and an eventual 20-volume World of Jewish Music in America, intended to educate and inspire people of all faiths and cultures. In another recent endeavor, Lowell made possible the development and distribution of a multidisciplinary high school curriculum guide to explore The Children of Willesden Lane, a story of courage and coming-of-age during World War II, authored by Grammy-nominated pianist Mona Golabek.

Lowell Milken (center) is presented with a Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, by Rabbi David Ellenson, Ph.D. (left), President of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and Dr. Michael Zeldin, Professor of Jewish Education, and Director, Rhea Hirsch School of Education, HUC-JIR.

In addition to his work as a philanthropist, Lowell is an innovative and highly successful businessman. Among his many business interests and roles, he is presently chairman of London-based Heron International, a worldwide leader in property development; and co-founder of Knowledge Universe Education, LLC, a leading company in early childhood education and K-12 educational programs and services.

Lowell Milken is a product of California's public school system, graduating summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from the University of California at Berkeley, where he received the School of Business Administration's Most Outstanding Student Award. He earned his law degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, with the distinctions of Order of the Coif and UCLA Law Review. For his achievements with the Milken Archive, Lowell was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, by Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. Lowell is inspired in all his endeavors by his four sons.

For more about Lowell Milken, click here.

For more information on initiatives and programs of the Milken Family Foundation, visit www.mff.org.

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