Ambassador Lester & Mrs. Carolbeth Korn Make $1 Million Gift to Wilshire Boulevard Temple for Historic Organ Restoration

LOS ANGELES, July 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Wilshire Boulevard Temple announced today a gift of $1 million from Ambassador Lester and Carolbeth Korn to restore its renowned Kimball organ. Longtime congregants whose involvement with the Temple spans four decades, the Korns' gift is in memory of their daughter Dr. Jessica Susan Korn and in honor of their daughter and granddaughter, Jodi Korn Radoff and Sloane Korn Radoff and son-in-law Robert Radoff.

"We are very happy to be able to make this gift and hope that it encourages others to support the restoration and redevelopment of our historic Temple," notes Ambassador Korn. Both of their daughters attended the Temple's religious school and Sloane is a student at Brawerman Elementary.

At the time of the sanctuary's dedication in 1929, the Kimball Organ Company was the largest in America, and the Korn Kimball organ is one of the finest examples of its kind. With more than 4,000 pipes housed in five chambers above the sanctuary choirloft, it presents a magnificent array of sound.  It has been showcased by the American Guild of Organists at its annual meeting and can be heard with full choir during the High Holy Days and Shabbat morning services. Although the organ still retains all its original parts, it requires extensive work which the Korns have generously underwritten.

Ambassador Korn and Mrs. Korn have long and distinguished careers in business, diplomacy and public service. Ambassador Korn is the founder of Korn/Ferry International, the world's largest executive search firm, where he served as Chairman and CEO from 1969-1991 and thereafter Chairman Emeritus. He is also the founder and CEO of Korn Capital Group. He served as Ambassador to the United Nations and as US Representative to the United Nations Economic and Social Council during 1987 and 1988. He was also a member of the President's Commission on White House Fellowships. From 1989 to the present, he has served on the Board of Directors of the Council of American Ambassadors.

Mrs. Korn has a notable career as a civic leader and philanthropist. A founder of the First Beverly Bank, she is a director of Korn-Tuttle Capital Group. She and the ambassador have both been active in the L.A. Music Center and both serve on the Board of Directors of the Music Center of Los Angeles County. Mrs. Korn was Chairman and CEO of the Founders League where she was elected Chairman Emeritus. She has been a Blue Ribbon member for nearly 30 years and serves on its board.  Mrs. Korn also serves on the President's Council of the Richard M. Nixon Library and is a member of the Chairman's Club of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum. She is also a founding member of the Los Angeles Library Foundation Council.

As UCLA alumni, Ambassador and Mrs. Korn have been active and generous supporters of their alma mater. Mrs. Korn created the Carolbeth Korn Prize Endowment in the School of Public Health and had the Dean's Conference Room named in her honor.  The Ambassador serves as a director of the UCLA Anderson School of Management. The Regents of the University of California named the Korn Convocation Hall in their honor and it is on the UCLA Anderson Campus.  Together they assisted in the development of the John Wooden Center and the James E. West Alumni Center.

Founded in 1862, Wilshire Boulevard Temple (originally known as Congregation B'nai Brith) is the oldest Jewish congregation in Los Angeles.  The Korns' gift has been made in connection with a major restoration and renovation project at its 3.9-acre campus in the Wilshire Center.  The Temple also operates an early childhood center  and elementary school on the Westside on its Irmas Campus and the Wilshire Boulevard Temple Camps at a 200-acre facility in Malibu.

SOURCE Wilshire Boulevard Temple