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AROUND THE QUADS Kraft Center Dedicated
What would make Presidents George Rupp of Columbia and Judith Shapiro of Barnard dance a horah on 115th Street? The dedication on April 2 of the Robert K. Kraft Center for Jewish Student Life, which has risen on a former parking lot between Broadway and Riverside Drive. Joining the presidents for the ceremony were benefactor Robert Kraft '63 and family; Jerrold Nadler '69, the congressman who represents the Upper West Side; professor of biology and former College dean Robert Pollack '61, president of the Jewish Campus Life Fund; Earle W. Kazis, chairman of the Jewish Campus Life Fund; Rabbi Charles Sheer, the University's Jewish chaplain for more than three decades; Rabbi Jennie Rosenn '91, an associate Jewish chaplain; and Shira Brafman B'01, president of the Jewish Student Union. "Having gone here in 1963, [the Center for Jewish Life] was in the basement of Earl Hall," noted Kraft. "When my son [David] entered in 1991, I realized it was the same thing. For a school like Columbia University in New York City, with the number of Jewish students, it is very important that there would be this kind of facility. I just thought it was time to help." The $11.5 million, 28,000 square foot facility features a wall of Jerusalem stone and was designed by Jordan L. Gruzen of Gruzen Samton. The building includes a sanctuary, library, lounge, conference and classrooms. "In dedicating the Kraft Center, we are making up for lost time," said Rupp. "We have created a center for which the University and Jewish community will be grateful for generations to come." Columbia is the last Ivy League school to dedicate a building for its Jewish students, who number over 3,000 from the total University enrollment of over 20,000.
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