Lawrence Goodman
In Memoriam, 2019

In 1946, after serving as an Air Force navigator in World War II, Larry Goodman, z”l, founded the Community Discount Store chain. He sold the company 17 years later, as a 35-store chain. In 1965, Mr. Goodman established the commercial real estate firm, Goodman Group and American Asset Management Services.

As founder and chairman of the Lillian and Larry Goodman Foundations, Mr. Goodman directed the organization’s funding causes - guided by his deeply held belief of service to others.

In 1958, he made his first trip to Israel, and made numerous subsequent trips to the Jewish state with his wife, Lillian, z”l.  Sharing David Ben-Gurion’s vision of revitalizing Israel’s Negev region, Larry, z”l, directed significant funding to improving the quality of life in this region.

In the United States, Larry, z”l, was deeply committed to funding Jewish causes, hunger relief and drug abuse prevention. To honor the memory of his granddaughter, Cebrin, z”l, who died after battling drug addiction, he established the Cebrin Goodman Center to help prevent drug abuse in young people and allow them to fulfill their individual potential.

Larry took a leadership role with numerous organizations dedicated to improving Jewish life worldwide. His many affiliations included: Board of Governors of Ben-Gurion University, where he also received an honorary Doctorate; Chairman of the Midwest Region of Israel Bonds; Past Chairman and Executive Board of America-Israel Chamber of Commerce; Board of Joint Distribution Committee; Past Board of Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago; Board of Trustees of Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center; and Chairman of American Friends of the Be’er-Sheva Foundation.