Newton D. and Rochelle F. Becker Foundation

The California-based foundation was established in 1986, and says its charitable giving is directed at local, national, and international programs. ^{2 3}

Entrepreneur Newton Becker founded the Becker Foundation with his wife Rochelle Becker. He is best known for establishing the Becker CPA Review Course and Luz International, a solar-energy company. ^{4 5}

Background

The Becker Foundation was established in 1986, and says its charitable giving is directed at local, national, and international programs. ^{2 3} The Newton D. and Rochelle F. Becker Foundation is a support organization for the Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles. ¹

The foundation partners with a sister nonprofit run by the same family, the Newton and Rochelle Becker Charitable Trust, to support non-profits within the same priority areas, which include Jewish-community and pro-Israel interests. ¹

The Becker Foundation has said its philanthropy is “directed to the Jewish community, particularly Jewish organizations and programs that combat media bias against Israel and the Jewish people, Israel advocacy, and democracy defense.” ⁵

The Becker Foundation has contributed to organizations opposed to the anti-Israel BDS (boycott, divestment, and sanctions) movement. ⁶

The left-of-center think tank Center for American Progress, in a 2011 report, accused the Becker Foundation, among other groups, of donating to “Islamophobic” organizations. CAP specifically said the Becker Foundation funded the Investigative Project on Terrorism, the Middle East Forum, the Center for Security Policy, and the David Horowitz Freedom Center. ⁵

Founder

Newton Becker, an entrepreneur, and his wife Rochelle Becker founded the Newton D. and Rochelle F. Becker Foundation. Newton Becker was born in 1928 and died in 2012. ⁷ Newton Becker grew up in Cleveland and faced anti-Semitism as a teenager, and said he vowed if he had the means he would do what he could to protect Jews around the world. ⁴

Becker earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting at Kent State University, and a master’s in business administration at Case Western Reserve University. He served in the U.S. Army and was based in Germany. ⁸ He was previously an accountant at Price Waterhouse. ⁸

In 1957, he established the Becker CPA Review Course that has prepared about half of America’s certified public accountants for the CPA Exam. ^{4 5} DeVry Inc. bought Becker CPA Review in 1996 for $18.4 million plus $17.9 million for its copyrights and intellectual property. ⁵

In the 1980s, Becker ​was the founding investor of Luz International, which was the leading provider of solar power for many years. He argued before Congress in favor of tax benefits for weather-dependent energy. ⁹ Luz International had research and manufacturing facilities in Israel until its dissolution in 1992. ⁵

Newt Becker was also a major investor in the company Electric Fuel, which develops batteries for electric cars. ⁸

Leadership

David Becker, the son of Newton Becker, is the president and member of the board of directors for the Newton D. and Rochelle F. Becker Foundation. ¹⁰

Bryan Gordon is the vice president and member of the board of directors of the Becker Foundation. ¹⁰

Marvin Schotland is the secretary of the board of directors for the Becker Foundation. ¹⁰

Other members of the Becker Foundation board of directors are Allan Cutrow, Mark Karlan, Ellen Rosen, Robert Avery, and David Carroll. ¹⁰