George Krupp is a businessman and major Democratic donor who made his fortune through The Berkshire Group, a real estate investment company. Krupp and his family run the Krupp Family Foundation as their grantmaking fund. 1
In March 2024, Krupp and dozens of other major Democratic donors sent an open letter to President Joe Biden demanding that he reduce his support for Israel during the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza over concerns that Israel’s military actions were causing too much collateral damage and that President Biden was losing support from left-of-center and radical-left voters within the Democratic Party. 2 3
Family
George Krupp is married to Lizbett Krupp, his co-founder of the Krupp Family Foundation. Lizbett participates in many of George’s philanthropic endeavors. 1
George’s daughter, Liana Krupp, is a board member of Keshet and Planned Parenthood’s Leadership Council. A former fashion stylist and writer for Interview magazine, she also was a leader in the design of the “#Techstyle” and “Gender Bending” exhibitions displayed at the Boston Museum of Fine Art. 4
Education and Career
George Krupp attended Harvard University but was expelled during his second year. He later returned and earned a bachelor’s degree in classics. Later, he attained a master’s degree in history from Brown University. 5
Krupp is the co-founder and former co-chairman of The Berkshire Group, a Boston-based real estate and financial services company. 5 6
Krupp co-founded the Gann Academy, a Jewish day school, and taught history there for five years. Along with his brother, Douglas Krupp, George Krupp founded the Philip and Bernice Krupp Natural Sciences Building at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in honor of their parents. 5
Krupp is a chair of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and a former campaign chair of Combined Jewish Philanthropies. In 2012, Krupp joined the board of trustees of Brandeis University. 5
Philanthropy
In 1995, George Krupp and his wife, Lizbett Krupp, established the Krupp Family Foundation as their family’s grantmaking foundation. In addition to contributing to many Boston-area Jewish organizations, the foundation provided numerous grants to left-of-center groups, including the ACLU Massachusetts, Bend the Arc Jewish Action, Black Youth Matter, Earthjustice, Planned Parenthood, the Jewish Social Justice Roundtable, and GLAD (a partner of GLAAD). 1
In February 2023, George and Lizbett Krupp donated $2 million to the Rashi School, an independent, Reform Jewish private school in Dedham, Massachusetts. 7
Political Donations
Since 1983, George Krupp has donated $5,433,248 to federal candidates and political action committees. 8
Krupp’s largest donation recipient is the Senate Democratic leadership-aligned Senate Majority PAC, which received $785,000 from Krupp from 2016 to 2023. 8
In 2020, Krupp donated $200,000 to support President Joe Biden’s presidential campaign. 8
In 2016, Krupp donated $250,000 to Democratic-aligned PAC Priorities USA Action. 8
Biden Campaign Letter
In March 2024, the 2024 reelection campaign of President Joe Biden received an open letter from a group of major Democratic donors, including George Krupp, Paul Egerman, David and Elizabeth Steinglass, and Caroline Gabel, criticizing the president’s support for Israel in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. 2 3
The authors stated that they condemn Hamas’s terrorist attack against Israel on October 7, 2023. However, according to the authors, the Israeli military’s response had failed to achieve its objectives and in the process had caused immense collateral damage, stating, “Gaza has become a humanitarian catastrophe.” The authors partially blame President Biden for Israel’s conduct given the U.S.’s “unconditional support for the Israeli operation.” 2 3
The authors urged President Biden to lessen his support for Israel both for humanitarian reasons and because the president was allegedly alienating many progressive Democratic voters, particularly “young voters and voters of color,” which could result in President Biden losing the 2024 election to former President Donald Trump: “Because of the disillusionment of a critical portion of the Democratic coalition, the Gaza war is increasing the chances of a Trump victory.” 9 3
The authors conclude: “We are asking the Biden administration immediately to change course. Conditions need to be placed and monitored on any further military, financial or diplomatic aid. All indiscriminate bombing and demolition must stop.” 3
In an interview given after the letter was published, Krupp stated that despite his disappointment over Israel, he still planned on supporting President Biden and was organizing a fundraiser for his campaign. He also expressed some personal doubts that the war in Gaza was hurting President Biden’s electoral position. 2
References
- “Our Grantees.” Krupp Family Foundation. Accessed June 12, 2024. https://www.kruppfamilyfoundation.org/our-grantees.
- Epstein, Reid J. “Democratic Donors Warn Biden Over Israel-Gaza Policy.” New York Times. March 19, 2024. Accessed June 12, 2024. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/19/us/politics/biden-donors.html.
- “A letter to President Biden.” New York Times. March 18, 2024. Accessed June 12, 2024. https://static01.nyt.com/newsgraphics/documenttools/72337d09e39b6c84/4d648e46-full.pdf.
- “Liana Krupp.” NEFA. Accessed June 12, 2024. https://www.nefa.org/liana-krupp.
- “Board of Trustees elects new members: Mike Frieze, George Krupp, Lisa Kranc.” Brandeis Now. April 11, 2012. Accessed June 12, 2024. https://www.brandeis.edu/now/2012/april/newtrustees.html.
- “Leadership.” The Berkshire Group. Accessed June 12, 2024. https://investments.berkshireresidentialinvestments.com/our-company/leadership/.
- “Liz and George Krupp Give $2 Million to Rashi School.” Jewish Boston. February 7, 2023. Accessed June 12, 2024. https://www.jewishboston.com/read/liz-and-george-krupp-give-2-million-to-rashi-school/.
- “Individual contributions search: George Krupp.” Federal Election Commission. Accessed June 12, 2024. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=George+Krupp.
- [1] Epstein, Reid J. “Democratic Donors Warn Biden Over Israel-Gaza Policy.” New York Times. March 19, 2024. Accessed June 12, 2024. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/19/us/politics/biden-donors.html.