Alumni make gift to School of Social Work

By PAULA WITHERELL
Reporter Contributor

It was their education at UB that the Jacobsons say enabled them to become international leaders and help hundreds of thousands of Jews escape discrimination, torture and death following World War II. "Because of the training we received at UB, Gaynor and I have had two wonderful careers," said Florence Jacobson, "and our support is a way to show our gratitude for the education UB gave us."

Gaynor Jacobson added, "More and more we are realizing what our education and training at UB have meant to us, which was a main incentive in making this gift."

Hundreds of thousands of Jewish refugees were saved through Gaynor's efforts to negotiate their safe immigration and resettlement to the United States, Brazil, Australia, Israel and other countries throughout the world. Gaynor was a key figure in "The Secret Alliance," a book chronicling the rescue of nearly 2 million Jews in post-war Europe. He is the recipient of many honors, including the Cross of Merit from the Hungarian Republic, Commander Medal of Brazil and Silver Pin from the State of Israel.

He received a bachelor's degree in an-

thropology and sociology from UB in 1937, a certificate in social work in 1939 and a master's degree in social work in 1941. While a student at UB, he met Florence; they were married in 1937.

Florence Jacobson received a bachelor's degree in sociology and anthropology from UB in 1934, and a certificate in social work from the university in 1935. She returned to the university to complete her master's degree in social work in 1955.

Also determined to help post-war refugees, she was appointed supervisor of social services and immigration for the Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, under the aegis of Gaynor, who was country director of the program in Czechoslovakia in 1946. Under their leadership, thousands of refugees from Romania, Hungary and Poland received food, clothing, medical care and temporary housing, as well as transportation and travel documentation aid. When they moved to Budapest one year later, Florence Jacobson set up a social-welfare program for more than 100,000 of the displaced Hungarian Jews. During this initiative, she turned to UB for assistance.

"When in Hungary, I had the enormous responsibility of setting up the Department of Social Welfare, but I needed some guidance on how to establish a training course for social workers," she recalled. "I requested assistance from Dean (Niles) Carpenter of the social work school, who was a tremendous help "

The Jacobsons were honored with Distinguished Alumni Awards in 1995.