Bugles, Bar Mitzvahs & Belief in Supporting Jewish Life in Long Beach

Bugles, Bar Mitzvahs & Belief in Supporting Jewish Life in Long Beach

The Inspiring Legacy of Don & Andrea Kaiser

Written by Lynne Kass

“If not me, who? If not now, when?” is a famous quote attributed to the Jewish sage, Hillel the Elder, and has been a driving force behind the philanthropic journey of longtime community members, Don and Andrea Kaiser. 

Native Angelenos, Don & Andrea met when Don was 17 and Andrea was 15. Don was the President of the Jewish Youth Council of Los Angeles and Andrea was the Secretary for the group. They have been together ever since and will be celebrating their 61st wedding anniversary in June 2025. 

Don’s parents instilled in him the value of Jewish community involvement. Reflecting on his upbringing, Don remarked, “They taught me how important it was to be affiliated,” which led to his early involvement in a Jewish Youth Group in Montebello and has continued throughout his life. While Andrea’s parents were not “joiners”, they were part of a Jewish Young Couples group in Monterey Park, and Andrea quickly found herself drawn to Jewish community involvement. 

As teens, Andrea was a member of the Drum & Bugle Corps, as well as a Majorette for the Los Angeles Rams when they played at the Los Angeles Coliseum where Don was the head usher (when I asked Andrea if she could still twirl a baton, she answered yes with no hesitation, and so I am determined to visit the Kaisers again soon and ask Andrea to show me her baton skills!) 

The Kaiser’s adventurous spirit is evident in a variety of stories such as their post college graduation cross-country journey on a Greyhound bus, non-stop for three days and nights, so that Don could meet Andrea’s cousins in Brooklyn. Upon their respective graduations, both Don and Andrea became teachers, with Don starting his career in 1964 and Andrea in 1965. Don was the first male kindergarten teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District and taught for 14 years, with stints as an elementary school teacher and a professor of English at Pepperdine University. Andrea started teaching at the elementary school level and spent time as a teacher in the War on Poverty Project where she taught children in Inner City Housing Projects in Los Angeles. She returned to college to become an adaptive PE teacher, which she was for 10 years, and then a Special Education teacher where she was Bi-Lingual in Spanish. Andrea also taught horseback riding (fun fact!) and remained a teacher until she retired in 1992. 

For 12 summers, Don & Andrea tutored on a ranch in Arizona which serviced the upper one percent of the population from across the country. They taught Buddy Hackett’s children, as well as children of the Rockefeller family, Nixon family, and the Maxwell (coffee) family. In 1972, Don and Andrea decided to take a 1-year sabbatical and traveled around the world on $5 a day, inspired by Frommer's famous guide. 

Don & Andrea moved to Long Beach in 1979, knowing only one couple in the area (Barbara & Leon Shoag). They became active in the Young Couples Club at the Long Beach Jewish Community Center (the “old” building) where Joyce Greenspan staffed the group and they met Edie & Joel Brodsky and Marvin Zamost, among others. 

Don served as Vice President of Finance on the JCC Board and President-Elect of the Federation Board (a position he ultimately had to step away from due to a hearing impairment). Andrea served as Chair of Annual Giving and then President of Hadassah in Long Beach. Don is currently finishing a 10-year term as President of the Hebrew Academy Advisory Board and Andrea remains active with NCJW. They are both steadfast supporters of Jewish Family & Children’s Service (JFCS). 

Don left teaching in 1978 and spent his next 8 years in sales for Fortune 500 companies. He sold raw plastics to manufacturers and eventually opened his own manufacturer’s rep business to which he added wire, cable & electronics in 1985. His son, Loren, took over the business in 2005 and still runs it today.  

Don also studied economics and received a Series 7 license for Security Dealers, allowing him to buy and sell stocks and mutual funds. In 1985, he also started an investment business, which has been extremely successful, and which he still runs today. 

 According to Psalm 90:10: “The span of our life is seventy, or, given the strength, eighty years.”  A Bar Mitzvah is a coming-of-age ritual in Judaism, celebrated when a young man turns 13. Under the logic of the Psalm, which indicates a normal lifespan of 70 years, an 83-year-old may be considered 13 in a second lifetime. Don will turn 83-years-old in May 2025, and will celebrate by having his second Bar Mitzvah at Shul by the Shore. 

 While on a visit to Israel, Don & Andrea asked their guide, “What can American Jews do to help Israel?” His reply was, “Create an educated and strong American Jewish Community.” This is what Don & Andrea have spent their lives doing. Don is also a descendant of the Kohanim (direct male descendants of Aaron, the first high priest).  As such, he and Andrea are guided by the dual principles of Hesed (generosity) and Tzedakah (charity).  

 Having done well financially, the Kaiser’s decided to speak with their sons, Curtis, who is also their Estate Planning Attorney, and Loren, as well as their Investment Advisor, regarding their legacy gift in their Trust and then thought, “Why wait until we die to put this money to use? The groups we are supporting need the money now, and we will be able to see how it is used.”

Their generosity is visible across several transformative projects: 

• Hebrew Academy Kaiser STEM Lab: Starting in 2026, their endowment will provide $5,000 annually for technology upgrades to the named classroom that they began funding seven years ago. 

• Beach Hillel Endowment: Starting in 2026, their endowment will provide $750 annually to support Hillel’s annual Passover Seder (they had previously been supporting the Seder for the past seven plus years at $500 annually), as well as provide a $1,000 scholarship for a Hillel graduate’s trip to Israel. 

• Hebrew Academy Scholarship: They have also set up a grant to provide a scholarship to a Hebrew Academy senior graduate student to travel to Israel. 

• Jewish Long Beach Annual Campaign: Andrea’s Lion of Judah Endowment (LOJE) gift will ensure sustained support for the Jewish Long Beach annual campaign starting in 2026. 

The Kaiser’s hope that their decision to see their money being used during their lifetime will inspire others in our Jewish community who have that capacity to do the same. Andrea emphasizes the importance of personal connection in philanthropy: "Find a link that speaks to you and support it." 

Through their generosity, leadership, and personal example, Don and Andrea Kaiser have not only strengthened Jewish life in Long Beach but have also laid a lasting foundation for future generations. Their philanthropic legacy is one to be applauded, and we are so fortunate that our Long Beach Jewish Community has been the beneficiary of their dedication and commitment!  

Do you feel inspired by the Kaisers’ story and want to learn about the difference you can make with a Legacy Gift? Contact Kevin Giser at kgiser@jewishlongbeach.org or 562.426.7601 ext. 1011