The National Board and staff of AFMDA mourn the passing of Bernard ‘Bernie” Marcus, z”l.
American Friends of Magen David Adom mourns the passing of Bernard “Bernie” Marcus, an inspirational philanthropist and masterful businessman who left a profound legacy of dedicated giving to Israel and the Jewish people.
One of our most significant supporters, he and his wife, Billi, provided the lead gift for the construction of the Marcus National Blood Services Center in Ramla, the world’s first underground blood bank.
Bernie’s insight to the vulnerability of MDA’s old blood bank in Ramat Gan during a weeklong conflict with Hamas in 2012 was his inspiration to support the new blood services center. “On a visit many years ago to Israel’s blood bank, amid the missile and rocket attacks, I realized how delicate and vulnerable the blood system was,” he said.
“I am happy that we participated, from the very start, in the construction of this wonderful building, where Israel’s blood supply will be protected for all its citizens, Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike.”
The lives of countless Israelis have been saved thanks to the generosity of Bernie and Billi Marcus, and their transformational gift to MDA. The Marcus Center protects Israel’s blood supply from missiles, biological and chemical attacks, and earthquakes. Its expanded size allows MDA’s Blood Services Division to double the national annual blood supply.
The Marcus Center also houses the Sussman Family Foundation Human Milk Bank. While various departments began working in the center after its dedication in May 2022, the Marcus Center became fully operational just a day after the October 7, 2023 brutal Hamas invasion.
“Bernie Marcus was an extraordinary man of great compassion, a devoted friend, a passionate supporter of Israel, and a visionary philanthropist,” said Catherine Reed, AFMDA’s chief executive officer. “He loved the State of Israel and was dedicated to its advancement, safety, and security. He will be sorely missed, but the impact of his legacy will endure for generations.”
Born into a Russian Jewish immigrant family in 1929, Bernie grew up the youngest of four children in a tenement in Newark, New Jersey. Though his family was poor, his mother taught him the value of tzedakah and giving back.
His dream was to become a doctor, a psychiatrist, specifically, after attending pharmacy school, but restrictions against Jews in medical schools led him to a business career. He went on to found the world’s largest home improvement retailer, The Home Depot, in 1979, a company that revolutionized the home improvement business. Bernie served as The Home Depot’s first CEO and was chairman until his retirement in 2002.
To show your support for Magen David Adom in memory of Bernie Marcus’s generosity, make your gift today.
