Slifka Alumni Spotlight

Meet Joe Schwartz ’62

Joe Schwartz ’62 and his wife Marilyn are cherished friends and philanthropic partners of Slifka Center. Watch to learn Joe’s inspiring story—from his humble upbringing in New Haven and his time as a Jewish student at Yale on scholarship to his enduring legacy.

Joe has been involved with Slifka Center since its very beginning, serving as a dedicated board member from its founding in 1995 through the mid 2000s. His commitment extends beyond leadership—Joe and Marilyn have also been generous donors of Slifka’s Israel Education Fellowship Endowment, Magevet (Yale’s Jewish, Hebrew, and Israeli A Cappella group), and Shibboleth (Yale’s undergraduate publication of Jewish thought).

Here’s a taste of Joe’s story:

Joe grew up in New Haven, where he frequented Lender’s Bagels, earned scholarships to attend the Hopkins School, and was admitted to Yale in the late 1950s at Timothy Dwight College. Though he initially planned to major in Zoology and Biology, he eventually switched to Economics. Joe also served as the business manager for the track team and was a six-time letterman.

After his graduation, he served in the U,S. Arny and later moved to New York City, where he built a successful career in finance and met Marilyn. Together, they share a deep love for the arts, Jewish life, and the sciences, which grew into philanthropic interests aligned with their legacy at Slifka. Joe was also an active volunteer at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and is currently a greeter-guide volunteer with the Central Park Conservancy and a docent at the American Museum of Natural History Butterfly Exhibit.

Joe’s hope for Slifka’s future:

Joe encourages students to stick together and speak up for the Jewish people. In these challenging times, he is proud of Slifka’s emphasis on pluralism. He said it’s “one of Slifka’s great assets and attributes, and it’s important for Jewish students to know that in our 4,000-year history, we are all long links in a long chain, and we can’t be misguided by any current political situation in Israel.” He hopes to see more educational programming in the years to come.

Through their continued support, Joe and Marilyn have left an indelible mark on Slifka and the Yale Jewish community. We thank them for their partnership.