The Story of Marinus and Minna Koster
The Marinus and Minna B. Koster Foundation was created from a generous bequest from both of them.
Marinus, known as Max to his friends, led a long and fruitful life. Born in Amsterdam in 1909 to Leendert Koster and Trijnije Wolzak, he immigrated to Java to work after completing his education in Holland. He learned accounting and worked in Indonesia during the 1930’s.
While working in Asia, he married Fanny nee Cantorovich in 1936. Fanny was a Russian citizen born in Shanghai in 1904. Cataclysmic world events forced them to leave Indonesia and escape to Singapore.
There, they boarded the steamship American Presidents to begin a new life in the United States. Their one-way ticket to San Francisco cost $2,000. Max became a United States citizen in New York City in 1946. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1962. However, the divorce was an amicable one and Fanny remained a close friend for the rest of her life.
Shortly thereafter, Max married Mina nee Blecher in Charleston, South Carolina. Mina was born in 1917 in Jersey City, New Jersey to Samuel Blecher and Dora Flaum of Russian/Polish heritage.
Mina and Max enjoyed an active life. He passed the CPA exam, started an accounting practice and invested in real estate. He formed a real estate partnership with Minna and Fanny as his other partners. The Kosters loved to travel and visited Italy, England, France, Hungary and the Netherlands. Max played the piano and invited friends and musicians to gather on weekends.
The Kosters were childless. Marinus passed away in 2007 and Minna followed in 2009. Their kind generosity has benefited hundreds of people and organizations including young jazz musicians performing at the Embassy of Israel, a Yiddish puppet theatre and Holocaust survivors.
The Koster Foundation has provided grants to dozens of organizations to help Jewish immigrants, perpetuate Yiddish language and culture and support musicians.
The Marinus and Minna B. Koster Foundation was created from a generous bequest from both of them.
Marinus, known as Max to his friends, led a long and fruitful life. Born in Amsterdam in 1909 to Leendert Koster and Trijnije Wolzak, he immigrated to Java to work after completing his education in Holland. He learned accounting and worked in Indonesia during the 1930’s.
While working in Asia, he married Fanny nee Cantorovich in 1936. Fanny was a Russian citizen born in Shanghai in 1904. Cataclysmic world events forced them to leave Indonesia and escape to Singapore.
There, they boarded the steamship American Presidents to begin a new life in the United States. Their one-way ticket to San Francisco cost $2,000. Max became a United States citizen in New York City in 1946. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1962. However, the divorce was an amicable one and Fanny remained a close friend for the rest of her life.
Shortly thereafter, Max married Mina nee Blecher in Charleston, South Carolina. Mina was born in 1917 in Jersey City, New Jersey to Samuel Blecher and Dora Flaum of Russian/Polish heritage.
Mina and Max enjoyed an active life. He passed the CPA exam, started an accounting practice and invested in real estate. He formed a real estate partnership with Minna and Fanny as his other partners. The Kosters loved to travel and visited Italy, England, France, Hungary and the Netherlands. Max played the piano and invited friends and musicians to gather on weekends.
The Kosters were childless. Marinus passed away in 2007 and Minna followed in 2009. Their kind generosity has benefited hundreds of people and organizations including young jazz musicians performing at the Embassy of Israel, a Yiddish puppet theatre and Holocaust survivors.
The Koster Foundation has provided grants to dozens of organizations to help Jewish immigrants, perpetuate Yiddish language and culture and support musicians.
