The Kraków-born Taube was long recognized for advancing Polish-Jewish dialogue, and served for years as Poland’s Honorary Consul in California.
His death was announced on Sunday by the Jewish Historical Institute and the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Born in 1931 in Kraków, southern Poland, Taube emigrated with his family to the United States before World War II.
He founded and led Taube Philanthropies, was president of the Koret Foundation, and served as president and founder of Woodmont Companies, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
His charitable work shaped local Jewish community life.
Taube was the founder and benefactor of the POLIN Museum. His foundation secured the institution’s largest financial support.
The Jewish Historical Institute said his life’s mission was to foster social and cultural life both in the San Francisco area and in his native Poland.
He received the Commander's Cross of the Polish Order of Merit in 2004. In 2007, he became Poland’s Honorary Consul in California and was named among the most influential Jews in the United States.
In 2009, at his initiative, Kraków and San Francisco became sister cities.
Since 2017 he had been patron of the Taube Chair of Jewish Studies at the University of Wrocław, southwestern Poland, and in 2018 he received an honorary doctorate from the Jagiellonian University in Kraków.
“With great sadness, we received the news of the passing of Tad Taube, a Polish Jew born in Kraków, dedicated to Polish-Jewish dialogue and long-serving Honorary Consul of Poland in California,” the Polish foreign ministry said on the X platform, offering condolences to his family.
The POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews said Taube and his foundation played a key role in the museum’s creation, making possible its building, the permanent exhibition 1,000 Years of the History of Polish Jews, and an education center.
“His commitment and deep faith in our mission will remain with us forever,” the museum said.
(jh/gs)
Source: PAP