Lord (Jacob) Rothschild (1936 – 2024)

Lord Jacob Rothschild was born in 1936 and belonged to the English branch of the Rothschild family.

Lord Rothschild inherited from his cousin Dorothy de Rothschild the legacy of Waddesdon Manor in England and the role of chair of Yad Hanadiv – the Rothschild Foundation – a philanthropic fund dedicated to creating resources for the advancement of Israel as a thriving democratic society committed to Jewish values and equal opportunity for all citizens.

Lord Rothschild was a man of vision and fulfillment. His extensive work and achievements, which he led via the foundation, reflected the deep commitment he felt towards Israel.

In his role as Chair of Yad Hanadiv Lord Rothschild dedicated the supreme court building in Jerusalem (which was built entirely from the foundation’s funds), and initiated the building of the Ra’anana campus of the Open University. Likewise, Lord Rothschild was the driving force behind the establishment of the new National Library of Israel.

Lord Jacob frequently visited Ramat Hanadiv, where Baron Rothschild is buried, guiding its activity and development and meticulously reviewing the changes in the gardens and the park.

Lord Rothschild fulfilled the role of Chair of Yad Hanadiv during the years 1989-2018. In 2018 Lord Rothschild was appointed President of Yad Hanadiv, and his daughter, Ms. Hannah Rothschild, assumed the role of chair of the foundation – representing the fifth generation of Rothschild family philanthropy in Israel.