Samuel “Bud” Shorstein’s path took him from a successful accounting firm to the statehouse beside former Governor Bob Graham, then to Capitol Hill as Graham’s chief of staff in the United States Senate, before coming full circle back to accounting work in Jacksonville as a former partner of Shorstein and Shorstein, P.A.
Throughout the twists and turns of Shorstein’s journey, one constant remained: a fierce love for his alma mater. “My brother Jack was the first to attend UF in 1947,” he fondly recalled. “Since then, there have been more Shorsteins enrolled than not.” On September 7, 2023 his multi-generational Gator family gathered with friends, colleagues, and members of the Jewish community to celebrate a momentous occasion.
In recognition of Shorstein’s unwavering support spanning five decades, UF bestowed upon Shorstein the ultimate honor. On its golden anniversary, the Center for Jewish Studies at UF proudly took a new name: the Bud Shorstein Center for Jewish Studies.
Anita Zucker, a member of the UF Board of Trustees, expressed gratitude to Shorstein for his transformative generosity. “You are the personification of the Jewish principle of tikkun olam, Hebrew for ‘repairing the world,’” she remarked. “Your commitment and actions have truly made the world a better place.”
Shorstein’s support empowers the center to expand its programs, attract renowned scholars, and create new opportunities for students, faculty, and the wider community. “We will are able to undertake initiatives about which we could only dream before,” says Norman JW Goda, the Norman and Irma Braman Professor of Holocaust Studies and Director of the Shorstein Center. “So much of life is timing,” Goda said. “And the naming of our center comes at a most auspicious time.”
EXPLORE SHORSTEIN’S LEGACY