Basic Information
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Seryl B. Kushner (née Stadtmauer) |
| Birth year | c. 1954 |
| Parents | Morris R. Stadtmauer and Marilyn (Felsen) Stadtmauer |
| Spouse | Charles “Charlie” Kushner |
| Children | Jared (b. 1981), Joshua (b. 1985), Dara, Nicole |
| Grandchildren (selected) | Arabella (b. 2011), Joseph, Theodore; two sons born to Joshua and Karlie Kloss (2021, 2023) |
| Known for | Family leadership, philanthropy, community engagement |
| Foundation | Charles & Seryl Kushner Family Foundation |
| Notable philanthropy | Major gift in 2014 associated with the Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem (an eight-figure pledge with campus naming) |
| Primary locales | Greater New York/New Jersey |
A portrait of presence
Seryl Kushner embodies a kind of quiet power—steadfast, understated, and woven through her family’s public life like the durable thread in a well-loved heirloom. She is best known as the wife of real-estate developer Charles Kushner and the mother of four: Jared, Joshua, Dara, and Nicole. While her children’s careers sprawl across business, technology, public service, and real estate, Seryl’s public presence has been anchored in philanthropy, communal life, and family stewardship.
Born Seryl B. Stadtmauer around 1954, she grew up in a Jewish family with deep communal ties. Marriage to Charles “Charlie” Kushner in the late 1970s folded her into a rising real-estate dynasty rooted in New Jersey and New York, one shaped by the legacy of Rae and Joseph Kushner, Holocaust survivors who built a foundation of resilience and enterprise. Over the decades, Seryl’s role has been less about podiums and headlines, and more about presence: an organizer, a donor, a matriarch, and a connector.
Family branches and milestones
The Kushner family tree spans generations and endeavors. Jared, born in 1981, rose to prominence in business and later in government service; his high-profile marriage to Ivanka Trump drew global attention, and together they’ve welcomed three children—Arabella (2011), Joseph, and Theodore. Joshua, born in 1985, founded Thrive Capital and helped launch investments spanning tech and health care; he and Karlie Kloss welcomed sons in 2021 and 2023. Dara and Nicole have maintained lower public profiles—Nicole has been closely associated with operational roles in family enterprises.
The family has weathered turbulence as well as triumphs. In 2004–2005, Charles Kushner’s federal conviction and subsequent prison term marked a stark chapter. Through that period, Seryl remained a steady familial center of gravity, even as business leadership shifted and responsibilities redistributed, with Jared assuming a more prominent role in the family company.
Philanthropy: institutions, impact, and continuity
If you follow the footprints of the Kushners across communal life, you find Seryl’s name beside Charles’s on donor walls, event programs, and campus plaques. The Charles & Seryl Kushner Family Foundation has supported a spectrum of causes: health care institutions, Jewish education, religious and cultural organizations, and community services. In 2014, an eight-figure pledge associated with Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek Medical Center culminated in campus naming honors, symbolizing a transatlantic reach of the family’s giving.
Philanthropy is more than a ledger of grants; it is a narrative of values. For Seryl, this has meant combining steadfast support for Jewish communal life with a broader engagement in education and health care. The foundation’s giving has spanned decades, sustaining programs that serve both local communities and global beneficiaries. Numbers underscore scale—multi-million-dollar gifts, multi-year commitments—but the story is also about continuity: a matriarch guiding a legacy that outlasts news cycles.
The public-private balance
Unlike her more publicly visible children, Seryl’s profile is not built on frequent interviews or splashy media appearances. She surfaces in photographs at family events and donor ceremonies, yet rarely occupies the limelight herself. That restraint is part of the family’s pattern: complex public engagements on one side, and a strong, often private, commitment to faith, tradition, and philanthropy on the other.
This balance—private influence, public impact—defines Seryl’s imprint. She’s present in institutional acknowledgments and foundation records, in the naming of medical facilities and the continued support of educational initiatives, and in the generational handoff of values that shape how the family shows up in civic life.
Family timeline (selected)
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| c. 1954 | Birth of Seryl B. Stadtmauer |
| Late 1970s | Marriage to Charles “Charlie” Kushner |
| 1981 | Birth of Jared Kushner |
| 1985 | Birth of Joshua Kushner |
| 1980s–1990s | Births of daughters Dara and Nicole |
| 2004–2005 | Charles Kushner’s federal conviction and prison term |
| 2011 | Birth of granddaughter Arabella (Jared & Ivanka) |
| 2014 | Major philanthropic gift associated with Shaare Zedek Medical Center; campus naming |
| 2013–2016 | Births of grandsons Joseph and Theodore (Jared & Ivanka) |
| 2021 | Birth of Joshua and Karlie Kloss’s first son |
| 2023 | Birth of Joshua and Karlie Kloss’s second son |
Roles and relationships
- Spouse: Charles “Charlie” Kushner, real-estate developer and philanthropist.
- Children:
- Jared: business and public service; married to Ivanka Trump; three children.
- Joshua: venture investor (Thrive Capital); married to Karlie Kloss; two sons.
- Dara: maintains a low public profile.
- Nicole: involved in family business operations.
- Parents: Morris R. Stadtmauer and Marilyn (Felsen) Stadtmauer, reflecting a family heritage steeped in community and tradition.
Philanthropic focus areas
- Health care: hospital support, including an eight-figure 2014 pledge linked to Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek Medical Center.
- Education: donations to schools and scholarship initiatives.
- Jewish communal life: synagogues, cultural and religious organizations, and community services.
Influence beyond headlines
Families like the Kushners are often understood through their most visible members, yet the fabric is held together by quieter threads. Seryl’s influence is measured not only in the size of a gift or the distance of a philanthropic footprint, but in the steady cadence of participation—boardrooms, galas, ceremonies, and the day-to-day work of foundation stewardship. She has helped transform resources into institutions, and institutions into enduring service.
FAQ
Who is Seryl Kushner?
She is a philanthropist and matriarch of the Kushner family, married to Charles Kushner and mother of Jared, Joshua, Dara, and Nicole.
What is her maiden name?
Her maiden name is Stadtmauer.
How many children does she have?
She has four children: Jared, Joshua, Dara, and Nicole.
Is Seryl Kushner primarily known for business or philanthropy?
She is primarily known for philanthropy and family leadership rather than a stand-alone corporate career.
Which foundation bears her name?
The Charles & Seryl Kushner Family Foundation.
What are notable areas of her giving?
Health care, education, and Jewish communal organizations.
Does she make frequent media appearances?
No; her public role is mainly visible through philanthropic activities and family events.
Where is the family based?
The family’s activities are rooted in the New York/New Jersey area, with philanthropic ties that extend internationally.
Who are her grandchildren?
She has grandchildren through Jared and Ivanka (three children) and through Joshua and Karlie Kloss (two sons born in 2021 and 2023).
What major gift is associated with her name?
An eight-figure 2014 pledge associated with Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek Medical Center, leading to campus naming.
