Biography

Martin Sanders is an ardent Zionist who has been a supporter of the State of Israel since its founding in 1948, having traveled there over three hundred times since 1961. Martin’s other great passion has been the promotion of the arts, especially classical music performance. 

Martin has served on the Board of the American Friends of the Tel Aviv Museum of Art for over twenty years. As a frequent visitor to the Museum, his involvement is a very personal one. He has befriended many of the curators and their colleagues as well as the Museum’s “Friends” from England, France, Italy, Germany, and Switzerland.

In 2009 Martin established the Tel Aviv Museum/Juilliard Prize in honor of his beloved parents Irving and Mollie Sanders. The recipient of the prize is an outstanding solo instrumentalist chosen by Juilliard to perform at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. These brilliant artists were greeted enthusiastically by sold out audiences. The year 2019 will mark the 10th anniversary of this prize. 

Samuel Sanders, the world renowned collaborative pianist, a Juilliard faculty member and the late brother of Martin, performed with Matt Haimovitiz at the Museum in 1994. After Samuel’s death Martin established the Samuel Sanders Collaborative Piano Prize at the Juilliard School in his memory. Martin financed the inaugural Cape and Island Chamber Music Concert Series, founded by Samuel over thirty years ago, and served on the board for a number of years. 

Martin and Susan were married in Jerusalem in 1985 on the terrace of his then home. Susan and Martin are Modern Orthodox Jews who attend both the Kehilath Jeshurun Synagogue and The Fifth Avenue Congregation of which Martin was one of the founding members some fifty years ago. Susan shares Martin’s political, cultural, and religious values. 

Susan retired after twenty-five years of dedication to teaching first graders with special needs at Ramaz Lower School (2001-2013) and Manhasset Lower School (1974-1987). Her friendship, sense of humor, and counsel are actively sought out by Ramaz faculty and students past and present.