He was a philanthropist and developer whose legacy in and around Toronto includes substantial support for schools, synagogues, social services, and community organizations with a particular emphasis on serving youth—including the recent purchase of Camp Tamarack to establish a permanent Jewish overnight camp for Kayla’s Children Centre.
Larry Robbins, one of the original seven founding partners of Great Gulf Homes, died March 10 at age 94.
Born in Toronto to Max and Annie Rabinowitz, he grew up with a passion for Yiddishkeit. But it was his wife Miriam—whose father Rabbi Isaac Aronoff had a synagogue inside of his house for 50 years—who brought this backbone of knowledge into their own family home.
“His sense of Judaism was always an essential guiding light to him with his family, his philanthropic career and later on in his everyday life,” Shael Rosenbaum, a family friend, told The CJN.
Robbins was an accountant who, in the mid-1970s, got involved in Erin Mills Development Corporation, which became the foundation that Great Gulf was eventually built on. The new company launched in 1975 with a development in Cambridge, Ont.
“Great Gulf Group was essentially like a family,” says Rosenbaum. “One of the key reasons why is because of Larry. He created a ‘mishpocha’- type of environment. He was the eldest of the partners, about 20 years older than all the others. Elly and Norman Reisman were already homebuilders. My father Harry Rosenbaum was a lawyer. Seymour Joffe was already working with Larry as an accountant. And Bruce Freeman was an expert in marketing.
“It’s our 50th year, and one unique thing about the Great Gulf Group is that there has never been a confrontation among the partnership.”
The company expanded into land development and homebuilding across the Greater Toronto Area and eventually into commercial development, high-rise construction—and ultimately into the United States.
“When I was a child, Great Gulf had a box at the SkyDome for Blue Jays games,” said Rosenbaum. “He loved to bring people who weren’t family members. People who wouldn’t necessarily have the opportunity to go to a baseball game, let alone a box. He wanted to give everyone the opportunity to see something, to have something, and to be part of something.”
In the early 2000s, Great Gulf was restructuring, and the founding partners made the decision to step back from the day-to-day operations. It was at that point where Robbins saw the next frontier for himself, which involved embracing philanthropy.
The first major contribution was to the Chabad in Erin Mills. There was a small community interested in traditional Judaism in Mississauga, but they needed a place to come together, explained Rosenbaum.
Soon after her 2008 death, Larry gave a $4-million gift to United Synagogue Day School (USDS) to honour wife Miriam’s memory. At the time, he stated that his grandchildren “have benefitted from the amazing education, warm community and strong sense of tradition that is taught” at the school, which is affiliated with the Conservative movement. Five decades after its founding, USDS was renamed Robbins Hebrew Academy in April 2010.
“From there he got involved in a lot of things that had to do with children,” said Rosenbaum.
“He had a relative with a couple of issues and special needs was important to him and that’s where he got involved in Kayla’s Children Centre.” Last month, KCC purchased the Camp Tamarack property in Muskoka, which will become Canada’s only Jewish overnight camp for children with disabilities and complex medical needs.
Kathy Laszlo, executive director of DANI, a charity for adults with developmental disabilities, told The CJN about Robbins’ involvement with the first home the group opened. “It is called Dani’s Place @ Chez Larry. The first residents moved in last year,” she said. “It was a very significant donation to us because if you are a person with a disability, you can wait dozens of years to get housing. He really cared.”
Reena Foundation also benefitted from Robbins’ generosity, said CEO Bryan Keshen. “When we needed a wheelchair-accessible van, he gave us two. When we didn’t have the funds to pay for a group home, he donated it. No matter what was needed he was always there, and his generosity knew no limits.”
Robbins also became one of the earliest founding donors to Neshama Hospice, which is currently under construction.
In addition, his higher-profile philanthropic projects included the Jewish Youth Network—a Chabad organization providing programs for teens—and 1 Open Door, which brings together a range of social services in one location in Thornhill.
“He inspired philanthropy. He was understated and all the business partners were understated, that was because of Larry. To Larry being ‘showy’ was giving back to the community. He didn’t drive a fancy car,” said Rosenbaum. “And he always donated in denominations of 18.”
Robbins created a foundation where a large component of his estate will be going back to the community.
“This something that is going to last for generations because of the everlasting effect it is going to have on the community. He had a full life and Larry wanted to ensure that everyone had the tools and ability to have the best life as possible like he did.”
Robbins is survived by his children Allan, Wayne and Monty, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He is predeceased by his wife Miriam.
