Rose and Leonard “Bud” Frank
were a remarkable Buffalo-based couple whose lives embodied the Jewish value of Tikkun Olam—the sacred responsibility to help repair the world.
What mattered to them most was education, community building, and honoring their Jewish identity—principles that guided their actions throughout their lives. They were also passionate world travelers, exploring nearly every corner of the globe together.
Rose Frank was a passionate community leader and philanthropist. She chaired the United Jewish Fund Women’s Campaign and served as Snowbirds Chair for the Federation’s Women’s Philanthropies. She was an honorary Trustee of the Foundation for Jewish Philanthropies and held leadership roles with the American Jewish Committee, Jewish Family Service, the Jewish Community Center, and the Jewish Federation of Greater Buffalo.
Rose’s impact extended across the cultural and civic life of Buffalo. She served as past president of both the Jewish Liberal Arts Club and Women of Studio Arena Theatre, chaired the Jewish Community Book Fair, and led the Israel Emergency Drive in 1967. She held board positions with the Albright-Knox Art Gallery Women’s Committee, the Rosa Coplon Jewish Home and Infirmary, and the Brandeis University National Women’s Committee (Buffalo chapter). She was also a vice president and Trustee of Temple Beth Zion and co-chaired the United Way’s Telemail Division.
A Life Member of Hadassah, Brandeis National Women’s Committee, the Albright-Knox, National Council of Jewish Women, and Temple Beth Zion, Rose co-chaired Buffalo’s landmark “Israel Expo ’67” and was known for her visionary energy and tireless advocacy.
Together with Bud, Rose received the Jewish Federation’s Nathan Benderson Community Leadership Award (2003), the Foundation for Jewish Philanthropies Endowment Development Award, and the American Jewish Committee’s Community Relations Award. Rose was also individually honored with the Abraham Pugash Memorial Award (Jewish Family Service), the Woman of the Year Award (National Council of Jewish Women), the Volunteer Service Award (National Federation for Just Communities), and the State of Israel Bonds Woman of the Year Award. She and Bud also traveled to Israel as part of Jewish Federation missions, deepening their personal and philanthropic ties to the Jewish homeland.
Bud Frank co-founded United Alloys & Steel Corp., anchoring the business in Western New York for decades. He served on the boards of the Jewish Federation of Greater Buffalo and numerous other communal efforts, always supporting causes that uplifted and unified the Buffalo Jewish community.
Bud was also a veteran. He rarely spoke about his military service, and some details have been lost to time, but he was a proud member of the Army Medical Corps and served in Europe during WWII. Though modest about his military service, an Honor Guard was present at his funeral-a fitting tribute to his sense of duty, and lifelong commitment to community reflected in the values he lived by.
Together, Rose and Bud Frank left a legacy of leadership, generosity, and enduring service that continues to inspire.
This passion led us to establish the following Permanently Endowed Funds:
- Rose H. & Leonard H. Frank Academic Scholarship Fund (supporting Jewish students in Erie and Niagara counties pursuing higher education)
- Rose H. & Leonard H. Frank Special Projects Fund
- Rose H. & Leonard H. Frank Community Endowment Fund (Supporting the Buffalo Philharmonic, The AKG Art Museum, Burchfield-Penney Art Center and the Hospice Foundation)
- Rose H. & Leonard H. Frank Jewish Federation Endowment Fund
- Rose H. & Leonard H. Frank Buffalo State College Art Restoration Fund
- Rose H. & Leonard H. Frank Buffalo State College Bridge the Gap Scholarship
- Rose H. & Leonard H. Frank Compassion Fund
- Rose H. & Leonard H. Frank Cultural Arts Fund
- Rose H. & Leonard H. Frank Jewish Cemetery Endowment Fund
- Rose H. & Leonard H. Frank Weinberg Campus Endowment Fund
Message for Future Generations
“Buffalo shaped us—now it’s our turn to shape Buffalo.”
- Lead with your gifts. Channel your talent—whether in business, art, or caregiving—into service.
- Include every voice. Empower women, newcomers, and elders to share in building community.
- Invest in learning. Education multiplies impact far beyond any single donation.
- Keep repairing the world. Let Tikkun Olam be your compass for action every day.
May our story remind you that lasting change begins at home—with open hands, open hearts, and the courage to lift others higher.
— Rose H. & Leonard “Bud” H. Frank
The Foundation for Jewish Philanthropies would be honored to assist you and your family in preserving your legacy through the education of future generations.