Yeshiva University in New York City has announced a $20 million gift from the Jack Belz and his family in support of renovating Furst Hall.

The lead gift in a campaign to update the building, located on Wilf Campus in Washington Heights, will help fund renovation of the classrooms and administrative spaces and the modernization of the building’s interior and exterior. In recognition of the gift, the facility will be renamed the Belz Building and a permanent memorial to Sol and Hilda Furst will be established in the lobby.

In addition, the gift includes a large portion of the Judaica and artwork that Belz and his late wife, Marilyn, collected. Valued at $6 million, the collection features a breadth of art forms focused on elements of Jewish life and will be open on permanent public display as the Belz Collections and Galleries on the first floor of the Belz Building.

Belz is chairman and CEO of Belz Enterprises, a privately owned commercial and industrial real estate development company that was founded by his father, Philip, in the 1940s. He has been a trustee of Yeshiva University since 1986.

“Jack and his beloved wife, Marilyn, of blessed memory, have long stood as exemplars of our Torah values and pillars of our Yeshiva University community,” said Yeshiva University president Ari Berman. “Their lifelong dedication to educating our students, the leaders of tomorrow, reflects the multigenerational partnership between the Belz family and Yeshiva University. I am deeply grateful for our personal friendship and for this extraordinary gift, which will profoundly elevate and enhance the YU experience for our students, faculty, and entire community.”