"Everything we did was against the relief of the Holocaust. Surviving, growing, getting rich, power, politics … this was all to spite the Nazis, to spite what they did to us."

From tragedy to triumph.The Kushner family story begins with Joseph and Rae Kushner, Holocaust survivors who immigrated to the United States in 1949. Driven by a desire to overcome their past trauma and ensure their family''s security, they built a successful real estate empire in New Jersey.

Building an empire.Joe Kushner honed his carpentry skills and began constructing apartment buildings, becoming one of the "Holocaust builders" who transformed agricultural land into thriving suburban communities. The family''s wealth grew rapidly, allowing them to provide a privileged upbringing for their children, including Charlie Kushner, Jared''s father.

A complicated legacy.The Holocaust experience shaped the Kushner family''s worldview, instilling a deep sense of exceptionalism and distrust of outsiders. This mentality, passed down through generations, would later influence Jared Kushner''s approach to business and politics, often prioritizing family loyalty over conventional ethics and rules.