NEW FUND ESTABLISHED TO HONOR LUCA’S MEMORY
The world lost a bright light on December 28, 2025, when Luca Chiaro passed away unexpectedly after a sudden, brief bout with encephalitis. Luca (whose name means “light” in Italian) was 16, an alumnus of Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School and a junior at Burlingame High School.
Luca had a deep appreciation for the work we do at Hebrew Free Loan, and he enthusiastically advocated on behalf of the people we serve. As a tribute to him, we’ve created the Luca Chiaro Fund. All donations made in Luca’s name will be used to help people in need get through financial hardships or pursue their dreams.
Luca loved basketball, video games, and his large circle of friends from high school, middle school, and grade school. He was close to his parents, Vince and Danielle Chiaro, a wonderful big brother to his sister Bella, and deeply connected to his loving extended family. Just last summer, Luca and his dad took a road trip on historic Route 66 from Pennsylvania to California in memory of Luca’s grandfather, Joseph Chiaro, who had passed away the year before. His grandfather had always wanted to make that trip but never had the chance.
Luca on the Warriors court at 8 years old, moments before surprising everyone (even himself) by making the free throw
Luca with his sister, Bella, and their cousin, Xander
Luca also loved and respected Hebrew Free Loan and the work we do to help members of Northern California’s Jewish community. (He’d heard about us for years through his close friend, Alan Goldberg, whose mother, Cindy Rogoway, is our Executive Director.) It’s a tremendous honor to be one of three organizations chosen by Luca’s family to receive donations in his memory. They chose us because they remember how, in seventh grade, Luca stood up and tried to convince his classmates to donate all their tzedakah money to Hebrew Free Loan.
Wornick holds a year-long Tzedakah project for their seventh graders, as students prepare for their bar or bat mitzvah. The project is designed to help them explore values and learn about the importance of giving back. Every student researches a nonprofit, and they raise a collective pot of money that they then decide together how to allocate. Luca had chosen an impressive agency that provides innovative solutions to homelessness. Usually, each person advocates for the nonprofit they researched. But when decision day came for the seventh graders, Luca staged an unexpected coup.
Although Luca still believed deeply in the organization he had researched, he urged the class to consider giving all their funds to Hebrew Free Loan instead (even though we weren’t even on the list of nonprofits under consideration). He realized that all the organizations he and the rest of the class had chosen focused on one particular issue or another. Hebrew Free Loan’s mission is much broader, helping people with all kinds of challenges at every stage of life. Also, the allocation day took place a few months after Russia invaded Ukraine, and Luca expressed that our Ukrainian Assistance loans offered a great way to help people in Ukraine as well as in California.
In the end, the class stuck with the organizations they had researched, but not before Luca came close to convincing his classmates to give all their tzedakah money to Hebrew Free Loan. Ensuring that people’s human needs were met and their dignity was preserved were core values for Luca. He believed that people can’t get on their feet unless they have housing, food, and other basics. He advocated for Hebrew Free Loan because he was convinced that our organization would help large numbers of people get the resources they need to build a meaningful life.
This is who Luca was: a leader and an independent thinker who was always considering what matters and why. He never shied away from an issue just because it was difficult or complicated, and he wasn’t afraid to change his mind when he thought it was called for.
(l to r) Vince, Bella, Danielle, and Luca Chiaro
Here is how Adam Eilath, Wornick’s Head of School, remembers Luca:
“He was honest, authentic, and genuine. Luca was a remarkable young man who cared deeply for people in need. He took others seriously and showed them the same dignity and respect he tried to be worthy of himself.”
An astounding number of young people called Luca “one of my best friends.” He looked out for kids who were being bullied, and he went out of his way to make sure that new students felt welcome and like they belonged.
Luca lived a lot of life during his sixteen years, and he made a powerful impact on the world. His untimely passing leaves an enormous absence not only for his family, but for our entire community. He will always be remembered with love.
CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO LUCA’S FUND
