Charlie Munger Wasn’t Jewish—But When a Struggling 17-Year-Old Neighbor

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Charlie Munger, the late Berkshire Hathaway vice chairman Warren Buffett once called “the architect” of the company’s success, didn’t just help build one of the greatest investment machines in history. In his 80s—an age when most are winding down—Munger quietly teamed up with a 17-year-old neighbor who was floundering in school, had no college plans, and mistakenly assumed Munger shared his Jewish faith.

A recent report by The Wall Street Journal on Munger’s last years shed light on one of the most surprising chapters of his life. In 2005, a teenager named Avi Mayer knocked on Munger’s Los Angeles door, holding a Hebrew Bible and hoping to bond with a man he believed was Jewish. Munger wasn’t—but he opened the door anyway.

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Mayer was floundering. He had ADHD, no real path forward, and admitted he felt lost as his friends prepped for college while he opted out. Munger, at 81, wasn’t fazed. He saw potential and suggested Mayer skip college entirely and attend what he jokingly called “Munger University.”

They began spending time together. Munger handed him books, shared lessons, and even made sure kosher meals were delivered so they could dine together. He offered structure, insight, and something Mayer hadn’t been getting elsewhere—respect.

Years later, when Mayer teamed up with his childhood friend, Reuven Gradon, to begin dabbling in real estate, Munger paid attention. He watched their early moves, offered feedback, and then gave them what few billionaires would: his backing. “I’m graduating you,” Munger reportedly told them.

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That graduation came with capital—and mentorship. Starting around 2017, the trio began buying up garden-style apartment complexes across Southern California. They favored livability over luxury, with Munger insisting on trees, low-density design, and thoughtful landscaping. He even helped choose paint colors and reviewed floor plans. These weren’t vanity projects. They were long-term investments—financed with long-term fixed-rate debt that Munger insisted on, even as other real estate investors chased riskier short-term gains.

The result: Afton Properties, the company Mayer and Gradon co-founded, now owns nearly 10,000 apartment units valued at roughly $3 billion,The Journal reported.

One of Munger’s final real estate deals, across from a new Costco in Santa Maria, closed just days after his death. The location? No coincidence. Munger was a longtime board member and shareholder of Costco, with a $100 million stake in the retailer at the time of his passing.

Munger died in November 2023, just shy of his 100th birthday. According to The Journal, his mind remained razor-sharp to the end—asking friends weeks before his death whether…