Irving Moskowitz (January 11, 1928 – June 16, 2016)[1] was an American physician, businessman, and activist. His activism, in part, sought to create a Jewish majority in Palestinian Arab neighborhoods of East Jerusalem by purchasing land.
Irving Moskowitz | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | June 16, 2016 | (aged 88)
Nationality | American |
Education | M.D. University of Wisconsin |
Occupation(s) | physician businessman philanthropist |
Spouse | Cherna Moskowitz |
Children | eight, four boys and four girls |
Irving Moskowitz was the ninth of thirteen children born to Jewish immigrants from Poland. He has stated that 120 of his relatives were murdered in the Holocaust.[2] He grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and received a medical degree from the University of Wisconsin. He then moved to California where he started his medical practice, later building and managing hospitals.[3] He started the foundation in 1968.[4] At the time of his death Moskowitz resided in Miami Beach, Florida.The Moskowitz family net worth is estimated at over $1.5 billion.[citation needed]
Moskowitz was married to Cherna, with whom he raised 8 children, over 48 grandchildren and over 20 great grandchildren. Among his notable Zionist activities was establishing a foundation to help Shinlung immigration to Israel.[5] The family also established the Moskowitz Prize for Zionism in 2008.[6]
He built a business running hospitals and legal gambling in California. He was the founder of the Moskowitz Foundation, created "to help people in need regardless of race, creed, politics or religion."[7] The foundation raises funds for Jewish housing projects in East Jerusalem through its charity bingo hall in Hawaiian Gardens, California.[8] The funding is channeled through two settler organizations El'ad and Ateret Cohanim that work to create a Jewish majority in Palestinian neighborhoods of East Jerusalem.[9]
Moskowitz had battled Alzheimer's disease for many years and eventually succumbed to it on June 16, 2016, at the age of 88.[10]
In 2007, Moskowitz worked toward resettling Jews in Palestinian neighborhoods in East Jerusalem vis a vis initiating plans to build 122 apartments on the site of the Shepherd Hotel in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. The plan was downsized in 2009.[11][12] Final approval was given for 20 apartments on March 23, 2010, hours before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with President Barack Obama at the White House.[13] The historic Shepherd Hotel was torn down to make room for the housing units.[14] A three-story parking garage and an access road was also planned for the site.[15]
Moskowitz was the founder and chair of the Irving I. Moskowitz Foundation, which donated $1.5 million to Hawaiian Gardens, California, for the construction of the Fedde Middle School Sports Complex, the first state-of-the-art sports facility in the city.[16] He donated to Karl Rove's American Crossroads, the Center for Security Policy and the Western Center for Journalism.[17] The Irving Moskowitz Foundation donated $100,000 on March 17, 2011, to the American Red Cross for the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami relief efforts.[18] On June 26, 2013, The Irving Moskowitz Foundation donated $100,000 to the American Red Cross for Oklahoma relief efforts.[19] On November 21, 2013, the Irving I. Moskowitz Foundation presented a check for $100,000 to the American Red Cross Long Beach Chapter to aid the victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.[20]