Dr. Irving Moskowitz, one of the most prominent philanthropists and supporters of Israel, passed away on Thursday at the age of 88.
Dr. Moskowitz was renowned for The Moskowitz Foundation he founded in 1968 along with his wife, Cherna. They were major supporters of El’ad and Ateret Cohanim, organizations that work to establish a Jewish majority in the Arab neighborhoods of East Jerusalem. It is also a major supporter of the One Israel Fund, which supports the welfare and safety of Jews in Judea and Samaria. He also established the Moskowitz Prize for Zionism to recognize outstanding people who put Zionism into action in Israeli society today,
Cherna noted the extent of her husband’s generosity on the foundation’s site by saying, “Since its inception in 1988, we have donated $116,442,819.20 to non-profit organizations.”
Over 100 of Dr. Moskowitz’s relatives were killed by the Nazis in World War II. He often cited this as strengthening his conviction that Israel must be maintained as a safe haven for Jewish people from all over the world.
The Irving Moskowitz Foundation is a charitable, non-profit foundation dedicated to improving and enriching the lives of people based on the precept, ‘He who has saved one life, it is as if he has saved the world.’ Established to help people in need regardless of race, creed, politics or religion, Dr. Moskowitz founded several hospitals and donated generously to many humanitarian causes in the United States and elsewhere.
The Irving Moskowitz Foundation donated $100,000 in 2011 to the American Red Cross for the relief efforts in wake of the tsunami triggered by an earthquake in Japan. In 2013 The Foundation donated $100,000 to the American Red Cross for Oklahoma relief efforts. In 2013, the 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.
Dr. Moskowitz and his wife Cherna recently celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary. They were blessed with 8 children, 42 grandchildren, and 7 great-grandchildren.
Dr. Moskowitz was born in New York, in 1928, but grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was the 9th child in a family of 13 children.
He will be buried on Monday on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.
