Irving Moskowitz | |
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Dr. Moskowitz speaking at Beit Orot on the Mount of Olives
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Born |
New York City, New York |
January 11, 1928
Died | June 16, 2016 | (aged 88)
Residence | Miami Beach, Florida |
Nationality | United States |
Education | M.D. University of Wisconsin |
Occupation | physician businessman philanthropist |
Spouse(s) | Cherna Moskowitz |
Children | eight |
Irving Moskowitz (January 11, 1928 – June 16, 2016) was an American physician, businessman, and philanthropist. His philanthropy, in part, sought to create a Jewish majority in Arab neighborhoods of East Jerusalem by purchasing land.
Irving Moskowitz was the ninth of thirteen children born to Jewish immigrants from Poland. 120 of his relatives died in the Holocaust. 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, and later building and managing hospitals. He started the foundation in 1968. At the time of his death Moskowitz resided in Miami Beach, Florida.
Moskowitz was married to Cherna with whom he had 8 children and over 40 grandchildren. Among his notable Zionist activities was establishing a foundation to help Shinlung immigration to Israel. The family also established the Moskowitz Prize for Zionism in 2008.
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." The foundation raises funds for Jewish housing projects in East Jerusalem through its charity bingo hall in Hawaiian Gardens, California. The funding is channeled through two settler organizations El'ad and Ateret Cohanim that work to create a Jewish majority in Arab neighborhoods of East Jerusalem.