(PHOTO: Dr. Irving Moskowitz in Hebron, 1999.
Credit: David Wilder)
Credit: David Wilder)
It is with tremendous sorrow that we mourn the passing of Dr. Irving
(Yitzchak) Moskowitz, Jewish philanthropist, lover of Israel, and pioneer for his
nation.
(Yitzchak) Moskowitz, Jewish philanthropist, lover of Israel, and pioneer for his
nation.
Dr. Moskowitz was a great supporter of Jewish communities in all parts of the
Land of Israel, and was an invaluable friend to the Jewish Community of Hebron
and Jerusalem. Some called him the Sir Moses Montefiore of our time, after the
celebrated Jewish-British philanthropist of the 1800s who started the first modern
communities outside Jerusalem’s Old City walls.
Land of Israel, and was an invaluable friend to the Jewish Community of Hebron
and Jerusalem. Some called him the Sir Moses Montefiore of our time, after the
celebrated Jewish-British philanthropist of the 1800s who started the first modern
communities outside Jerusalem’s Old City walls.
We extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to his dedicated wife Cherna
and to his eight children and many grandchildren. May they be comforted among the
mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
and to his eight children and many grandchildren. May they be comforted among the
mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.

(PHOTO: Dr. Irving and Cherna Moskowitz with David Wilder and Noam Arnon at
the Hebron Fund dinner. Credit: David Wilder)
David Wilder, veteran international spokesperson for the Jewish Community of
Hebron stated,
Hebron stated,
“A tzaddik has left this world for a better one — Dr. Irving Moskowitz, whose name
and acts will be remembered in the annuls of Jewish history with Montefiore and
Rothchild, whose generosity knew no boundaries, a man of modesty, a man of Torah, a man
of the people. Together with his indefatigable ashet chayil Cherna — may she live
and be well for many years to come — Irving changed the very face of Jewish
presence in Eretz Yisrael.
There aren’t words to capture and define his legacy. Only that I have no
doubt that what he was able to accomplish in this world is only a sliver of what he’ll
be able to do in the next world. May he and his memory be blessed for eternity.”
doubt that what he was able to accomplish in this world is only a sliver of what he’ll
be able to do in the next world. May he and his memory be blessed for eternity.”
The following photographs taken by David Wilder are from Dr. Irving and
Cherna Moskowitz’s visit to Hebron in early 1999. They were also were guests of honor at
the annual Hebron Fund dinner in 2001 held in New York.
Cherna Moskowitz’s visit to Hebron in early 1999. They were also were guests of honor at
the annual Hebron Fund dinner in 2001 held in New York.

BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Irving Moskowitz was born in 1928 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and grew up in
Brooklyn, New York as one of 13 children to immigrant parents. According to his
Moskowitz Foundation biography, over 120 of his relatives were killed by the Nazis
during the Holocaust. He earned his medical degree from the University of Wisconsin and
began his practice in California which lead to a successful entrepreneurship beyond his
medical practice.
Brooklyn, New York as one of 13 children to immigrant parents. According to his
Moskowitz Foundation biography, over 120 of his relatives were killed by the Nazis
during the Holocaust. He earned his medical degree from the University of Wisconsin and
began his practice in California which lead to a successful entrepreneurship beyond his
medical practice.

PHILANTHROPY
The Irving Moskowitz Foundation was established in 1968 with the philosophy based on the
Jewish saying: “He who has saved one life, it is as if he has saved the
world.”
Recipients of the foundation include the Hawaiian Gardens Food Bank which serves over
1,500 families a month in the Los Angles county, the local Cinco de Mayo Carnival, and
the Hawaiian Gardens Public Safety and Police Foundation.
Past recipients of the Moskowitz Prize of Zionism, established in 2008, have
included: Yehoshua Fass of Nefesh B’Nefesh, head of the Israel Port Authority and
former IDF general Meir Dagan, Michael Freund of the Shavei Israel organization,
archaeologist Dr. Gabriel Barkay, and many others. Two prominent Hebron residents have
been awarded as well: Noam Arnon and Rabbi Moshe Levinger.
included: Yehoshua Fass of Nefesh B’Nefesh, head of the Israel Port Authority and
former IDF general Meir Dagan, Michael Freund of the Shavei Israel organization,
archaeologist Dr. Gabriel Barkay, and many others. Two prominent Hebron residents have
been awarded as well: Noam Arnon and Rabbi Moshe Levinger.
The Foundation has sponsored relief efforts for natural disasters as well such as
Hurricane Mitch in 1998, the Turkey earthquake, the 2003 wild fires in California,
the 2004 Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina.



