Philanthropist and survivor of four concentration camps. Born in Mukachevo, now in the Ukraine, he built a new life in America as a businessman, philanthropist and supporter of Jewish life. In 1944, he, his wife and their 2-year old son were imprisoned in Auschwitz Concentration Camp; the parents survived, but their son died in a gas chamber. After liberation by the Russian army, in 1947 the couple arrived in the United States with few resources and very limited English. Spiegel established himself as a highly successful residential developer and later as chairman of two savings and loan banks, including Columbia Savings and Loan of Beverly Hills. A philanthropist, he was the first West Coast chairman of support groups for the city of Tel Aviv, Yad Vashem, Tel Aviv University and Bar-Ilan University. He endowed academic chairs at the two universities and served on their governing boards. His legacies include the Children's Memorial at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem, the Spiegel Family Building at the Museum of the Jewish Diaspora in Tel Aviv, and the Spiegel Family Park, also in Tel Aviv. Also was instrumental in establishment of Yeshiva University of Los Angeles High School and the Yavneh Hebrew Academy. Spiegel counted among his friends Israeli Prime Ministers Menachem Begin, Yitzhak Shamir, Yitzhak Rabin and Ariel Sharon. His close personal relations with a number of Egyptian leaders allowed him to serve as an intermediary between Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Israel's Yitzhak Shamir. Died of pneumonia.
Philanthropist and survivor of four concentration camps. Born in Mukachevo, now in the Ukraine, he built a new life in America as a businessman, philanthropist and supporter of Jewish life. In 1944, he, his wife and their 2-year old son were imprisoned in Auschwitz Concentration Camp; the parents survived, but their son died in a gas chamber. After liberation by the Russian army, in 1947 the couple arrived in the United States with few resources and very limited English. Spiegel established himself as a highly successful residential developer and later as chairman of two savings and loan banks, including Columbia Savings and Loan of Beverly Hills. A philanthropist, he was the first West Coast chairman of support groups for the city of Tel Aviv, Yad Vashem, Tel Aviv University and Bar-Ilan University. He endowed academic chairs at the two universities and served on their governing boards. His legacies include the Children's Memorial at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem, the Spiegel Family Building at the Museum of the Jewish Diaspora in Tel Aviv, and the Spiegel Family Park, also in Tel Aviv. Also was instrumental in establishment of Yeshiva University of Los Angeles High School and the Yavneh Hebrew Academy. Spiegel counted among his friends Israeli Prime Ministers Menachem Begin, Yitzhak Shamir, Yitzhak Rabin and Ariel Sharon. His close personal relations with a number of Egyptian leaders allowed him to serve as an intermediary between Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Israel's Yitzhak Shamir. Died of pneumonia.
Bio by: Fred Beisser
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Translating from the Hebrew,
His name: Abraham Natan son of Chaim Benyamin and Alta Feiga Rivka, died on the Sabbath, 3rd of the intermediate days of Passover.
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