Cherna Moskowitz- Mother, Friend, Philanthropist, Humanitarian dies at 93.
Cherna Moskowitz was born and raised in 1931 in Wisconsin and lived in Miami,
passed away on Thursday night of old age according to the Cherna Moskowitz
Foundation website. Her eldest, Laurie Moskowitz Hirsch, was entrusted with the
leadership of the Moskowitz Foundation (a philanthropic organization she co-founded
with her husband Irving Moskowitz in 1968) a few years ago by Cherna. She leaves
behind eight children and over 40 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Cherna’s urge to serve the Jewish people led her to her role as president of the Irving I.
Moskowitz Foundation, becoming a board member of Nefesh B’Nefesh, ZOA, and
JINSA; as well as chairing the Moskowitz Prize. Her love of the Jewish people was only
matched by how much she valued education. Putting her values to work she also
became a board member of Bar Ilan University, and Hesder Yeshiva of Sderot.
This work, especially her significant decades-long contribution to the settlement
movement in Judea, Samaria, and Jerusalem lead her to be known as the builder of
Jerusalem.
Cherna also cared for the sick and missing with her contributions to United Hatzalah
and the Israel Dog Unit (a nonprofit that specializes in the training of rescue dogs).
In 2009 Cherna Moskowitz wrote in a Jerusalem Post article titled “This is our place, so
mind your manners”:
This is a part of the Jewish tradition: charity for the poor and reclaiming the land of our
country. It was perfectly normal for Irving and me to continue to fulfill these mitzvot. It
was the driving force behind Irving’s quest to work hard and continue the tradition.
May her memory be a blessing.
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