David Azrieli

Azrieli was born into a family of Ashkenazi Jews in the town of Maków Mazowiecki, in what was then the Second Polish Republic.{{Cite web|title=6 Canadian Jews on Forbes' Rich List|url=http://www.shalomlife.com/business/14850/6-canadian-jews-on-forbes-rich-list/|access-date=2020-11-10|website=Shalom Life|language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2018-10-16 |title=The Azrieli family {{!}} Transforming two homelands through philanthropy, education |url=https://www.weizmann.ac.il/WeizmannCompass/sections/people-behind-the-science/the-azrieli-family |access-date=2022-03-11 |website=WeizmannCompass |language=en}} Following the outbreak of World War II, he fled from the German-led invasion of Poland and took refuge in the Soviet Union for a brief period. By late 1942, he had arrived in the British Mandate for Palestine, having been smuggled along with a weapons shipment concealed in coffins for the Yishuv.{{Cite news |last=Csillag |first=Ron |date=2014-07-18 |title=Mall Man from Montreal David Azrieli brought American-style shopping to Israel |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/mall-man-from-montreal-david-azrieli-brought-malls-to-israel/article19681542/ |access-date=2022-03-11 |work=The Globe and Mail |language=en-CA}} By 1945, except for one of his brothers, Azrieli's entire family had been murdered in the Holocaust throughout German-occupied Europe.

Between 1943 and 1946, Azrieli studied architecture at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology in the city of Haifa, but did not complete his degree. He subsequently enlisted with the 7th Brigade of the Haganah and fought in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.{{Cite web |date=2014-07-22 |title=David Azrieli 1922-2014 |url=https://www.jpost.com/jerusalem-report/israel/david-azrieli-1922-2014-368467 |access-date=2024-01-24 |website=The Jerusalem Post {{!}} JPost.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2018-02-04 |title=About Us – The Azrieli Foundation |url=https://azrielifoundation.org/fr/about-us/ |access-date=2024-01-24 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Foundation |first=Azrieli |title=Statement on the passing of David J. Azrieli, Visionary builder, businessman, and philanthropist |url=https://www.newswire.ca/content/newswire-ca/ca/en/news-releases.detail.html/null.htm |access-date=2024-01-24 |website=www.newswire.ca |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Marr |first=Garry |date=9 July 2014 |title=David Azrieli, Canadian billionaire and real estate tycoon, dies at age 92 |url=https://financialpost.com/news/david-azrieli-canadian-billionaire-and-real-estate-tycoon-dies-at-age-92 |access-date=24 January 2024 |website=Financial Post}} In 1954, he immigrated to Canada from Israel, settling down in the city of Montreal.[http://cualumni.carleton.ca/grads/azrieli-david/ Carleton University: "David Azrieli, March / 97, PhD (Honorary)"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130205195059/http://cualumni.carleton.ca/grads/azrieli-david/ |date=2013-02-05 }} retrieved January 18, 2012 In Canada, he reconnected with a few of his first cousins who had also survived the Holocaust and fled from Europe, including Henia Azrieli Rosenfeld. He routinely came for Shabbat dinner to Henia’s home while working and studying.

In Montreal, Azrieli enrolled at the Thomas More Institute (now part of Bishop's University), where he completed a Bachelor of Arts in 1956. At the age of 75, he earned a Masters of Architecture from Carleton University in the city of Ottawa.

In 1957, he married Stephanie Lefcort. They have four children: Rafael, Sharon, Naomi, and Danna.[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/careers-leadership/making-philanthropy-a-family-endeavour/article1359191/ "Making Philanthropy a Family Endeavour"] by Paul Waldie, The Globe and Mail, January 20, 2012 For the last ten years of his life, Azrieli and his wife resided in the Israeli city of Herzliya for five months per year and in the Canadian city of Westmount for the rest of the year. On July 9, 2014, he died at the age of 92 in his lakeside house at Ivry-sur-le-Lac.{{Cite web|url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/business/david-azrieli-dies-at-92-1.5254915|title=David Azrieli, Canadian-Israeli Shopping Mall Pioneer, Dies at 92|date=July 9, 2014|newspaper=Haaretz}}

In Montreal, he established his building business, beginning with the construction of small duplexes and working his way up to apartment buildings and, later on, shopping malls. Azrieli's building projects can be seen in the office buildings, high-rise residences, office towers, and shopping centres that he built in Canada, the United States, and Israel. His two companies are Montreal-based Canpro Investments Ltd. and Tel Aviv–based Azrieli Group Ltd.{{cite web|last1=Robehmed|first1=Natalie|title=Canadian-Israeli Real Estate Tycoon David Azrieli Dies At 92|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/natalierobehmed/2014/07/09/canadian-israeli-real-estate-tycoon-david-azrieli-dies-at-92/|website=Forbes|access-date=10 July 2014}}{{cite web|title=Azrieli Group|url=http://www.ges.co.il/azrieli-group|publisher=GES|access-date=10 July 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714161604/http://www.ges.co.il/azrieli-group|archive-date=14 July 2014}}

In 2010, he took the Azrieli Group public in the largest ever IPO on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.{{Cite web |last=Shauly |first=Avi |date=2010-05-12 |title=Azrieli offering underway - Globes |url=https://en.globes.co.il/en/article--1000559408 |access-date=2022-03-11 |website=en.globes.co.il |language=en}} It is now the largest real estate company in the country.{{Cite web|title=קבוצת קניוני עזריאלי|url=http://investors.azrieli.com/Investors.aspx?PageId=9114|access-date=2020-11-10|website=investors.azrieli.com}} Its projects include a number of Israeli commercial centres, including the first enclosed mall in Israel (the Canion Ayalon in Ramat Gan) as well as the Malha Mall in Jerusalem and the Beersheba Shopping Mall (Canion ha-Negev). He also built the eponymous Azrieli Centre in Tel Aviv, the largest real estate project in Israel, which includes three skyscrapers in the heart of Tel Aviv and has become an architectural landmark at the core of Israel's business industry.{{Cite news|url=http://www.jpost.com/Business/Business-News/David-Azrieli-Canadian-Israeli-billionaire-and-philanthropist-dies-at-92-362047|title=David Azrieli, Canadian-Israeli billionaire and philanthropist, dies at 92|newspaper=The Jerusalem Post |access-date=2017-11-16}}

The Azrieli Foundation was established by David Azrieli in 1989 to support initiatives and develop and operate programs that promote access to education and the achievement of excellence in various fields of knowledge and activity.{{Cite web|title=About Us|url=https://azrielifoundation.org/about-us/|access-date=2020-11-10|website=The Azrieli Foundation|date=4 February 2018 |language=en-US}}{{Cite news|title=Building bridges in brain research: Naomi Azrieli is ready 'for the long haul'|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/article-building-bridges-in-brain-research-naomi-azrieli-is-ready-for-the/|access-date=2020-11-10}}

Azrieli's early philanthropy established the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration at Yeshiva University in New York City and supported schools and educational institutions in Canada and Israel. His aim to support education in multiple and diverse ways guides the Azrieli Foundation to this day. The Foundation has disbursed over CA$450 million since 1989. Notable donations in that time include: the Azrieli Schools of Architecture at Tel Aviv University and Carleton University; the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine at Bar-Ilan University, the creation of the Azrieli Institute for Educational Empowerment, Azrieli Institute for Systems Biology at Weizmann Institute of Science, Azrieli Institute of Israel Studies at Concordia University, and the School of Continuing Studies at Technion – Israel Institute of Technology.{{Citation needed |date=December 2023}}

In 2020, the Azrieli Foundation created an emergency fund to be allocated to meet urgent needs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|title=COVID-19 Response|url=https://azrielifoundation.org/covid-19-response/|access-date=2020-11-10|website=The Azrieli Foundation|language=en-US}} As of 1 October 2020, the Foundation pledged CA$8.6 million for pandemic-related initiatives, including food relief, hospitals and long-term care institutions, and support for the vulnerable, including Holocaust survivors, people with disabilities, people experiencing homelessness, and students.

In 1969, the heirs of Canadian railway magnate William Cornelius Van Horne put up for sale the Van Horne Mansion in the Canadian city of Montreal. A buyer was not found until 1973, when Azrieli bought the land. His intention to raze the mansion was met with fierce opposition from many groups opposed to the demolition spree of the Golden Square Mile, including René Lépine, another prominent Canadian real estate developer who owned the building next to the Van Horne Mansion and who wanted to buy it back from Azrieli to restore the mansion instead of developing the land. However, Azrieli remained committed to demolishing the historic landmark and ended up doing so on 8 September 1973.{{cite web |url=http://www.octgm.com/download/pdf/behind_scene_October2007.pdf |title=Architectural Awareness in Montréal |website=Montréal Behind the Scenes |publisher=Tourisme Montréal |author= Harvie, Ronald T. |date= October 2007 |access-date=2010-05-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002153950/http://www.octgm.com/download/pdf/behind_scene_October2007.pdf |archive-date=2011-10-02 }} The Azrieli-built Sofitel Montreal now stands on the property.

As a direct result of this action, the Canadian advocacy group Save Montreal was formed to organize resistance to future demolitions of designated heritage sites.{{cite web |url=http://www.heritagemontreal.org/en/category/heritage-montreal/historique/ |title=A Brief Chronology: Events and Heritage Montreal's principle efforts since 1975 |access-date=2010-05-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723234225/http://www.heritagemontreal.org/en/category/heritage-montreal/historique/ |archive-date=2011-07-23 }}

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that "What you won’t find on either the [Azrieli] foundation’s or company’s websites is that in 2010 the Azrieli Group apparently donated NIS 30,000 (CAD $10,000) to Im Tirtzu" even though the Azrieli group "claims it has no political agenda."[http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/magazine/major-israeli-businesses-helped-quadruple-donations-to-right-wing-im-tirtzu-movement-1.404637 Major Israeli businesses helped quadruple donations to right-wing Im Tirtzu movement], Haaretz, 30.12.2011 The donation was made specifically "to a project to stop the academic boycott of Israel" by Palestinian-led initiatives.

File:Sculpture of David Azrieli.JPG, by Asaf Lifshitz]]

• Member of the Order of Canada (1984)
• Chevalier to the Ordre national du Quebec (1999){{Cite web|url=http://www.ordre-national.gouv.qc.ca/membres/membre.asp?id=367|title=David Azrieli – Ordre national du Québec|website=www.ordre-national.gouv.qc.ca}}
• Honorary doctorate from Concordia University (1975),{{Cite web|url=http://archives.concordia.ca/azrieli|title=Honorary Degree Citation - David Azrieli |website=Concordia University Archives |access-date=2016-04-04}} Yeshiva University (1983), Technion – Israel Institute of Technology (1985), Tel Aviv University (1996), Carleton University (2003), and Weizmann Institute of Science (2012)
• Jubilee Award of the Prime Minister of Israel (1998)
• Honorary Fellow of the City of Jerusalem (2001)
• Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (2002)
• Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012)

• Azrieli, Danna J.: [https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/bib70137 One step ahead : David J. Azrieli (Azrylewicz) : memoirs 1939-1950]. Yad Vashem, Jerusalem 2001.
• {{cite book |ref=Azrieli |last=Azrieli |author-link=David Azrieli |first=David J. |title=Rekindling the Torch: Story of Canadian Zionism |publisher=Toronto: Key Porter Books Ltd |year=2008 |isbn=978-1-55263-977-1 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/rekindlingtorchs0000azri }}

• Jewish Canadians
• Israeli Canadians
• Economy of Canada
• Economy of Israel

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.cdntech.org/?content=news.php&aboutus=news_listing.html&id=38 CONCERT TO HONOUR AZRIELI ON HIS 85TH]
• [http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/societe/2007/10/12/002-holocauste-quddus-memoire.shtml Pour une mémoire vive]
• [https://memoirs.azrielifoundation.org/survivor Azrieli Foundation launches series of Holocaust memoirs]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Azrieli, David}}

Category:1922 births

Category:2014 deaths

Category:Architects from Montreal

Category:Businesspeople from Montreal

Category:Canadian billionaires

Category:Canadian Jews

Category:Canadian philanthropists

Category:Canadian people of Polish-Jewish descent

Category:Carleton University alumni

Category:Israeli architects

Category:Israeli billionaires

Category:21st-century Israeli businesspeople

Category:Israeli Jews

Category:Knights of the National Order of Quebec

Category:Members of the Order of Canada

Category:People from Maków County

Category:Polish emigrants to Canada

Category:Yeshiva University

Category:Israeli military personnel of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War