Giving: Meet Some Extraordinary Givers
Amy Klein, Religion Editor
Naty Saidoff
It was Naty Saidoff's son, Josh, who inspired him to become active in Jewish causes.
When Josh attended Stanford seven years ago, he told his father there was no Jewish activism on behalf of Israel in Northern California.
"He made me aware of the fact that our Jewish existence is very tenuous; that in Europe we already lost the hearts and minds of students, but in America, the battle [for support of Israel] still remains to be fought on campus," said Naty Saidoff, 53, who was born in Israel and founded Capital Foresight Investment, a real estate holding company and hedge fund.
The younger Saidoff, born to an Israeli father and American mother, became the president of the Stanford Israel Alliance, which identifies itself as "a pro-peace, pro-Israel advocacy group."
"His involvement inspired me, and his awareness made me be aware how few we are and how there is no other person that's going to do the job. There's no magical Jewish organization that will fill in. Unless he did it, unless I did it, unless a friend did it, there would be nobody to pick up the slack."
Today Naty Saidoff sits on the board of StandWithUs, the international pro-Israel advocacy group, and the national board of governors of The American Jewish Committee, as well as the newly formed Israeli Leadership Club, which gathers top Israeli business leaders to encourage the Israeli community in Los Angeles to become more active in Israel advocacy.
"Once I got involved I found it so fulfilling that I saw it incumbent upon myself to inspire others," Saidoff said. It's a selfish act on his part, he said. "I get to see the most interesting things, I get to meet the most special, wisest, most devoted people, and see the best side they have.... It expands your horizon, betters your quality of life, gives you a sense of purpose, personal growth." He is asking his Israeli community to be self-serving by serving others. "Because ultimately, they will get back much more than they will give."
Date: 11/15/2007
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