He co-owned Macy’s and could have kept every dollar. Instead, Nathan Straus gave two-thirds of his fortune to a country that didn't even exist yet.
An American New Yorker, Straus visited Jerusalem in 1904, canceled the rest of his Mediterranean tour, and dedicated his life to the Land of Israel.
He poured his wealth into:
Soup kitchens feeding hundreds daily in the Old City.
Health stations to fight malaria and trachoma.
A major Jerusalem health center with a cornerstone carved in English, Hebrew, and Arabic—built "for the benefit of all inhabitants."
In 1912, he was in Palestine with his brother Isidor. Nathan wanted to stay longer, but an impatient Isidor sailed home early on a ship called the Titanic. Isidor never made it back.
Devastated, Nathan spent the rest of his days giving, famously saying: “Give at death, it is lead. Give in sickness, it is silver. Give in health, it is gold.”
Today, a thriving coastal city of 250,000 people stands in Israel, built on the land he bet on decades before it was a state.
It’s called Netanya. Named for Natan.
No comments:
Post a Comment