Remembering a Giant, Eugen Gluck, z”l, on His 7th Yahrzeit

The 26th of Av marked the seventh yahrzeit of quintessential philanthropist Eugen Gluck, z”l,  a Romanian-born Auschwitz survivor. He arrived penniless in the United States after the war and built the famed Armitron watch company, which came to enjoy the fifth-largest share of all watch purchases by brand name in the United States. He and his wife, Jean, z”l, who resided at various times in both Kew Gardens Hills and Forest Hills, were major benefactors of Beit El Institutions and Sha’are Zedek Hospital, among many other institutions in Israel and America.

Mr. Gluck was especially known for his support of the Jewish communities of Judea and Samaria, particularly Beit El, where his philanthropy helped support numerous educational institutions, including yeshivas and a girls’ high school. His generosity in Israel also extended to Magen David Adom and Yad Vashem, as well as an IDF preparatory academy in Beit El that has helped young Israelis from disadvantaged backgrounds prepare for military service and productive lives. Together, Eugen and Jean Gluck devoted much of the success they achieved to charitable giving and improving the lives of their fellow Jews.

Mr. Gluck attended CHAZAQ’s inaugural dinner in August 2013 at Leonard’s of Great Neck, alongside CHAZAQ Founder and CEO Rabbi Yaniv Meirov, Dr. Paul Brody and Dr. Joseph Frager. Guest speaker Michael Reagan, son of President Ronald Reagan, who passed away earlier this year, was also in attendance, as were activist Odeleya Jacobs and CHAZAQ Founder and Director Rav Ilan Meirov. CHAZAQ, founded in 2006 with the motto “Building a Stronger Future,” continues its work of transferring hundreds of public-school children into yeshivos. May the memory of Eugen Gluck, Yehudah ben Yehoshua, z”l, be for a blessing, as he was an inspiration to us all.