CLEMENT SOFFER
JOSEPH SOFFER A”H WAS BORN IN 1906 IN THE KHAN KHALIL NEIGHBORHOOD IN CAIRO, EGYPT. HIS FATHER, REUBEN SOFFER WAS BORN IN BAGDAD, IRAQ AND EMIGRATED TO CAIRO WHERE HE WORKED AS A MERCHANT. HIS MOTHER SIMHA WAS BORN IN ALBANIA AND EMIGRATED WITH HER FAMILY TO JERUSALEM AND ULTIMATELY EGYPT.
In 1931 he married Rachel Sultan A”H. Together they had 4 children: Allegra Mizrahi, Clement Soffer, Marcelle Zeit and Robert Soffer. In 1952 he was appointed controller of the accounting department for the Egyptian division of Ralph Pontremoli and Sons, which was the largest high quality furniture firm in the Middle East and was owned by a prominent Italian-Jewish family. The family lived a very nice religious and comfortable life in Egypt until President Nasser came into power and nationalized all Jewish businesses. This led to the persecution of the Jewish people. Allegra married in 1950 and moved with her husband to Israel.
Coming to America: In 1956, Clement left after being arrested for helping the Jews escape. Joseph and the remainder of the family fled in 1958 together with most of the Jews. When leaving Egypt refugees were only allowed five Egyptian pounds each, which was at the time the equivalent of $20. So after living a very comfortable life, the family left with a total of $80. The family traveled to France where they were housed by Hias and fed from a soup kitchen. They waited 10 months for their American visas to arrive. Robert celebrated his bar mitzvah in Paris.
In 1959 the family finally arrived in New York and Joseph was able to start his blessed life again. He was successful both in his business and religious life. He became one of the founders and early president of Congregation Ahaba Ve Ahva on 67th Street, as well as the controller for Joujou Designs. Unfortunately, his wife took ill and passed away in 1965.
Oseh Sedakot: After a health scare in 1979, he pledged to open a charity fund if he was healed and so he established a Sedaka U’Marpeh which proceeded to help hundreds of struggling families in Israel for over 40 years and continues to this day. That was followed a few years later by Or Yosef Foundation which was established to help Kollelim and Yeshivot. He passed away on December 12, 2003, 18 Kislev 5754.
Joseph’s legacy lives on through his children and grandchildren and the great institutions he established. His son Clement has served as lay leader in many communities throughout his life and Robert is a mainstay in Congragation Ahaba Ve Ahva of Brooklyn.
The above biography was posted on a special display at Congregation Ahaba Ve Ahva of Ocean Parkway to commemorate the Yahrzeit of Joseph Soffer A”H. The display was part of its ongoing Heritage program led by Rabbi Jack Savdie. The program aims to commemorate the lives of our great Hachamim and lay leaders, and their contributions to the community. Zechutam Yagen Alenu.
