Cover Story
Finding Meaning
in Giving Back
A
mong the admirers
of Theodore Herzl,
known as the father
of the modern State
of Israel, is David
Bramzon, but not for
reasons one might
think. While it is true
that Bramzon is a
proud supporter
of Israel, what
impressed him about
Herzl was his resolve
to take action.
14 GBSAN.COM | OCTOBER 2019
B Y ELI SSA EI NHOR N
“Herzl presided over the first Zionist Congress when he was just 37 years old,”
Bramzon explains. “He didn’t wait around for someone else to do it.”
Neither has Bramzon. At 43 years old, he has added Board Chair of the Jewish
Federation of San Diego County to a long list of volunteer leadership roles.
Having achieved professional success in commercial real estate, Bramzon now
finds meaning in helping to build and strengthen his local Jewish community and
Israel. In addition to assuming the top lay position with Federation, Bramzon is an
alumnus of the National Young Leadership Cabinet of the Jewish Federations of
North American (the umbrella group for 148 Federations). He has also served in
leadership roles with several pro-Israel and community organizations, including
AIPAC, the Anti-Defamation League, and Jewish Family Service.
Born in Mexico City, Bramzon’s family moved to San Diego before he turned 2
years old. Proud of his Mexican-Jewish identity, he admits to chuckling when
people are surprised by his fluent Spanish and even more surprised to learn that he
is Jewish. But, as he explains, “Jews throughout the world have held on to unique
elements of their local culture.”
Bramzon should know. The University of Pennsylvania graduate has traveled
extensively with Federation to Morocco, Spain, the Former Soviet Union, Turkey,
Romania, Hungary, Germany, India, Israel, and Azerbaijan and most recently Argentina.
“Jewish survival is evident,” he says. “There may be different local customs and
different languages spoken, but these Jewish communities have maintained their
identity. I have seen the cohesiveness of Jewish communities, the commonalities.
It is heartwarming.”
What Bramzon has also witnessed is the lifesaving work of the organization he
now leads. For example, because of Federation, he says, elderly Jews across the
globe are being nourished and provided life-saving medical care and socialization.