S. Fla. Philanthropist Sami Rohr Dead At 86
MIAMI (AP) — Prominent South Florida Jewish philanthropist Sami Rohr has died. He was 86.
Rohr, of Bal Harbour, was closely aligned with the Chabad-Lubavitch movement of Judaism and is said to have given at least $250 million to Jewish causes around the globe.
He's also known as the namesake of a $100,000 annual prize for Jewish literature.
Rohr was born in Berlin, but his family was forced to flee the Nazis. He ultimately settled in Colombia, where he amassed a fortune in real estate. That funded his charitable work, including Jewish community centers Chabad leaders say helped lay groundwork for a rebirth of Judaism across the former Soviet Union.
A Chabad spokesman confirms Rohr died Sunday. He is to be buried Tuesday at the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.
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