Younes Nazarian Obituary (2022) – Los Angeles, CA

January 31, 1931 – March 18, 2022 Younes Nazarian, philanthropist, businessman and community leader died March 18, 2022 at his home in Los Angeles, surrounded by his wife of 61 years, Soraya Sarah Nazarian, and family. He was 91 years old.

Younes Nazarian was born in Tehran, Iran on January 26, 1931 to Davud and Golbahar Nazarian. He had an older brother; Parviz Nazaryan.

Raised from humble beginnings by a single mother in the southern ghettos of Tehran, he was trained as a tooling and dyeing technician at the railway technical school in Iran, but he realized at an early age that as a Jew his native Iran was not where he could achieve his dreams.

With the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, Younes left for Israel in pursuit of the Zionist dream around the age of 17. In 1953, Younes returned to Iran and co-founded and owned businesses with his brother in infrastructure, manufacturing, and importing. -export of European heavy construction equipment to Iran.

In the months leading up to the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Younes moved his family to the safety of Israel. But once he realized he could never return to Iran again, Younes moved his family to the United States.

Upon his arrival in the United States, he became part owner of Stadco, a company manufacturing tools and dyes in the aerospace industry. He was also an early investor and served on the board of San Diego-based Qualcomm Inc.. He served as President of Nazarian Enterprises with diversified assets in key industries including aerospace, manufacturing and logistics, technology, hospitality, real estate and alternative. energy.

In 2000, Younes and his wife established the Younes & Soraya Nazarian Family Foundation in the United States and the Ima Foundation in Israel, named after his mother. The core mission of both foundations is to promote education as the most important catalyst for closing socio-economic gaps. He was instrumental in building bridges between the Iranian community and the greater American community.

Younes was a key supporter of many charities in the United States and Israel and named the Nazarian Younes & Soraya Center for Israel Studies at UCLA, the Nazarian Younes & Soraya Center for the Performing Arts at CSUN, the Pavilion Nazarian in the historic Doheny Library at USC. , and the University of Haifa Library among many others.

Younes has earned honorary doctorates from the University of Haifa and California State University at Northridge.

Younes received Israel’s highest honor at the torch-lighting ceremony on Mount Hertzl, usually reserved for Israeli-born citizens, and also received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in 2011.

Younes is survived by his wife, Soraya; his children David, Shulamit, Sharon and Sam Nazarian; 11 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild.

His funeral service will be held on March 20, 2022 at Eden Memorial Park Cemetery at 2 p.m. The memorial service will be held on March 24, 2022 at the Sinai Temple, Main Shrine at 6:30 p.m. Proof of vaccination is required upon entry. Shivah will be held March 21-23 at Sinai Temple, Kohn Chapel at 5:45 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, family is asking for donations to UCLA Younes & Soraya Nazarian Center for Israel Studies to support student travel grants to Israel or to WIZO Los Angeles in support of relief efforts for Ukrainian refugees from Israel .