Edgar Bronfman Sr. Wikipedia article:
Born Edgar Miles BronfmanSo, quite a connection between the family of Bill Clinton and the family of Clare Bronfman. Clinton gave him the Medal of Freedom, Hillary spoke at his memorial service.
June 20, 1929
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Died: December 21, 2013 (aged 84) Manhattan, New York, U.S
Residence New York City
Nationality American (naturalized 1959)
Alma mater: McGill University, Williams College
Occupation: Businessman Philanthropist
Net worth Increase$2.6 billion (2011)[1]
Spouse(s)
Ann Loeb (m. 1953; div. 1973)
Lady Carolyn Townshend (m. 1973; annulled 1974)
Rita Georgiana Webb (m. 1975; div. 1983)
(remarried and divorced again; dates unknown)
Jan Aronson (m. 1994)
Children with Loeb:
Samuel Bronfman
Edgar Bronfman Jr.
Matthew Bronfman
Bhavani Lev (née Holly Bronfman)
Adam Bronfman
with Webb: Sara Bronfman
Clare Bronfman (***the one arrested in NIXVM***)
Edgar Miles Bronfman (June 20, 1929 – December 21, 2013) was a Canadian-American businessman and philanthropist. He worked for his family distilled beverage firm, Seagram, eventually becoming president, treasurer and CEO. As President of the World Jewish Congress, Bronfman is especially remembered for initiating diplomacy with the Soviet Union, which resulted in legitimizing the Hebrew language in Russia, and contributed to Soviet Jews being legally able to practice their own religion, as well as emigrate to Israel.
...
At his memorial held in January 2014, Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said of Bronfman, "Edgar was never shy of pressing an issue in the face of injustice," as she spoke about the many causes he championed in his lifetime.[34]Following his death in 2013, Jewish news outlets called Bronfman a “prince of his people,” for his unique combination of lineage, intrigue, and devotion to the Jewish people through learning and philanthropy.[57] Through his Jewish philanthropy, Bronfman became known for his unique approach to Jewish life. A proud Jew who publicly stated his disbelief in God,[58] Bronfman developed his own understanding of Judaism, as he learned Jewish texts and traditions both in his personal life and in his work at The Samuel Bronfman Foundation. In an article, journalist Ami Eden writes about Bronfman, who chose to incorporate meaningful Jewish traditions into his life, all the while continuing to educate himself about the religion until his final days. Bronfman also promoted the idea that Jewish organizations needed to stop using fear as a selling point, but rather encourage ordinary Jews to take a deeper interest in the substantive heritage they have been born to. Specifically, while much of the American Jewish community saw intermarriage as an epidemic to be curbed, Bronfman considered the trend an opportunity for Jews to learn further with their non-Jewish partners.[59]
Awards
Edgar M. Bronfman received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Bill Clinton in 1999
In 1986 Bronfman was honored with the Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur (Legion of Honour), from the Government of France.[60]
Bronfman was awarded the Star of People's Friendship by East German leader Erich Honecker in October 1988.
In 2000, he received the Leo Baeck Medal for his humanitarian work promoting tolerance and social justice,[62] and in 2005 received the Hillel Renaissance Award.
