Bernard Aptaker

Bernard was taken from his home at age 13 and interned by the Nazis in a series of concentration camps with his family for over three years. When he was liberated, the American army took notice of Bernard’s proficiency at speaking over six languages and employed Bernard to work with intelligence officers to identify and capture German war criminals. He moved to New York in 1947 and landed his first job as a worker in a delicatessen.

While his formal education was limited, the acumen that enabled his mastery of foreign languages translated to business. Bernard became a dance instructor, learned the trade and soon owned his own dance studios in Los Angeles after he relocated there. His investment in dance studios was just the beginning of a long and very successful business career. Bernard was an excellent and very successful entrepreneur who not only recognized opportunity but also had the courage and determination to seize and capitalize on it. While his primary focus became his vast real estate holdings, Bernard’s business interests ranged from his initial dance school operations to trading precious gems in Africa.

His experiences in the concentration camps, which included the death of his mother and his brother Moshe in the gas chambers, left emotional scars that, by his own admission, greatly affected his views of humanity. The hatred and cruelty he witnessed that was visited by one group of humans on an another led him never to marry or risk exposing children of his own to the horrors he witnessed.

Bernard did, however, have a kind heart and charitable soul. He showed it most often in his love of animals, especially to his dogs, Zeus and Attar, that he cherished so much. He was an avid and aggressive philanthropist, especially when it came to causes for the protection of animals and fostering religious tolerance and understanding.

Bernard is survived by his brothers Stanley and Richard; his cousin Nathan Apteker; his nieces Jan Aptaker and Debbie Aptaker Vaupen; his nephews Steven Allen Aptaker, Matthew Aptaker and Seth Aptaker; and his grand-nieces and nephews Heather Urfrig, Allison Aptaker, Michelle Aptaker, Max Vaupen, Alexander Vaupen and Miles Aptaker.

A private ceremony for the scattering of Bernard’s ashes was held in Malibu, California.

In lieu of customary remembrances and in celebration of Bernard’s generous philanthropy, memorial contributions may be directed to charities involved in the care and prevention of cruelty to animals, to organizations that foster religious tolerance and understanding, or to any charity of one’s choice.