David Friedman

David Friedman, a pillar of the Jewish Community of Southern California and an admired friend to many, passed away in his home at Heritage Pointe Senior Living on May 24, 2024. He will be remembered as a dedicated father, husband, and brother, and also as a generous and selfless man who lived a remarkable life.

Born in what was then Poland on November 2, 1936, he was only six years old when forced into hiding during the roundup of the Jews in his village. Hidden in a gentile family’s loft along with his father Jacob and older brother Henry, the family survived in silence, on little food, and in fear of capture for 18 months. On March 14, 1944, they were liberated by the Russian Army and reunited with David’s mother Dora who had been hiding in a different location with the family’s teacher, Clara Feldman. Clara, along with Jacob, helped mastermind their hiding and ultimate survival during the Holocaust, when most Jews in their village perished.

After living in displaced persons camps in Poland and Austria, and with a new little brother, Allan, David and his family made their way to the United States and landed in Boston Harbor on November 30, 1949. With the support of the Seattle Jewish Family Service, they traveled three days by train to reach their new home, Seattle, Washington.

In a foreign land with an unfamiliar language, David relied on his steadfast determination to create a life in America from his very first job as a Western Union delivery boy. In 1955, he moved to California and continued to work hard to achieve the American dream. He became a court reporter, and fascinated with the law, he dreamed of becoming a lawyer. He attended law school at night while rising in the ranks as an accomplished court reporter during the day. Armed only with that legal education from an unaccredited night law school, he passed the bar exam on his first try. He established a well-respected legal practice and served his clients with the utmost of ethical standards for 27 years until his retirement.

Shortly after coming to California, he met Gloria Zubris. With a common love of dancing, laughter, and close friendships, they married in 1959 and had two sons, Andrew and Daryl. Their shared love of travel took them to many parts of the world, including Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa. Whether at home, abroad, or aboard cruise ships, their exemplary dancing won them many trophies. In September, they would have celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary.

A special highlight of their travel was returning multiple times to Israel. During David’s first trip, he was reunited with Clara and attended the wedding of her daughter Malka to Dov Harpaz. David, Gloria, Andrew, and Daryl all became close to their adopted Harpaz family. David and Gloria also loved visiting his Uncle Zalman, Aunt Nina, and cousin Chaim and his wife Julia in Israel.

David’s dedication to the Jewish community was a defining aspect of his life. He participated fully in synagogue life, learned Hebrew and Torah cantillation and was frequently called upon to read Torah in services. He served his synagogue as Men’s Club President and was honored by the club as Man of the Year. He volunteered for many years for “bikur cholim” programs to visit and give comfort to the sick. And he led classes for seniors at Heritage Pointe, a Jewish senior residence where he later lived in the final months of his life. He inspired his daughter-in-law Marcia to finish a long-planned Jewish cookbook that tells some of his family’s stories, and she paid tribute to him in the publication, Tablet. https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/food/articles/father-in-laws-day-yitro-bialys

Two of David’s essential attributes were hope and optimism, no doubt developed from his childhood experience. He always looked to the future. Even when Parkinson’s disease robbed him of much of his mobility, he worked hard to maintain what remained of his abilities. Just weeks before his death, he was seeking to learn how to use an electric wheelchair to preserve a semblance of self-reliance.

David is survived by his wife, Gloria, his son and daughter-in-law Daryl and Marcia, his brothers Henry (Sandra) and Allan (Tanya), and many other loving family members and friends.

A graveside service for David will be held on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, at 2pm at Harbor Lawn-Mt. Olive Memorial Park & Mortuary, 1625 Gisler Avenue, Costa Mesa, California. Following the service, the family will receive visitors at Heritage Pointe, 27356 Bellogente, Mission Viejo, California, from 4pm to 7pm. A shiva service will be held there at 6pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Jewish Federation of Orange County in David's memory. https://jewishoc.givingfuel.com/annual-campaign