David Elman

David Elman, 83 years, of Brockton, Massachusetts, died May 15, 2026. He was the beloved husband of the late Rebecca Elman.

A prominent Brockton-based business leader, Mr. Elman was responsible for creating tens of thousands of square feet of residential and commercial spaces within the United States and abroad.

Founder of DRJ Investment Management, Inc., Mr. Elman reimagined obsolete buildings and developed condominiums in what had been a former mill, factory, medical office, funeral home, and nursing home. As part of a joint venture in Russia, he served as the general contractor for the construction of 24 single-family homes, multi-family units, a medical office, motel, and sports center.

The Metro South Chamber of Commerce awarded Mr. Elman with an Economic Development Impact Award in 2006 for the development of Clinton Street condominiums in Brockton. The Historical Society of Taunton recognized him on two separate occasions (1987-1988) for the Riverbend Condominium project and the Morton block restoration project. And the Community Association Institute named him Developer of the Year in 1987 for the 175-unit Riverbend condominium project.

Born in Bukhara, Uzbekistan, during World War II, Mr. Elman lived in Chernivtsi, Ukraine, as a child and moved to Legnica, Poland, at age 14. There, he and his family shared a single room, and he slept on the kitchen table. In 1959, he moved to Israel, where he served in the military and met his future wife, Rebecca.

Arriving in Dorchester, Massachusetts, in 1965, Mr. Elman took night classes to learn English and worked for the Gillette Company as a mechanical engineer before gradually building a career in real estate development and management. He was a proud member of the Rotary Club of Brockton.

He is survived by his daughters, Janette Mandell and her husband William, and Ilenna Stein and her husband David; four grandchildren, Edward and Robbie Mandell, and Isabel and Aliza Stein; his sister, Barbara Anatolev; his nephew, Geoffrey Anatole and wife Megan, and their two children, Cecilia and Sawyer. He was predeceased by his parents, Anna and Jacob Elman.

Service and burial were private.

Expressions of sympathy in his memory may be made to Jewish Family & Children’s Service, Development Office, 1430 Main Street, Waltham, MA 02451 or online at jfcsboston.org.