Samuel Friedman Foundation

The Samuel Friedman Foundation was established in 1956 by Samuel Friedman, in Buffalo, New York. A later branch of the foundation was set up in Los Angeles at UCLA. Friedman, who was born in Romania on January 1, 1919, was a survivor of concentration camps at both Dachau and Auschwitz, and was eventually liberated by United States forces. After some time as a displaced person, he emigrated to the United States, eventually owned several restaurants in Niagara Falls, and became known as a successful New York businessman. In 1956, he established the Samuel Friedman Foundation to support and strengthen Jewish educational initiatives and programs. These projects have involved the local community in Buffalo, New York, and have continued after Samuel Friedman's death from a cardiac arrest. The foundation maintains his original intention through the establishment of projects such as The Samuel Friedman Library in the Institute for Jewish Thought and Heritage at the University of Buffalo. It also contributed significantly to the establishment of the Hineni Endowment Campaign at the Kadimah School in Buffalo. The Samuel Friedman Foundation was termed a "medium"-sized grant giver in a report entitled "Profile of Foundation Giving in Western New York" prepared for the Western New York Grantmakers Association by the University at Buffalo Regional Institute. It remains a non-profit organization, noted for its contributions to the general Buffalo community, and for its Rescue Award, given annually.