Alec Engelstein

Born in Romania, he survived the Holocaust and in 1948, with the help of the Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, moved to Montreal, where he met his future wife, Sheila. In 1968, the family moved to Florida, where Mr. Engelstein became a real estate developer. His Engel Homes became one of the largest home builders in the United States. For more than 40 years, Mr. Engelstein was pivotal in expanding Jewish life in Palm Beach County with support of organizations including the Friedman Commission for Jewish Education, MorseLife Health System and Temple Emanu-El. During his four-year tenure as its board chairman, the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County established Partnership2Gether, providing a lifesaving link between the Palm Beaches and Israel’s TZAHAR region. He was a member of the Prime Ministers Council, the most generous donors to the federation’s annual campaign.