Irving Feintech

Irving Feintech, attorney, real estate developer, philanthropist and past Chairman of the Board of Cedars-Sinai, was a major force at the hospital before, during and after the merger and a respected and beloved member of Los Angeles Jewish Community for well over six decades.

Feintech, who passed away on February 5th, 2011 was born on November 11, 1918 in Des Moines Iowa, and moved as a child to Los Angeles with his parents Abraham and Ida and his siblings Norman and Celia.

A graduate of Southwestern Law School, Irving Feintech started Liberty Building Company with his brother Norman in the late 1940's and together they were the joint developers, with Nathan Shapell, of Porter Ranch, in the northwest area of the San Fernando Valley. The first large scale housing development in Southern California, the area was the last portion of the San Fernando Valley within the Los Angeles city limits to be developed, with major construction not occurring until the 1970s. Large portions of the 1982 blockbuster film E.T. the Extraterrestrial were filmed in Porter Ranch.

In 1948, Feintech joined Mount Sinai, where his brother, Norman Feintech was president. The merger process with Cedars spanned the period from 1961-1971, and Irving Feintech served as Joint Conference Committee Chair. Irving Feintech and his close friend and associate Robert Silverstein, Co-Chaired Cedars Sinai's Campaign for the Twenty First Century. Together, they raised hundreds of millions of dollars for Cedars Sinai. The two men who worked together for over 56 years are the only two persons ever elected to permanent seats on the Board of Directors of Cedars Sinai.

Feintech was also on the board of The Music Center, a member of the West Coast Chairman's council for the American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, and through the Feintech Family Foundation he supported numerous causes. Among the many close to his heart: Shane's Inspiration, The Heart Foundation, St John's College, The Skirball Center and The Shoah Foundation. He also took delight in his role as an investment partner at Spagos restaurant where he regularly dined and celebrated with family and friends.

'Irv' was known by all to be a gentleman of sartorial elegance with an ever present twinkle in his eye, whose greatest joy was the company and love of his daughters and grandchildren….

He is survived by his daughters, Wendy Feintech and Lisa Feintech, his grandchildren, Alexandra and Jordan Pinkus, nieces Lynn and Vivien, nephew, Michael and his sister-in-law Evelyn Feintech.

Services were held Wednesday, February 9, 2011 at Hillside Memorial Park, 6001 Centinela Ave, Los Angeles. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to The Heart Foundation at Cedars Sinai that supports the work of Dr Prediman Shah. www.theheartfoundation.com