DANIEL FRIEDENBERG

FRIEDENBERG--Daniel Meyer, a financier, collector, historian and philanthropist died on August 28 in Portland, Oregon. He was 88 and had recently moved to Portland from Greenwich, Connecticut to be closer to family. Daniel Meyer Friedenberg was born on February 24, 1923, in Mt. Vernon, New York and grew up on Manhattan's upper east side, where his father, Samuel Friedenberg, a Jewish immigrant from Poland, ran a commercial building enterprise. Daniel received his B.S. from the Wharton School of Finance and Commerce at the University of Pennsylvania in 1943 and enlisted in the Army where he served from 1943-1944. After the war Daniel traveled the world, an experience that changed him forever and rooted him as a world citizen. Called home to take over the family business, Dan earned his living in real estate development and management in New York City, where he headed John-Platt Enterprises. Dan believed in lifetime accomplishments and admired scholarship, intellectual curiosity and writing. Jewish themes and history remained close to his heart. An expert in Judaica, Daniel served as part-time Curator of Coins and Medals at the Jewish Museum in New York City from 1962-1982. "The Jewish Museum family mourns the loss of our Esteemed Curator Emeritus, Dan Friedenberg. During his tenure, and throughout his life, Dan made major scholarly contributions to the fields of Jewish numismatics and medieval seals. He was an eclectic collector and a generous donor of important works to the museum," the museum wrote in the New York Times. Daniel published several poems, over one hundred magazine articles and seven books including, Great Jewish Portraits in Medal, Jewish Medals from the Renaissance to the Fall of Napoleon, Jewish Minters Masters & Medalists, Medieval Jewish Seals from Europe, for which he won the National Jewish book award, Life Liberty and the Pursuit of Land, about land development in Colonial America, Sold to the Highest Bidder, a chronicling of the role of money in presidential politics and Tiberius Julius Alexander, a historical novel which he published in his 87th year. He was formerly a contributing editor of Dissent and a correspondent and feature writer for the New York Herald Tribune. A life-long collector, Dan strongly believed in philanthropy and donated a number of collections to museums and colleges, including significant Judaica, Pre-Columbian art, first edition books and modern art. Beyond his many and great accomplishments, we believe the true legacy of Daniel M. Friedenberg was the love and generosity he shared for his family. He possessed a dignity and genuineness that was rare. We were blessed to have him as a father. Daniel is survived by Beba Joy, mother of Samuel Clark and Danielle Joy and also survived by June Daniels, mother of Jay and Russell, and four grandchildren; Andrew, Emily, Chloe and Johnny Sequoyah. Interment will be at Mt. Pleasant, Valhalla, NY following services.