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Leadership Spotlight: Effy Pfeffermann

  • November 18, 2021

While seeking out a way to fight the resurgence in hate and antisemitism both in the United States and abroad, Effy Pfeffermann was reminded of the ADL through a colleague. The messages and the goals of the organization aligned with Effy’s and he set out to join as soon as possible, so he could continue to fight to make a difference, as he had strived to do his entire life. Effy joined the ADL Los Angeles Regional Board in 2020.

Effy Pfeffermann was born in Timisoara, Romania in 1932, where he lived before, during, and after the Holocaust. Following the war, he survived under the communist regime for a couple years before making Aliyah to Israel in 1949. In Israel, he joined the army at age 18 where he served for seven years, beginning in a scout unit and eventually serving in the Sinai War as an active duty army officer. He moved America to study in 1959.

While in America, Effy attended LA City College, LA State, UCLA, and finally graduated from San Francisco State University. It was during this time that he met and soon after, married Susan Rosenbaum (now known as Susan Pfeffermann), his wife of 61 years. While taking classes, Effy worked as a guard and a code clerk for the Israeli Consulate, and later became the principal of a small Hebrew school in Hawthorne and the director of Young Judea, a Zionist youth organization sponsored by Hadassah and the Z.O.A. He also became the president of the Israeli Student Organization in Los Angeles. After graduating from San Francisco State University, Effy was hired by IBM, in part because of his ability to speak multiple languages. During his time at IBM, he also became the president of the B’nay Brith Shalom Lodge. After seven years at IBM, Effy left and formed a real estate company with four of his friends and joined a number of political action committees, which culminated in him joining AIPAC. He eventually became a member of their National Executive Committee for about five years.

Following the revolution in Romania in 1989, Effy decided to do some business in the Eastern Block and is currently in the process of winding down his business there. In 2014, Effy made the decision to share his life story and life lessons with his grandchildren, in the form of a book titled “Never Give Up.”

“Never Give Up,” which was ghost written by fellow ADL board member Loren Stephens, recounts Effy’s entire journey and story of survival during and following the Holocaust. The book was written as a guide for his grandchildren, so that they could be “good citizens of the world and of our wonderful country,” and could learn, “the importance of their Jewish heritage, understand Judaism, and pass on our traditions to their children.”

Effy also states, “I hope, too, that my grandchildren will inherit my love for Israel, a country I fought for, and where I spent my teenage years and my early twenties.”

Effy is now presenting webinars in Holocaust museums across the country, where he not only discusses his life story and book, but also advocates for the ADL as the most important and effective organization fighting antisemitism today.

If you’re interested, Effy’s book is currently available on Amazon and if you’d like to reach out to Effy regarding guest speaking opportunities, he’s available at effy@efigroup.us.