Funeral services were held here today for Oscar Lazarus, a founder and former head of the Benrus Watch Co. who was long active in Jewish philanthropy and in combatting anti-Semitism. He died Friday at the age of 93.
Lazarus, who was born in Rumania and came to the United States at the age of two, was a lawyer by profession and practiced in New York from 1909-1924. In 1923 he and his brothers, Benjamin and the late S. Ralph Lazarus, organized the watch company. He served as its president and chairman, ending his association when the firm was sold in 1960.
In 1972, as national secretary of the National Conference of Christians and Jews, Lazarus marked his 85th birthday by donating $100,000 to establish the Center for Interreligious Affairs to combat bigotry. He was also active in promoting American cultural ties with Israel.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
