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Nathan David Saatchi passed away on May 31 after a short illness. Born in 1908 to a well-known Baghdadi family, he established himself as a textile merchant, importing mainly from Manchester. In 1945 he saw that there was no future for the Jews in Iraq, and moved to England before the Iraqi government instituted stringent anti-semitic laws. He settled in London and purchased wool and textile factories. In 1947 he sent for his family. The Saatchis integrated quickly into English society.
Despite the corporate success of Saatchi and his sons, the family patriarch found immigrant life to be lonely and longed for his Sephardic roots. Several years after settling in London, Nathan became involved in the city's Spanish and Portuguese Jewish community. For years he was considered to be among the elders of the community. He was often called upon to read the Haftara. Two years ago his sons established a synagogue in honour of their parents. "While the family has Sephardic roots, the synagogue follows the Ashkenazi tradition. We are something like an Upper East side synagogue for singles" its Rabbi Pini Dunner said. He added, "Nathan Saatchi was most personable, bright, sharp, cheerful, until the last week of his life."
He is survived by his wife Daisy and four sons.
Abridged from Forward of New York
November 1974 at the Gardenia Iraqi Club in London Harab Obadia Yosef; Nathan Saatchi; Haham Dr Solomon Gaon; Dayan Dr Pinchas Toledano
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