Study, Bird (2007, bronze) by Soraya Sarah Nazarian
Private Collection
MISSION
The Younes & Soraya Nazarian Family Foundation is dedicated to strengthening communities through four core pillars: Education, Arts & Culture, Empowering Women, and Health & Medicine. Giving back to the Jewish and Iranian roots of the family is central to the Foundation's mission, shaping both our program priorities and our geographic focus on Los Angeles and Tel Aviv, Israel, as well as wherever the need is greatest.
Institutions of learning are of great interest to the Foundation, which has invested at every level, from elementary and high school to university. The Foundation remains focused on supporting institutions of excellence through investments in capital campaigns and existing programs, as well as establishing and nurturing new programs that give students the tools to enhance and enrich their learning experience. Combating antisemitism through education, advocacy, and community engagement is also a central commitment of the Foundation, helping individuals and communities confront hatred and build a more hopeful future.
A Commitment to Healing
The events of October 7, 2023, deeply affected the Nazarian family, as they did Jewish communities in Israel and around the world. Soraya Sarah Nazarian's sculpture, Hole in the Heart, became a visual tribute to that grief, expressing a loss shared by so many. From this experience, the family made supporting mental health and well-being in Israel a central priority of the Foundation, investing in programs that help individuals, families, and communities heal and rebuild.
Hole in the Heart (2024) by Soraya Sarah Nazarian
Haifa, Israel
Though focused primarily in Israel, this work reflects the family's broader desire to have a lasting and meaningful impact on all the communities they care about. This commitment extends to empowering women and girls, ensuring they have the resources and support they need to thrive.
While long-term planning is vital in most communities, the Foundation recognizes that meeting day-to-day needs is equally important and takes great pride in serving those in need in both Los Angeles and Israel. These community-level investments seek to improve the quality of life of individual community members.
Finally, enriching the lives of others through the arts and culture is an area of great importance to the family, inspired by the work of Soraya Sarah Nazarian. The Foundation invests in music and dance academies in Israel and inner-city art programs in Los Angeles, using the arts to foster learning, teach tolerance, and build confidence in children. This work remains close to the hearts of the family, and the Foundation will continue to expand its involvement to bring greater resources to organizations that share these goals.
