Claude Bitton was born in Morocco in 1948. He is a family man, a dedicated father and a loving grandfather. Claude Bitton is also a proud member of the Jewish faith. He is a strong believer and great advocate of the Jewish religion. His many philanthropic contributions to the Jewish community in Canada and in Israel point to the strong attachment he feels toward his Jewish roots. Some examples of Claude Bitton’s contributions include:

• Organized and contributed to one of the first fundraisers held for the Jewish Sepharadic day school Ohr Haemet at the Jacob Cummer House.
• Contributed large sums of money to Kollel Yismach Moshe, an institute that encourages active participation in Torah learning in the Toronto Jewish community. Young rabbis and teachers train in this institute and later give back to the Jewish community by becoming heads of congregations as well as teachers in the Jewish day school system and in Yeshivas.
• Leased one of the properties he owns to a Jewish Canadian not-for-profit organization called JUMP – Jewish Urban Meeting Place. The open and welcoming atmosphere provided by this organization encourages students and young professionals between the ages of 22 and 34 to discover their Jewish identity through innovative and exciting opportunities and programs.
• Contributed to Baruch Yeshiva Bait Vegan in Jerusalem, Israel. This Yeshiva is home to about 650 students. Mr. Claude Bitton’s familial ties to the Yeshiva as well as his generosity have made him a big supporter of this institute.

But Claude Bitton is not fulfilled by contributions alone. He also actively practices a Jewish lifestyle. He attends prayers at his synagogue on a regular basis. He believes in Kiruv and encourages young people to come closer to the Jewish religion. On several occasions Claude Bitton has invited people who have strayed away from Judaism to come to his home, participate in the Shabbat rituals and enjoy some good food and good wine. Claude Bitton is also a collector of fine Judaica, specifically Sepharadi items. He has his own collection, but has also retrieved various important artifacts and donated them for display at various institutes in Canada and Israel.

In addition to being a devoted Jew, Claude Bitton is also a proud Canadian. The difficult economical times experienced by Canada over the past few months have not hindered him. Claude Bitton continues to invest in Toronto’s real estate market thus proving that he has not ceased believing in his country.