The entire J Street family mourns the loss of Sidney (Sid) Topol, who has passed away at the age of 97.
A brilliant and transformative engineer and innovator in the field of telecommunications, Sid was also an incredibly passionate and generous philanthropist and activist who dedicated his life to support for diplomacy, social justice and non-violence. He was a long-time, deeply committed supporter of J Street and JStreetPAC, a member of the Board of the Directors and a key figure in helping the pro-Israel, pro-peace movement to grow and thrive. He gave so much of his time and resources to aiding our movement and so many other important organizations, institutions and causes to create a better future for Israelis, Palestinians and Americans.
Sid was a truly beloved figure, a source of inspiration and strength for all who worked with and knew him. He transformed lives and the international non-violence movement with his generous Topol Fellowships for non-violence at Brandeis, Harvard, Haifa University and the Boston Latin School. He remained fully engaged in world events and politics (and a fixture on social media) even into his late 90s, never wavering in his commitment to building a better world, nor in his determination to stand up to bullies, demagogues and bigots.
Beyond even his service in the US Army Air Corps during World War 2, his amazing accomplishments in technology and business and his steadfast support for so many progressive movements and causes, Sid’s greatest legacy will be all the lives he personally made brighter with his warmth and wisdom. A true mensch, he will be greatly missed and long celebrated.
May his memory be for a blessing.
