Jack Horowitz זצ״ל

We mourn at the passing of our school’s first director.

Condolences for Jack Horowitz can be sent to:
Rina Horowitz
6021 Pomegranate Lane
Woodland Hills, CA 91367

It is with particular sadness that we share with you the news of the recent passing of Temple Isaiah’s first religious school educator, Dr. Jack Horowitz

Jack directed our religious school for 34 years, from 1957 to 1991, after which he became director of religious education emeritus. He taught and led with heart and soul, and everyone who knew him felt the genuineness of his love and the depth of his wisdom. Jack was an inspiration to children, families and colleagues, and built the foundation of education at Isaiah that we still enjoy today. He was a national voice in Jewish education and a prolific, influential writer.

Cantor Kent wrote at Jack’s retirement:

“[His] good humor, positive outlook towards life, and famous axiom, ‘Don’t weaken’ will be with me through all my years. The Talmud tells us that Rabbi Chanina said, ‘I have learned much from my teachers, and from my colleagues more than from my teachers, but from my students more than from them all.’ Jack Horowitz is our Rabbi Chanina, a true sage, a real mensch.”

Jack Horowitz once wrote, “I challenged my colleagues to educate and inspire a generation of native-born youth who would be fired with zeal and love of Yiddishkeit and be ready to dedicate their lives to building a new Golden Age of Jewish learning and scholarship in America.” Indeed, many of the students he educated, especially those graduates of Temple Isaiah’s Rishonim program which he launched in 1971, became inspiring role models of Jewish living and involvement, assumed positions of Jewish leadership in various colleges and universities, traveled to work in Israeli kibbutzim and to study in the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the University of Tel Aviv.

At his retirement, Jack wrote,

“After thirty-four years with Temple Isaiah, I still marvel to see how all of you and your children have such a wonderful commitment to our Temple and to our people. How beautiful and how pleasant it is to see you and your families coming so eagerly and joyfully to our myriad of activities and celebrations revolving around our Religious School and Temple communal life. You are truly heroes of the Jewish spirit. What a joy and inspiration it is year after year to experience the sights and sounds of our religious School! Our classrooms are alive with beautiful, creative environments, realia, maps and paintings. There is singing of Hebrew songs and prayers, dancing of Jewish folk dances, and lively discussions of teachers and children. A wonderful ruach permeates the halls, the classroom, our entire Temple! Our children are constantly experiencing our rich Jewish heritage with all their senses, identifying with Yiddishkeit emotionally and cognitavely.”

All of us at Temple Isaiah join in offering our most sincere condolences.

זכר צדיק לברכה – Zecher tzadik livracha – may the memory of the righteous be for a blessing and may their memory continue to bless us all.