Alfred Gary (February 2011)

The Jewish Theological Seminary mourns the loss of Alfred Gary, father of board member Marc Gary. May his wife, Gloria, his sons, Tom and Marc, and the family be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.

—Arnold Eisen, Chancellor
—Abby Joseph Cohen, Board Chair

Originally published in The Boston Globe.

Debbie Friedman (January 2011)

We at The Jewish Theological Seminary were grief-stricken to hear of the death of Debbie Friedman. Debbie was an acclaimed musician and songwriter for more than three decades, but above all, she was a passionate Jew who consistently touched Jewish hearts and souls. Debbie said about her work, "From the beginning of my career, I've tried to help people see how prayer can be a source of comfort in both good times and bad." And because of what she showed them, for untold thousands of people, on many occasions, prayer was that comfort. Debbie's songs reached people with hope and sustained faith. Debbie Friedman created a whole new genre of accessible Jewish music by setting the prayers, teachings, and melodies of ancient Jewish texts to contemporary music, and in so doing she taught us how to "sing a new song to the Lord." She got to see her work performed in synagogues worldwide more often than that of any other living composer.

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Barbara Horowitz (January 2011)

The Jewish Theological Seminary mourns the loss of Barbara Silver Horowitz, JTS trustee since 1999 and member of the board's Committee on The Jewish Museum. Ms. Horowitz was also a former member of the Advisory Board of JTS's William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education. Throughout her distinguished service, her thoughtful counsel was guided by her strong commitment to traditional Jewish values, and she was a determined advocate for JTS, around the board table and in the Jewish world. Loving wife of Gedale Horowitz, mother of Ruth Ellen and Seth Robert, and grandmother of Jared Isaac and Elliot, Ms. Horowitz was a dedicated philanthropist and champion of education, health care, and the arts. May her family be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.

—Arnold Eisen, Chancellor
—Abby Joseph Cohen, Board Chair

Originally published in The New York Times.

Beate Voremberg (November 2010)

The Jewish Theological Seminary mourns the loss of Beate Voremberg, loving wife of longtime board member and honorary JTS trustee, Henry Voremberg, whose commitment to JTS and its vision of Jewish education has been steadfast. A faithful and philanthropic Jew, Beate was the devoted mother of Leslie Kozupsky and David Voremberg, mother-in-law of Roy Kozupsky and Fran Snyder, and a beloved grandmother. She was dedicated to living and modeling a vibrant and active Jewish life. May her family be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.

—Arnold Eisen, Chancellor
—Abby Joseph Cohen, Board Chair

Originally published in The New York Times.

Alumni Passings

The JTS community mourns the loss of the following alumni:

Rabbi Leon J. Weinberger (RS '64)

Rabbi Myron Berman (RS '53)