Joseph A. Zaitchik

At age four he immigrated from Russia with his parents and four of his eight older siblings. After earning his Doctorate from Boston University, he taught for 45 years in the English Department at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. A generous and inspiring teacher, beloved by students and colleagues, he taught a wide range of courses from American Literature to History of the English Language, English as a Second Language, and Human Values in Western Culture, an interdisciplinary curriculum he developed and trained colleagues to teach, and for which he wrote a textbook used at a number of universities. He also wrote other textbooks, plays, short stories, and poetry. In 2011 his novel The Fitting was published, and in 2004 his play Be Our Joys won the Stanley Drama Award, an honor that included a New York production. He was also active in the Jewish community, serving as religious leader at Temple Judea in Stoneham, and later teaching a generation of adults Hebrew at Temple Shir Tikva in Wayland.

In addition to his wife Holly, he leaves six children—Mark, Michael, Matt, Michele, Benjamin, and Daniel—and eight grandchildren. He also leaves his former wife Jeanette Zaitchik and his brother Rabbi Samuel Zaitchik.

Services at Temple Shir Tikva, 141 Boston Post Road, Wayland on Friday, July 20 at 11:00 am. Interment at Beit Olam Cemetery, Wayland.

Memorial observance at Temple Shir Tikva following the interment from 2-4pm and then at his late residence Saturday evening with Minyan at 8:30pm and Sunday 2-5 and 7-9pm with Minyan at 7pm. Remembrances may be made to The Walden Woods Project, www.walden.org. Arrangements by the Levine Chapels, Brookline, MA. 617-277-8300 www.levinechapel.com