I know you're in heaven.
You were a great teacher and great gut.

Today will mark the second anniversary of the passing of my very impactful Bronx High School Of Science basketball coach, Norman Lefkowitz. At a school more renowned for producing Westinghouse and Intel scholars and Nobel prize winners, Coach Lefkowitz managed to do the seemingly impossible. He stacked up back-to-back New York City Div. 2 championships in 1970 and 1971. 
Running with a cast of gifted role players and one or two standouts, he managed to do what has never been done before, or since, in the 83-year history of the famed high school.....AND HE DID IT TWICE!!
He was eccentric and didn't sit well with everyone, especially in that time of extraordinary social upheaval; but he got it done!
Kudos to Coach Lefkowitz, may he rest in power. 

Missing dad for breakfasts he had with us several times per week in NYC. He loved his french toast, pancakes, and of course bagels and lox. Who said bagels and lox are only for Sundays? Spen just got new batteries for peep's watches and he's been wearing them often. Spen and John always smiling when talking about peeps remembering swimming together in Florida. We miss you every day. 

Many people, like Coach Lappas, were shaped by Mr. Lefkowitz.
Steve was a classmate of mine in high school and college.

He's gone on to be a great coach.

I last saw Coach Lefkowitz in 1985, my last visit to Bronx Science.
He was a Bronxite in the best sense of the word.
A good teacher, good coach and good man in every way were only a few of his attributes/
I always enjoyed going to gym class because I knew we'd converse.
I regret not seeing him again after 1985.
RIP, Coach.
Best regards to your family.

He was my gym teacher.
A great guy and coach.

Part2) We were always the smarter team. Controlled tempo and only took good shots. Our patience was unmatched. We worked the clock till teams lost patience defensively then we made layups. We won more close games then u could ever imagine. He was tough, demanding but fair! Old school

Thank you for this! Norm was a tremendous Coach and person. Playing for him at Science taught me so much. We could play with any one of the big teams in the City because of him! City champs 2 yrs in a row. I learned so much as his assistant at York. RIP! I was his volunteer assistant at York College in 1976. My first coaching job.

Hey Lewis, I'm so very sorry for your loss.  I know you guys were extremely close.  My thoughts & prayers are with you & your entire family.  He was such a nice man to me, he loved to take us down to Lehman College & we would watch him coach basketball practice, I alsways remember that.  Cherish the the good times & priceless memories you had with your dad, but remember, he will always be with you in spirit.  Please take extra care of your mom, she will need the most support & care from you all.  Once again, my deepest condolences to you & your entire family, love ya brother! I’ll never forget all those practices ur dad called at 6am and ran us to death and made us shoot 100s of jump shots i don't remember us ever losing a game in 12  summers he coached us even during practice with 100% intensity and nobody knew how to work the refs like Norm he was the greatest coach i ever had,  when we played teams that had more talent then us we passed that ball and moved that ball in our 1-3-1 offense till the defense almost fell asleep then we scored  at will, and last I’ll never forget when We went to gus game at Legman and he hekd the ball the whike gane and i think Lehman was up 6-2 at hakftime and Lehamn ended up winning pulling off that uoset it feels like last week RIP coach Lefkowitz

Part 2) by 43, and everyone looked at you as if you were crazy. We proceeded to kick the heck out of them and run them all over the court, and i finished with about 34. After the game, you told me I should have had a lot more. Thanks for always being the best Dad you could be pops. I love you,  and im real easy to reach if u have any wuestion we went to a steak house the night before a d the next day he was fine  and we were ready to watch the yanjee gane and just like tbst hus life ended! 917-273-6770 

1)My dad . As i called him coach never got to reach his 85th bday and first i would like to say ur comments mean the world ti me and my family! I already had his bday card written a nd  here is word  for word as i wrote it: Dear Dad, for as long as you've been apart of my life, they've called you "the craziest man in the gym." Whether it was coaching my Colts team and berating the refs or taking us off the court in the catskills when the refs were trying to job us, you have certainly been the wildest of coaches. People out there tend to only see that side of you. They don't see the guy who would make breakfast for all of us and then take me dribble for dribble on jordan road, ensuring that my handle is tight as ever. They don't see the guy who attended all of my high school games, even when Nymchek blew layups for the wide open looks I got him and even when Morrisey took 2 foot jumpers while I was hitting threes and pull-ups like it was another day at Reynolds Field. But you saw that in me Dad, you pushed me to be the best athlete I can be and never allowed me to make excuses. They see you as a crazy guy and a cut throat recruiter, but you went out of your way to give Stone a room in our house and get him on the team at Hastings so we could kill the pick and pop game together. They say you are an ego maniac and you only make decisions that cater to your basketball program, but they didn't see you opening the doors to your home to Bernard Toone when he needed a place to stay. That's just because they don't know you like I know you DAd. They don't know you have made your commitment to your of highest order, that you've sacrificed everything so the three of us can have a better life. I remember when we were playing Colts basketball at PS 22. We faced a team loaded with big guys and we were only playing with five kids, no substitutions. Most father's would have been scared and content keeping it a close game. I remember in the huddle you told us we should beat them 

I had the great pleasure and honor to play for Coach Lefkowitz when he coached at York College. We had successful seasons under his leadership. I’m entering my 20th year as a high school basketball coach and to this day, I remember the basketball fundamentals and concepts he taught and preached. More important, I remember his dedication and interest in his student-athletes far beyond the basketball court. We were all so fortunate to have known him and played for him. His presence stays with me and I offer my sincere condolences to his family. Rest in peace Coach!

Some of the fondest memories was being cheerleader/Captain senior year with Coach Lefkowitz at the helm of our winning team. Normally cheerleaders are dismissed as just a bunch of cute girls dancing to catchy  songs, but Coach recognized my love of basketball and focus to get crowd psyched up, supporting and impacting the team morale. He allowed me to come in during practices. We were the first cheerleading squad to travel with the team.  I watched how he brought out the best of each player.  At a time when females were usually counted out, I always counted myself as  fortunate to be counted in and experience the discipline and thrill of this sport close up.  Those lessons are those that impacted my development in leadership and business acumen, as I know it also did for others. 

Thank you, Coach for treasured memories. 

To the family, may   peace and comfort be with you.

Angela Valcarcel- Roth

Thank you, Coach Lefkowitz for always accommodating the Cheerleading Squad. You were always so polite but totally serious about everyone being their absolute best. Greg King, Mike Sartisky, Steve Levine, Dennis Blackman, Tommy Lockhart, that was the set-up team for the two historic City-Wide consecutive championships that inevitably followed their graduation from The Bronx High School of Science.

You are such a great man. Likely you were doing the community coaching when I saw you in the office at  Fiorello H. LaGuardia  H.S. of the Performing Arts back in the early 90s. How blessed I felt that afternoon to ever see you again! 

Life in this world is so short even when it’s “long.” I sincerely  appreciate having had the opportunity to know you and benefit even in a small way from the standards you taught and apparently lived by.

To The Lefkowitz Family;
I thank you for all you did to make it possible for him to share himself so capably and consistently with us during his years at The Bronx High School of Science. I thank our Creator that the course of his life brought him in contact, however briefly, with my life.

I know your loss is great. Please take comfort, as I do, in the promise found in the Hebrew Scriptures Book of Job chapter 14 verse 15. Yes, He will call.

Annie Brown 
The Bronx High School of Science 
Class of 1969

I knew Norm from my active days promoting the CUNY Conference.  He was a gem of a human being and a heck of a coach. From what I remember, he roomed with the great Sandy Koufax at the University of Cincinnati. My condolences to his family.

Thank you Coach Norm for helping make our high school years back at Bronx High School of Science in the early 1970s so great. It was amazing (and a shock) to have such a fine team, to win game after game, and to attend those championship games against strong basketball schools citywide. I see that Kenny Sargeant has already shared a clipping and commented -- our star center, he was a major contributer to those back-to-back citywide championships -- and I want  to endorse his reflections, and join in the thanks.   I was one of those students in the bleachers watching the games and loving it.  Rest in peace, Norm Lefkowitz

I am one of a group of handpicked student-athletes that Coach Lefkowitz identified and nurtured through the rigorous entrance exam for Bronx Science. Under his capable leadership, we won a never before achieved  NYC Division Championship in 1970; and then, improbably, repeated the championship run and victory the following year in 1971. Not since then has "Science" won a City championship in basketball. Among the minions of Coach Lefkowitz during that era are a world-traveled pro ballplayer, a D1College Coach and a host of other accomplished professionals. I can't speak for everyone but he certainly had an unparalleled impact on my life. https://www.facebook.com/HCAonline/posts/10221026535158713

Rest in Peace, Mr. Lefkowitz.  I remember you well from your days at the Bronx High School of Science during the years 1965-69.  Rest in Eternal Peace.  

Mr Lefkowitz is a charming gentleman who emanates manners, sophistication and passion about politics, his family, as well as well as basketball. 

He always makes us feel at ease and warmly accepted in his company, whether swimming or enjoying a meal. 

His persona is warm and very personal. His laugh comes easily and often. 

He is a pleasure to know.  

We can only speak in the present tense because we believe Mr Lefkowitz is now young, joyous and enjoying basketball with friends.  

 We feel he wants those of us who love him, to continue enjoying  life here as we know it; In addition. To keep our Faith and believe in the promise that one day, we will meet, again. 

Be blessed Mr Lefkowitz. 

Jim and Patty 



OBITUARIO

Norman Lefkowitz

1 enero, 1935 – 14 octubre, 2019

Riverside-Stanetsky Memorial Chapels

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