Franklyn Dan Medjuck

Franklyn D. Medjuck

With broken hearts we share the news that on March 14, 2016, Franklyn D. Medjuck, Q.C., 71, succumbed to the cancer that he so valiantly battled for the past two years. He was a devoted husband to Hedda, father to Bena (Gustavo) and Jacob (Shauna), and grandfather to Noam, Ayelet, Yaffa and Sivan. He is also survived by his two older brothers, Ralph (Shirlee) and Harold (Helene), and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was buried on Wednesday, March 16, 2016, in Eretz HaChayim cemetery near Bet Shemesh, in the Jerusalem Hills.

Franklyn Dan Medjuck, Fischel Dovid ben Alexander Ziskin v'Chaya Bluma, was born in Halifax on October 17, 1944, on the 30th of the Hebrew month of Tishrei. He was the third son of Blanche and Irving Medjuck and they lived on South Street in Halifax. He lived almost his entire life within just a few blocks of that home, starting school as a Primary student in the very first entering class of the newly built Gorsebrook School in 1950. He later attended Queen Elizabeth High School, and then Dalhousie University, for both his Bachelor of Commerce and his Law degree.

He obtained a Masters degree in Urban Planning from University College London at the end of the 60's, then travelled through the Far East with his friend Brian Bloom, working as used-typewriter and textile sales agents for two British firms, travelling through Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Frank had the dubious distinction of bringing the first ever case of Hong Kong flu to Canada (and the eighth ever case in the United States) while flying home to Halifax through Japan and San Francisco in 1969.

Eventually, he returned to Halifax to marry Hedda Mark (originally of Moncton), and start their family, and he began to work with his brother Ralph as a lawyer, with a focus on real estate and development. This business partnership lasted 40-plus years. He worked primarily as Corporate Counsel for The Centennial Group, and was instrumental in working with City Council relating to planning and approval for the Group's various projects. He helped engineer some of the biggest real estate deals in Atlantic Canada and was pivotal in the development of such Halifax landmarks as the Toronto-Dominion Building, Summit Place and the Joseph Howe Building; many apartment buildings including Park Victoria, LeMarchant Towers and Embassy Suites, and the Yonge-Richmond Centre in Toronto. He helped in the development of the hotels built by The Centennial Group such as the Cambridge Suites Hotels in Halifax, Sydney and Toronto, and the Prince George Hotel. Frank was involved in the first condominium development in Halifax, The Carlyle.

Both civic and social minded throughout his life, he founded the Domus Legis Society, and was also active in Tau Epsilon Phi, the Jewish fraternity on campus. He later served on the committee for the 75th Commemoration of the Halifax Explosion, he co-chaired the Detailed Area Planning Committee for South Halifax, he served on the Barrington Street Heritage District Committee, and he co-chaired the 40th reunion of his Dalhousie Law School class in 2007. He was a lifelong blood donor, going every two months for years, racking up over 80 donations in his lifetime.

Some of Frank's most interesting projects over the years included the many incarnations of the old Zellers building on the corner of Barrington and Sackville Streets when he and his brother Ralph decided to go into the late night cabaret business themselves. Frank also produced the Blizzard Island TV series for children, and years later he produced his son, Jacob's feature length movie, Summerhood, filmed at Camp Kadimah in Lunenburg where Frank had spent most of his childhood summers.

Frank's other home and passion was always the State of Israel and the Land of Israel. He grew up surrounded by Zionist Jewish values at summer camp and in the Jewish community of Halifax. Around the time of the Six Day War in 1967, he became enchanted with a passion to live in Israel, to work the land and help build up the country. In 1970, he made Aliyah, lived in an absorption center in Ashdod and studied Hebrew. He was hired by the City of Jerusalem to work in its Urban Planning Unit as a Development Control Officer. In 1980-81, Frank and his wife Hedda took a sabbatical year to live in Israel with their young children.

Frank's connection to the Jewish community of Halifax ran very deep and personal over the years. He was one of the longest-serving board members of the Beth Israel Synagogue, serving more than 40 years on the board, including multiple terms as president. He established the congregation's Endowment Fund in the 1980s, and was instrumental in the installation of spectacular stained glass windows in the lobby, designed by local artist Terry Smith-Lamothe.

He also edited two books about local Jewish history. His first book commemorated 100 years since the incorporation of the Baron de Hirsch Congregation, by retelling the history of the Jews in Halifax from 1750 and including biographical profiles of 120 local families. His second edited book was about history of Camp Kadimah in Lunenburg.

Frank was a good friend to many, supported many philanthropic causes and was also the kind of person to help someone privately. He was generous with his money and his personal time and helped to pay for many community events. He honoured his family history by sponsoring an annual Purim meal in memory of his mother, Blanche, whose yahrezeit is on Purim.

Upon turning 60 years old, Frank decided to challenge himself in a number of ways. Despite a lifelong fear of heights, he rappelled down the side of 23-story building in downtown Halifax to raise money and awareness for the Abilities Foundation of Nova Scotia. Also that year he fulfilled a lifelong dream by volunteering in the Israeli army, through the Sar-El program.

Frank was a lifelong athlete, playing Metro Masters basketball weekly at the Studley Gym and training at The Tower at St. Mary's. Approaching his 60s, he developed a love for cycling that led him to complete two Hazon bike marathons for charity. He cycled nearly 350km from Jerusalem to Eilat, first at the age of 60 in 2005 when he was about to become a grandfather for the first time, and then again in 2013 in anticipation of turning 70, the second time together with his son, Jacob.

The Medjuck family also helped build the Beit Giora youth center in Kfar Saba, Israel, including an annual basketball tournament that Frank loved to sponsor and attend.

Frank was also known for his love of telling jokes. The cottage at Shediac, where his wife grew up, also had a special place in his heart. He had ever-evolving plans for his vegetable garden and for all the trees and flowers at the cottage and he loved to plant trees!

The family would like to express their appreciation for all of the words of condolence they have received - including many emails, phone calls, and visits while sitting shiva in Jerusalem. Following are the details for local shiva and a memorial service:

Shiva: 878 Robie St., Halifax, on Sunday, 5-9 p.m. (Mincha/Maariv at 6 p.m.);

Monday, all day (Shacharit at 7:30 a.m., Mincha/Maariv at 6 p.m.); Tuesday, only Shacharit at 7:30 a.m.

Memorial Service Tuesday, March 22nd at 4 p.m. in Beth Israel Synagogue, 1480 Oxford St., Halifax