David Haymovitz

It is with deep and profound sorrow, that we note the passing on February 6, 2013 of our beloved and distinguished rabbi, scholar and lawyer, David Haymovitz of New York, N.Y. and North Palm Beach, Florida 1927-2013. Died at sea while pursuing his love of foreign travel on a tour of South America. His surviving family, relatives, friends and acquaintances will forever miss his brilliant mind, loving kindness, charitable character, and selfless commitment to his family, friends and congregants.

Rabbi Haymovitz served with great distinction and commitment as a pulpit rabbi and Jewish scholar for over 40 years. He served as spiritual leader and rabbi of the Emanuel Jewish Center in Mount Vernon, N.Y., Temple Gates of Zion, in Valley Stream, N.Y., and the Brooklyn Jewish Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. Rabbi David Haymovitz was also active in communal, fraternal and charitable Jewish organizations, as well as in special initiatives of the general community.

His longest tenure was at the Brooklyn Jewish Center, where he had the privilege of working with the Honorable Rabbi Israel H. Levinthal, of Blessed Memory, Rabbi Emeritus of the congregation. Eventually he took over as spiritual leader and in addition to his pulpit duties, he developed and taught adult education classes and resolved management issues with leadership of the congregation. During these years, Rabbi Haymovitz served as a religious advisor to Mayor Abraham Beame of New York City and served in the New York City Administration as Director in the Department of Human Resources.

Rabbi Haymovitz was a third generation native of Jerusalem, Israel. He grew up in an orthodox Jewish community and was encouraged to immerse himself in intense religious studies. He attended rigorous religious schools Etz Chaim Yeshiva and Mercaz Harav Yeshiva in Jerusalem, where he exhibited extraordinary brilliance and proficiency in Talmudic and other religious studies. He was considered a prodigy or "ilui" in these schools. After advanced religious training he was ordained as a rabbi by Rabbi Eliahu Ram, Chief of the Great Beth Din in Jerusalem, and Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Isaac Halevi Herzog.

Rabbi Haymovitz also attended the Hebrew University of Jerusalem where he completed a Master of Laws degree from the Faculty of Law as well as B.A and M.A. degrees in Hebrew Literature and Education. In Jerusalem, Rabbi Haymovitz worked in the Aliyah (Immigration) Department of the Jewish Agency for Israel, where he resolved issues of relocation and absorption of new immigrants to Israel. In particular, he was involved in assisting in the emigration of the Cochin Jews of India to Israel. He was later offered a position by Haim-Moshe Shapira, of the National Religious Party, to serve as parliamentary secretary of the National Religious Bloc in the Israeli Knesset, which he accepted and worked in this capacity for several years.

Following the death of Rabbi Haymovitz's father Nachum, most of his family relocated to the United States and Rabbi Haymovitz joined them there. He worked as an Instructor at the Teachers Institute of the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City and subsequently decided to pursue a career as a congregational rabbi in the Conservative Movement. He eventually moved to the Los Angeles area to serve as pulpit rabbi and spiritual leader of Temple Sholom in Ontario, CA and then at Temple Aliyah in Woodland Hills, CA. His work helped to develop and build these rapidly growing Jewish communities. During these years, he also served as an instructor at the University of Judaism in Los Angeles. After receiving an offer from Rabbi Israel H. Levinthal, of Blessed Memory, to work with him at the renowned Brooklyn Jewish Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., Rabbi Haymovitz returned to New York City.

Rabbi Haymovitz retired from the rabbinical pulpit in 2002 and relocated with his wife Gail to North Palm Beach, Florida, where he continued to enjoy intellectual and scholarly pursuits and travel with his wife. Rabbi Haymovitz is survived by his wife Gail Gordon Haymovitz, and his three sons, Elie, Ronald and Ethan Haymovitz.

The funeral will be held at Leo P. Gallagher & Son Funeral Home and internment in Congregation Agudath Sholom Cemetery in Stamford, Connecticut on Thursday, February 21 at 10:30 am.

May his memory be a source of blessing, comfort and peace to his entire family, his beloved wife, and many friends and congregants.