Sidney G Rabinowitz

Hazzan Sidney Gershwin Rabinowitz, son of Isaac and Esther Rabinowitz of Orange, NJ, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Monday October 2 at the age of 90. He was predeceased by his wife, the former Sondra "Sandy" Resnick of Newark, NJ, and his daughter Ilana Davida Schwartz. Sidney spent 53 years as Hazzan and Hazzan Emeritus of Temple Beth El in Stamford, CT. Sidney and Sandy moved from CT to their home in Burke, VA 20 years ago and were members of Agudas Achim Congregation in Alexandria, VA. Sidney volunteered with ECHO (Ecumenical Community Helping Others), performed Sabbath and holiday services at Fort Belvoir, and visited the elderly in local nursing homes, often singing to the residents in English, Hebrew, or Yiddish. Singing was his passion. He gave his last concert only four days before his passing, at the Landow House Assisted Living in Rockville, MD.

Sidney earned a bachelors degree from the former Upsala College in Montclair, NJ and was trained as a Cantor at the Jewish Theological Seminary in NYC. He was later given an honorary doctorate from the Seminary for his outstanding work as a Hazzan. During his tenure at Temple Beth El, he prepared over 1000 students for Bar and Bat Mitzvah, performed countless weddings and funerals, led an annual Seder at local nursing homes, visited Jewish patients in Stamford Hospital, and put on his famous Cantor's Annual Concert. He was known to all as a caring, sweet, comforting clergyman.

Sidney is survived by his daughters and their husbands, Tamar (Morris) Gold of Elizabeth, NJ and Alissa (Ed) Locke of Fairfax, VA, his grandchildren Adina, Naomi, Eitan, Amanda, Ellen, Evan, Sima, Sawyer and Sam and 9 great-grandchildren. The funeral was led by Rabbi Steven Rein and Hazzan Elisheva Dienstfrey with burial in Beth Israel Cemetery. Shiva is being observed in Elizabeth and Fairfax.

May his memory be a blessing.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.leopgallagherstamford.com for the Rabinowitz family.