Dr. Dan Jacob Oppenheim

Dr. Dan Jacob Oppenheim, 88, passed away peacefully on October 9, 2025, in Boston, Massachusetts.

Born in Haifa, Israel, Dan developed an early love of sailing. As a teenager, he navigated the Mediterranean Sea with the Sea Scouts using only a compass, a map, the stars, and his skill. He later served in the Israeli army as a paratrooper and bravely served his country in numerous battles. Having mastered the sea and the air, Dan then planted his feet firmly on land when he enrolled in Hebrew University and obtained his medical degree.

Throughout his life, Dan loved children and expressed his dream of becoming a father to “five or six” of his own. In 1962, he became a proud father to his oldest son, Ofer, with his first wife, Bina.

After his first marriage ended, Dan continued to practice medicine and specialized in pediatrics, setting up his own practice in Haifa. It was during this time in early 1973 that he met the love of his life – his future wife, Naomi. Declaring his intent to marry her early on, the couple wasted no time and were married on August 18, 1973, in New York, NY. Returning to Haifa, they began 52 years of happy marriage together, later welcoming two children: a daughter, Michelle; and, a son, Ron.

In the early 1980s, the family moved to the United States where Dan practiced pediatric medicine in New York, Texas, and Wisconsin. Upon retiring, Dan and Naomi moved to Illinois to be close to Michelle’s family with her husband Paul, before they eventually moved to Boston to live with Ron and his husband, Jared.

In addition to his family, one constant in Dan’s life was his passion and love for classical music. A near-professional violin and viola player, the works of Vivaldi, Bach, and Mozart sparked a creative joy and purpose in Dan. Whether it was practicing, performing, or simply listening, this pursuit served as the soundtrack to his life and filled the rooms of his family’s home.

Dan will be remembered by those who knew and loved him as a kind and sensitive man with a keen sense of humor. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Naomi; his son, Ofer (Dalia) Oppenheim and their four children, Bina, David, Yoav, and Yossi; his daughter, Michelle (Paul) Masini, and their three daughters – Gabby, Sophie, and Charlie – and three sons, Jake, Henry, and Will; and, his son, Ron (Jared Wood) Oppenheim.

A burial service will take place at Mishkan Tefila Memorial Park, 2605 Centre Street, West Roxbury, on October 12, 2025. No flowers or donations are necessary.