Rita Pistiner

Rita Pistiner was born in Pinar del Rio and raised in Havana, Cuba. Throughout her youth, Rita participated in the Hashomer Hatzair Movement. After the death of her father Moishe Pistiner in 1947, Rita spend a lot of time helping in the family store. As a teenager, Rita started working as an administrative assistant for an architect before joining a kibbutz in Hightstown and later moving to Israel. In Kibbutz Gaaton, Rita ran the infant center for 0-6 month olds and learned Hebrew.

Rita moved to New York in 1963 to care for her ailing mother Judith Pistiner. She earned her undergraduate degree in sociology from the City University program and attended The School of Social Work in Barruch College before becoming an administrative assistant in the Bank Leumi and later the Orthodox Union. Rita became a regular at the Metropolitan Opera, the Symphony Orchestra and the New York City Ballet. Rita frequently returned to Israel and boldly travelled the world, visiting various countries in Asia, Europe, and South America.

Fiercely independent until stricken by dementia in 2012, Rita Pistiner prided herself on being an Upper West-Side New Yorker. Her family is grateful that in her last years of life, she was blessed with kind and joyful caretakers (Angelica, Suyapa, Indira, Maricela and Maria) who made the most of every moment, laughed together, and kept her nails looking beautiful. Rita Pistiner is survived by her brothers Felipe and David Pistiner, sister-in-law Donna Pistiner, neices and nephews Adam, Janna, Michael, Pam, Rebecca and Craig, and great nieces and nephews Scott, Ben, Jack, Henry, Julia and Nicholas. May her memory be a blessing for all who knew her.

The funeral service for Rita will be held Sunday, March 8, 2020 at 10:00 AM at I. J. Morris, 21 E Deer Park Rd, Dix Hills, New York 11746. Following the funeral service will be an interment at 12:30 PM at Mount Lebanon Cemetery, 189 Gill Lane, Iselin, NJ.

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