Mitzi K Reisen

“Mitzi” Kalish Reisen, 90, of West Orange, NJ, died after a long illness on December 23, 2013. Funeral service will be held Thursday noon at Berheim Apter Kreitzman Funeral Chapel, 68 Old Short Hills Rd, Livingston. Inrterment will follow at Beth Israel Memorial Park, Woodbridge. Raised in Roselle Park, NJ, Mrs. Reisen lived in South Orange NJ for most of her life.She attended Northwestern University, and graduated from Barnard College as an English major. She married Clarence Reisen in 1944, and stood by his side while he took the spotlight as a community leader. Together, they led charitable work at the West Orange JCC (then known as the YM-YWHA) and the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest, raising money for Israel in the war torn years of the 60’s and 70’s (even hosting Moshe Dayan at their home), leading missions to Israel and Europe, helping the resettlement of Soviet Jews, chairing the campaigns to build the West Orange building, and serving as one of the initial chairs to combine Essex and Morris counties to form MetroWest. The Federation office building is named in memory of Mr. Reisen who died in 1984. Mitzi Reisen was also active in the American Jewish Committee, the National Council of Jewish Women, a life member of Hadassah and President of the Newstead School PTA. Mitzi Reisen was a Lion of Judah and a member of the Lester Society. The Reisens were founding members of Playhouse Nursery School in West Orange. Because Mitzi recited Yiddish poetry as a child on the radio, and Clarence’s uncle Abraham Reisen was a leading Yiddish poet, they shared a life-long love of the language, and were supporters of YIVO. The Reisens also led charitable efforts in Newark, chairing major philanthropic events for Symphony Hall, Friendly Fuld Neighborhood House and the Newark Museum, including memorable evenings with Sammy Davis Jr., and the great opera singer Marian Anderson. Mitzi Reisen enjoyed playing golf, tennis and bridge. She was a member of Mountain Ridge Country Club. Mitzi Reisen is survived by four children: Judith Skillman, Diane Schubert (Hermann), Henry Reisen (Ana Espinal) and Amy Freundlich (Larry). She had ten grandchildren, Ted Skillman (Belisa Balaban), Liz Rigg (Nick), Annie Kaplan (Sebastian), Michael Freundlich (Lindsey Powell), Laura Schubert (Dan Litchfield), Clarence William Reisen, Carl Schubert, Charlie Freundlich, Fred Reisen and Emily Schubert, and three great-grandchildren: Sage Skillman, Zoe and Juliette Kaplan. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest, 901 Route 10, Whippany, NJ 07981 or the American Jewish Committee, 225 Millburn Avenue, Millburn, NJ 07041, or a charity of your choice.