Shiva Trays Obituaries are updated daily and archived on JN Online: www.detroitjewishnews.com When Sorry is Not Enough (Meat or Daky) and Corn p lete Dinners Shiva Baskets & • Chocolates and Nuts (nuts salted or unsalted) •Kosher Candy •Dried Fruit •Pastries •Sugar-Free Candy NIBBLES Si NUTS He Was A Very Easy Fellow To Love' S DAVID SACHS Editorial Assistant . tephen Levitz — a Southfield contractor, businessman and driving force behind the con- struction of many Orthodox Jewish schools and institutions — died Feb. 7 at age 48. Mr. Levitz came to the Detroit area in 1975, learned the construction business from a relative and underwent a spiritual awakening. "He was a man of great gusto, blending the spiritual , Stephen and human side wonderfully." • said his friend, Hospice of • Michigan Rabbi Bunny Freedman. Mr. Levitz was contractor for the conversion of the former B'nai Moshe building in Oak Park into the Sally Allen Alexander Beth Jacob School for Girls in 1991 and its renovations in 1996. He remodeled the Yeshiva Beth Yehudah in Southfield and was in the middle of the conversion of the former Beth Achim building into the new • Akiva Hebrew Day School in Southfield when he died. He was also helping plan a new Yeshiva Beth Yehudah preschool in Southfield. Mr. Levitz built the Young Israel of Southfield social hall. He did interior construction work on the Bais Chabad Torah Center in West Bloomfield. "The building of these institutions, without personal gain or profit, was a 13 major part of his life," said Rabbi Freedman. Mr. Levitz, diagnosed with cancer in August, continued to have meetings with architects on the Akiva project. His last business meeting was on the planning of the new Yeshiva preschool. The conversion of the former B'nai Moshe synagogue into a school was complicated and he came up with inno- :D vative ideas to accomplish it. He nearly lived in the building then. "He saw something that wasn't and then envisioned what could be — and then went ahead and did it," said Rabbi Freedman. "Whenever a local bank would be presented with a charity project and saw Steve listed as general contractor, it would go a long way to ease the bank's mind," recalls Rabbi Dov Loketch. Mr. Levitz, a native of Fairfield, Conn., came to the Detroit area 23 years ago to visit his cousin, builder and real estate developer Michael Roth of Dembs-Roth Construction Co. in Southfield. He stayed, learned the construction busi- ness and went out on his own, building warehouses in Livonia, Hamtramck and Detroit, and establishing B.J. Steel Processing Co. of Detroit and Jaimes Industries of Southfield. He not only "found" himself eco- nomically in Detroit, he intensified his spirituality through friendships in the Orthodox Jewish community. Rabbi Elimelech Silberberg of Bais Chabad of West Bloomfield remembers Mr. Levitz as part of the founding nucleus of his synagogue in 1976. "The spark for observant Judaism was always there," recalls Rabbi Silberberg. "We were just at the right place at Levitz the right time. He was a leader. He would walk three miles on Shabbat and act as chazzan for Shacharit and Musaf He was the first member to put a tit/is over his head." As a teen, Mr. Levitz belonged to the National Conference of Synagogue Youth (NCSY). In recent years, he was a key fund-raiser, hosting an NCSY annu- al breakfast in his home and establishing the Mildred Levitz Scholarship Fund, named in memory of his late mother, to send youth on summer learning pro- grams in Israel. Mr. Levitz served on the board of directors of the Hebrew Benevolent Society and Yeshiva Beth Yehudah, where he was chairman of the building committee. His friend, Rabbi Boruch Levin of the Hebrew Memorial Chapel in Oak Park, said Mr. Levitz had a quick mind and when serving on boards and corn- mittees, could solve problems and juggle projects effortlessly. He took his learn- ing, davening, family and life seriously. He was a very easy fellow to love." Rabbi Freedman said the vigil at his bedside was a "profoundly spiritual thing. The last two weeks, there was round-the-clock prayer, sometimes including a minyan. Rabbis, relatives and friends were steadily at his side. He never spent the night alone." Mr. Levitz is survived by his wife, Chayala; father, Harold of Fairfield, Conn.: sons, Avi Pesis, Daniel Levitz, Shimmie Pesis, Chaim Levitz; daugh- ters, Jaime Levitz, Nechi Levitz; broth- ers and sisters-in-law, Joel and Leslie Levitz of Fairfield, Conn., Stuart and Judy Levitz of Orange, Conn. Contributions may be made to Yeshiva Beth Yehudah, P.O. Box 2044, Southfield, MI 48037; National Conference of Synagogue Youth, 15919 W. 10 Mile Rd., Southfield, MI 48075; Young Israel of Southfield, 27705 Lahser, Southfield, MI 48075. Interment at Hebrew Memorial Park. ❑ AT THE VINEYARDS (248) 855-9463 (248) 737-8088 Fax: 626-8468 Toll Free: I -877-GIFTS-88 32418 Northwestern Hwy., Be t. Middlebelt and 14 Mile Road Monuments & Markers • Monument Duplicating HEBREW MEMORMLS BY: HEBREW MEMORIAL CHAPEL frinb Yarob set a pillar upon ber grabe: tbal is tbe pillar of 3keiret's grane unto t4is bap Otnesis SERVING ALL CEMETERIES (248) 543-3874 Fax #(248) 543-7421 26640 Greenfield Rd. Oak Park, MI 48237 Expert Consultation - Select Quality Granite The membership of NCSY wishes to express their deepest sympathy to Daniel, Avi, Shimmy & the entire Levitz family on the Passing of Stephen Levitz A" H May his memory continue to inspire you forever Nathan Gonik Detroit Chapter President Rhonda Spector Regional President MONUMENT CENTER INC. "Same Location 45 Years" (77:1 - 111 • Monuments and Markers • Bronze Markers • Memorial Duplicating • Cemetery Lettering & Cleaning CEMETERY INSTALLATI ON ANYWHERE IN MICHIGAN Call 248-542-8266 661 E. 8 MILE ROAD FERNDALE 1 1/2 blocks East of Woodward 2/12 1999