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Obituaries

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Rebbe Of The Deaf

David Sachs

Senior Copy Editor

D

avid Rabinowitz — a seventh-
generation descendent of
Chasidic Judaism's founder,
the Baal Shem Tov — ironically couldn't
pursue Jewish studies in a yeshivah
growing up in his native Brownsville
neighborhood of Brooklyn, N.Y.
There were no yeshivot for deaf stu-
dents in the 1920s.
The fact that David persevered
against enormous odds to became an
Orthodox rabbi — the first such deaf
rabbi in America — was a huge accom-
plishment.
Rabbi Rabinowitz spent the rest of
his life teaching hearing-impaired stu-
dents the essence of Judaism. And he
clung to his lifelong dream of estab-
lishing a unique yeshivah for the deaf.
"He wanted to use his hearing
impairment to help others," said
granddaughter Rochel Lea Groundland
of Oak Park. "It was a long road for
him growing up."
Two of the deaf students he was
devoted to were his grandsons, Chaim
Tzvi Kakon and Eli Kakon. Rabbi
Rabinowitz and his wife, Lyba, moved
to Denver and later to Oak Park to
be near their grandchildren and to
nurture them. They also resided in
Baltimore where Chaim Tzvi ran a
camp for deaf students.
Rabbi Rabinowitz lived to see Chaim

JEROME HARRISON
BEITNER, 71, of Oak Park, died
Jan. 16, 2007.
He is survived by his sons
and daughters-in-law, Tod and
Pat Beitner of Grandville, Mich.,
Marc Beitner of Oak Park, Noel
and Toni Beitner of Southfield;
brother, Seymour Beitner of
Jackson; grandchildren, Megan,
Brittney, Shayna, Rachel, Elexis.
He was the beloved husband of
the late Judith Ann Beitner.
Contributions may be made to
the Juvenile Diabetes Association.
Interment at Hebrew Memorial
Park. Arrangements by Hebrew
Memorial Chapel.

CHARLES BLAUER, 81, of
Oak Park, died Jan. 20, 2007.
He is survived by his sons
and daughters-in-law, Barry
and Ellen Blauer of Huntington
Woods, Paul and Sally Meitz

80

January 25 2007

Tzvi become a rabbi and fulfill his
ultimate dream — opening a Jewish
school for the deaf. Rabbi Kakon
named the Toronto yeshivah Nefesh
Dovid, the Soul of David, in honor of
the visionary who did so much for him
and for deaf Jewish students every-
where.
Rabbi Rabinowitz, of Oak Park, died
Jan.17, 2007, at age 89. He had bat-
tled Parkinson's disease for the past
several years.
The rabbi's father, Rabbi Shmuel
Avraham Rabinowitz, a descendent

Rabbi David Rabinowitz

Blauer of Munith, Mich.; daugh-
ters and sons-in-law, Sandra and
Robert Blattberg of Little Neck,
N.Y., Avra and Blair Williams
of Westerville, Ohio; grand-
children, Jody Blattberg, Adam
and Christina Blattberg, Eric
Blattberg, Matthew and Many
Teffi Blauer, Jennifer and Toby
Kmet, Heather Blauer, James
Blauer, Gabriel Blauer, Joanna
Blauer, Caleb Williams, Sarah
Williams; great-grandchildren,
Emily, Ashley, Claire, Lazarus,
Dexter. He was the beloved hus-
band of the late Diana Blauer;
loving grandfather of the late
Lisa Blattberg.
Contributions may be made
to Hebrew Benevolent Society
or to a charity of one's choice.
Interment at Hebrew Memorial
Park. Arrangements by Hebrew
Memorial Chapel.

of the Baal Shem Tov, was a Chasidic
mystic known as the "Brownsviller
Rebbe" who held court and offered
blessings in early 20th-century New
York. On his mother's side, David also
was also of distinguished lineage, a
descendent of the Ropshitz dynasty of
Chasidic rabbanim.
When he walked the streets of Oak
Park his tall, straight posture sug-
gested a regal aura.
"He was a very charismatic per-
son," said his granddaughter. "He was
a very handsome man with piercing
blue eyes. He was very charming and
always attracted a crowd of other deaf
people.
"My grandfather started an organi-
zation for youth to learn about their
heritage — so they'd have their own
activities to discover the beauty of
Shabbos and the beauty of Judaism.
"He ran services for the deaf on the
High Holidays. These were the first
opportunity that many deaf people
had to express themselves and to pray
properly."
Although some would label Rabbi
Rabinowitz as mute, he had varied
ways of communicating including
American Sign Language.
"He had an easy way of express-
ing himself," said his granddaughter.
"Anything he was thinking was so
clear to see on his face. He was very
expressive and always so warm. His
big smile reached his eyes."
In Detroit, one place Rabbi
Rabinowitz worshipped was the Kollel
Institute in Oak Park. He was also a
member of Bais Haknesses Hagrah, a

DR. MARILYN
(GROSSBERG) FEDER, of
Riverwoods, Ill., died Jan. 11,
2007. She was a respected psy-
chiatrist in the Chicago area. She
will be deeply missed by friends
and family.
Dr. Feder is survived by her
children, Dr. Joseph (Betty),
Steve (Catherine), Carol Ann
Levis of Canton; grandchildren,
David, Aliza, Alex, Zoe; brother,
Sid (Ingrid) Grossberg of West
Bloomfield; niece and nephew,
Alex, Emily (Peter); she was the
great-aunt of Parker.
Services were held at Shalom
Memorial Funeral Home, 1700 W.
Rand Road, Arlington Heights Ill.
Interment at Shalom Memorial
Park. Contributions may be
made to the University of Texas
M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
Annual Fund, P.O. Box 4486,
Houston, Texas 77210-4486.

shtiebel in an Oak Park home led by

Rabbi Boruch Levin. The congrega-
tion was founded by Rabbi Mordechai
Wolmark, now of Monsey, N.Y.
"Rabbi Rabinowitz was a warm, car-
ing, sensitive individual," said Rabbi
Wolmark. "He showed respect for
others and, as a result, people had
tremendous respect for him.
"Despite the handicaps that he lived
with his whole life, he demonstrated
that man could overcome and achieve
greatness. He was an inspiration to
everyone in the synagogue.
"What was most striking about him
was that he was always happy. He was
a satisfied, content individual who
always was full of simchah, full of joy.
The way he performed the mitzvahs,
the way he davened, were a true inspi-
ration."
At the burial in New York, many deaf
former students of Rabbi Rabinowitz
offered praise to his family, credit-
ing him with keeping the students
observant and enabling them to raise
Jewish families.
Rabbi Rabinowitz is survived by
his wife, Lyba; son and daughter-in-
law, Shmuel and Leah Rabinowitz of
Israel; daughter and son-in-law, Joyce
and Rabbi Joseph Kakon of Oak Park;
many grandchildren and great-grand-
children.
Interment was at Mt. Judah
Cemetery in New York. Contributions
may be made to Yeshivas Nefesh
Dovid, 77 Stormont Ave., Toronto,
Ontario, Canada M5N 2C3.
Arrangements by Hebrew Memorial
Chapel. I I

MAE ALLER
FORSTADT,
93, of West
Bloomfield,
died Jan. 21,
2007.
She is sur-
vived by her
Forstadt
daughter and
son-in-law,
Shelly and Marvin Freedman
of West Bloomfield; son and
daughter-in-law, Michael and
Joyce Allier of West Bloomfield;
grandchildren, Laurie (Morrie)
Lefkowitz (and her former
spouse, Alan Bishop), Wendy
Mann, Jodi (Lindsay) Gross,
Joshua (Stephanie) Freedman,
Joseph Adler, Tracy (Marc)
Cohen, Tracey (Gregg) Sachs and
Matthew Aller; great-grandchil-
dren, Stacy (Craig), Chad, Adam,
Jacob, Nikki, Brandon, Matthew,
Alex, Brett, Darrin, Jacob, Bree

Bree, Dani, Jenna, Carly, Hannah,
Sammy, Ally and Sarah; great-
great-granddaughter, Molly;
many other loving family mem-
bers and friends. She was the
beloved wife of the late Joseph
Aller; sister of the late Sadie
Lipsky and Sammy Tunis.
Interment at Clover Hill Park
Cemetery. Contributions may be
made to a charity of one's choice.
Arrangements by Dorfman
Chapel.

TED FOX, 86, of Lincolnshire,
Ill., died Jan. 7, 2007.
He is survived by his beloved
wife, Gertrude "Gertie" Fox; chil-
dren, Karen and Steven Arnold of
Glenview, Andy and Ulrika Fox of
Germany; brothers and sister-in-
law, Hyman and Rose Fox of West
Bloomfield, Paul Fox of Oak Park;
sister, Lillian Freedland of Ann
Arbor; sister-in-law and brother-