obituaries

Obituaries from page 57

Israeli War Hero Founded Sar-El Fashion 'Fixture' Dies At 95

He was credited with playing a key role in
the battle of Mitla Pass in the 1956 war in
the Sinai and 11 years later in the Six-Day
haron Davidi, one of Israel's first
War in the capture of Sharm El-Sheik.
paratroopers and a contemporary
A different Haaretz writer noted that
of Israeli founding fathers such
Davidi's death "went by quietly, and the man
who was admired by genera-
as Moshe Dayan and Ariel
Sharon, died Feb. 11, 2012, at
tions of combat soldiers for
age 84.
his humble and impressive
Israeli Defense Minister
personality seemed to be
Ehud Barak described Davidi,
forgotten" in the media storm
a retired brigadier general, as
when Whitney Houston died.
In the 1982 First Lebanon
"a leading combat officer, one
of the molders of the IDF's
War, Davidi founded an organi-
fighting force, who made an
zation that brought non-Israeli
volunteers to the country to
outstanding contribution to
the shaping of IDF combat
help with agricultural harvests
norms, with an emphasis on
in the Golan that became Sar-
leadership under fire in the
El, the national project for
Brig. Gen. A haron Davidi
face of the enemy"
volunteers for Israel. Sar-El,
Davidi was born in Tel Aviv in 1927
still in operation, has brought thousands of
and served in the pre-state Haganah and
volunteers in the intervening 30 years.
Palmach. In Israel's War of Independence he
In an unfortunate coincidence, Vade
fought in the Negev. In Israel's early years,
Bolton, chairman of Sar-El's American affili-
he joined the paratroopers as an officer in
ate, Volunteers for Israel, died in December
fabled Unit 101, commanded by Sharon.
2011.
Haaretz said Davidi "distinguished himself
Davidi was associated with right-wing
as a military leader" who was "bold, pru-
politics in his later years. In 2010, he won
dent, modest" and respected by colleagues.
the Moskowitz Prize for Zionism. ❑

Alan D. Abbey

JTA

A

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Obituaries

iraKaufman.com

Man D. Abbey

JTA

N

ew York fashion world "fix-
ture" Zelda Kaplan died Feb.
15, 2012, at age 95 after col-
lapsing while attending a runway show
during the city's annual Fashion Week.
The New York Times said Kaplan
"exited this world much as she had
lived in it for the last four decades or
so of her 95 years — as an inimitable
fixture on fashion's front lines and an
inveterate club-goer in Manhattan."
She celebrated her 95th birthday
at the Gramercy Park Hotel and was
at the reopening of the trendy XL
Club in Manhattan in January. She
was a "strikingly dressed regular" at
Manhattan fashion and society events
for decades.
"When Zelda was in the room, you
knew it was an occasion," said fashion
consultant Patrick McDonald. "Her lust
for life was unbelievable _
New York magazine called her a
"beloved party animal" and celebrated

Zelda Kaplan

her life with a slide show picturing
her at glitterati events and benefits
for organizations such as Playboy and
Bulgari, and with celebrities such as
Snoop Dogg, Jennifer Romano and
Heather Graham, among others.
She was born Zelda Berkowitz on a
horse farm in Flemington, N.J., to what
she once said was a "conventional and
middle-class" life that was boring. She
was married three times and attended
South Jersey Law School. The story of
her transition from housewife to New
York party fixture was told in the 2003
HBO filin Her- Name Is Zelda, which
brought her national attention. 111