Isidore Haiblum Obituary

1935 - 2012
ISIDORE HAIBLUM (1935-2012)

Isidore Haiblum -- writer, loving husband and great friend – was a gentle man known for his integrity, joie de vivre and sense of humor. He died peacefully at home (October 25, 2012) in New York City.

A quintessential New Yorker, Isidore grew up a Yiddish-speaker in a home that was filled with music, books and the sounds of Eastern European languages.

As a young man, Izzy, as he was known to his friends, showed the sharp intellect, boundless curiosity and vivid wit that characterized him as a person and as a writer. He delved into politics and was a champion of civil rights and social justice. He also developed a lifetime passion for music.

At City College of New York, he earned an honors degree for his knowledge of English literature and Yiddish, as well as his gifts as a writer. Despite an affinity for teaching, he chose the more difficult path of becoming an independent author. His 18-published novels carry the unmistakable mark of his quirky sense of humor and fine-tuned ear for languages. They also reflect his love for New York City and the miles Isidore walked as he worked out plots. His books have been translated into eight languages.

Isidore, a confirmed bachelor, married the love of his life and fellow author, Ruth Aleskovsky, in 1994. Unable to continue his work as a writer after suffering a stroke in 2008, Isidore, nonetheless, continued to demonstrate the courage, wit and unquenchable optimism that were the hallmarks of his character.

He is survived by his wife, Ruth, numerous friends and countless readers.

Join us in celebrating Isidore Haiblum's life on Saturday, November 10, at 1 p.m. in the Parlor Room, St. Paul and St. Andrew (SPSA), 86th Street and West End Avenue. RSVP: [email protected]

Isidore, Olev Hasholem, Go in Peace

Memorial gifts in Isidore Haiblum's name can be made to:
Concerts in Motion (www.concertsinmotion.org) or
Visiting Nurse Service of New York – In-Home Hospice Care (www.vnsny.org)

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by New York Times from Nov. 6 to Nov. 7, 2012.

Memories and Condolences
for Isidore Haiblum

6 Entries

Phyllis and Arthur Skoy

October 31, 2024

We continue to miss you. We share tender stories and funny stories of times with you. You were such a dear and good friend. Your photo sits next to my desk where I continue to write and think of you.

August 3, 2013

When I was 16, I stumbled across "The Tsaddik of the Seven Wonders" in a local bookshop.

The book was so delightful I did something unheard of for me...swallowed extreme shyness and wrote a fan letter.

Not only did Izzy write back, but we maintained a correspondance for many years. In the late '70s I visited New York with a friend and had dinner at Izzy's apartment - one of my fondest memories.

Izzy encouraged me to try writing and although I didn't feel equal to it at the time, have since gone on to publish my own humorous indie fantasy novels (on a small scale).

Time passes. I'm in my 50s now--a decade older than Izzy was when he befriended me. But I still treasure the letters and silly drawings he sent. My children now all know about Isidore Haiblum and his wonderful (under-appreciated) books. We quote the Tsaddik and the Wilk, and would like his friends and surviving relatives to know how much this witty, sweet man enriched our lives.

David Weissman

December 2, 2012

Isidore was my father's first cousin and he was in my life from some time in the mid 1960's. He had a wonderful smile and a great sense of humor and was eccentric in the very best sense of the word.

He usually came to our house for Rosh Hashonah and Pesach, often with whomever he was dating at the time. It was cool to have a cousin who was a real live published author. His stories always fascinated me, especially his obsession with Yiddish. I recall once visiting him in his place on E 91st St (where Rupert Towers are now), the first place I ever saw with a bathtub in the kitchen. He was always Isidore to me, and at a certain age, my sister and I were amused by the pun within his name.

As I got older, I learned about the drama between his parents and between his parents and their relatives.
My parents always hoped he's get married and "settle down", then kind of gave up, and then were pleasantly shocked when he finally married Ruth.

It was clear to me that having Ruth to share his life with made Isidore happy beyond his wildest dreams. I was so very happy for him, especially after remembering how alone and unattached he sometimes seemed. I look forward to my kids reading his books when they get older..

I will miss him greatly. May his memory always be for a blessing.

Phyllis Skoy

November 11, 2012

I always told Izzy that he was the cutest man in the universe, much to the chagrin of my adoring and adorable husband. Izzy made me laugh and was a best friend when I needed one. He and Ruth were the most romantic couple I've ever known. He will be carried always in our hearts.

November 7, 2012

I will miss Izzy, who arrived in my life when I first started editing Na'amat Woman Magazine more than 35 years ago.
He was a wonderful writer, a witty man, a great Yiddishist.
I will never forget our lunch with I.B. Singer.
Judith Sokoloff

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