Rabbi David Michael Feldman

Remembering Rabbi Dr. David M. Feldman – Bioethicist and Mensch
By David E. Y. Sarna
After a decades-long fight with the Angel of Death, Rabbi Dr. David M. Feldman, a world-renowned bioethicist, accepted a position in the Yeshiva on High.

His funeral was held in Teaneck, NJ at his long-time Synagogue, the Jewish Center, on November 30, 2014. He was 85.

The world lost a scholar, and an expert in bioethics. Teaneck lost a Rabbi, and many of us lost a mensch, a mentor and a dear friend.

By the time we moved to Teaneck in 1982, Rabbi Feldman was well-known to me from his important 1968 book Birth Control in Jewish Law: Marital Relations, Contraception, and Abortion As Set Forth in the Classic Texts of Jewish Law, the first to systematically address this controversial topic. Other books included Where There's Life, There's Life, an Ode to the Sanctity of Life and Health and Medicine in the Jewish Tradition: L'Hayyim--To Life (Health/Medicine and the Faith Traditions). He was Editor of The Compendium on Medical Ethics.

Rabbi Feldman was widely consulted by hospitals on end-of-life issues. He spoke and also wrote on issues of homosexuality, abortion and assisted reproduction. He tirelessly made the point that Judaism takes a far more liberal attitude than Christianity toward sex, marriage, procreation, contraception and abortion.

Rabbi Feldman was ordained at Yeshiva University, where he also earned a Masters degree. He earned his PhD at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. A former Chaplain in the United States Air Force, he was on the Faculty of the School of Chaplains of the New York Board of Rabbis and served as Visiting Associate Professor at the Jewish Theological Seminary. He was a Founding Fellow of the Hastings Institute of Society, Ethics, and the Life Sciences and a member of the Editorial Advisory of the Encyclopedia of Bioethics, sponsored by the Kennedy Institute. He also served on the Bio-Medical Ethics Committee of Hackensack University Medical Center and on the Board of Trustees of the New York Society for the Deaf. For many years, he served as Chairman of the Committee of Medical Ethics of the UJA-Federations and was named Rabbi of the Year by the New York Board of Rabbis. Earlier in his career, he was the Rabbi of Bay Ridge Jewish Center in Brooklyn for many years.

For me, Rabbi Feldman was primarily a mentor and a family friend. The families go back a long time. His wife's father was my father's teacher in England, and my father, Prof. Nahum M. Sarna valued his friendship.

I remember him always as a happy person, never complaining or focusing on the many medical issues that afflicted him for decades. I remember him as a wonderful dinner companion. When he spoke at my son's Bar Mitzvah, he succeeded in relating to a nervous young man more interested in the success of his beloved UNC Tar Heels, while at the same time resonating with the many Rabbis and scholars in attendance.

Rabbi Feldman is survived by his wife Aviva, sons Rabbis Daniel and Jonathan Feldman, daughter Rebecca Becker of Jerusalem, sisters Goldie Fendel, Miriam Landau, and Trude Feldman, and many grandchildren.

David E Y Sarna is a writer and former entrepreneur. He has six published books including Evernote For Dummies, V2, has nearly completed his first novel, about the Jewish treasures in the Vatican's secret archives and is hard at work on a book about the Talmud for general readers.

© 2014 by David E Y Sarna. All Rights Reserved.

Rabbi Feldman was an extremely learned person with a wonderfully warm and giving personality I knew him from his years in Bay Ridge.
regretfully we have since then lost contact with each other
"chaval al deabdin....."
Rabbi Leon B. Fink

Both personally, and on behalf of Boys Town Jerusalem, we mourn the passing of Rabbi Feldman, a rabbi to all and a friend to all. Like the Torah, his ways were ways of pleasantness and all of his paths were those of peace. He was a renowned scholar having published published works on such important topics as medical ethics and the sanctity of life. He was a compassionate and caring person whose soft spoken words brought comfort and cheer where there had only been sadness and despair.Rabbi Feldman was both a valued member of our extended Boys Town family and a cherished personal friend. He will be sorely missed, but never forgotten. We extend heartfelt condolences to Rabbi Feldman's dear wife Aviva, who was not just his partner in life, but his ezer k'negdo in all of his endeavors. To the entire Feldman family, Ha'Makom y'nachem eschem b'soch sha'arey aveley Tzion v'Yerushalayim.

Rabbi Ronald Gray
EX VP
Boys Town Jerusalem

Rabbi Feldman was one of those wise souls whose presence would brighten up the whole room. He was both an inspiring speaker and a deep and insightful scholar, and his talks were always well worth closely listening to. And at the same time, he always smiled and made everyone welcome. Rabbi Feldman was the first to really ground me in the principles of Judaism. His memory is an inspiration!

We were very sad to hear of the passing of Rabbi. We can only remember everything good and nice about him.
Abe and Ann Solomon and Family

So sad to hear of Rabbi Feldman's passing. He was always smiling to the point where I couldn't even tell what color his eyes were, his cheeks scrunched up so much his eyes barely showed. My fondest memory of him was at my wedding. We chose to get married on the longest Saturday of the year (June 20) and couldn't begin the ceremony until after sunset, of course. Well... Rabbi Feldman, being a close friend of my parents, Ed and Florence Ornstein, went on and on about them, my family, me, my sister to the point where I feared my anniversary would be June 21!! I kept pointing to my watch, but he was undeterred. Finally, minutes before midnight, he declared us married! I think the sigh I gave was audible, but as usual, all he did was smile and wish us Mazel Tov!! A kind, wise, compassionate man he was, and will be missed.

We were profoundly saddened to hear of the passing of the great Rabbi Feldman. My family and I were Jewish Center congregants for over 25 years. My children attended the Jewish Center Hebrew School and celebrated their bar and bat mitzvahs there under Rabbi Feldman's inspirational guidance. He was not only a scholarly and moving speaker, but also made time to listen to even the smallest concerns; bringing us comfort during difficult times. We greatly admired him and could count on his wise counsel. Being in his congregation enriched our lives, and made a great difference to us, as well as to the others in the community. His memory will be truly cherished, and he will be greatly missed.

Our prayers and love go to his wonderful family, Aviva, Daniel, Jonathan, and Rebecca

I was profoundly saddened to hear of the passing of the great Rabbi Feldman. My family were Jewish Center congregants for over 25 years. My children attended the Jewish Center Hebrew School and celebrated their bar and bat mitzvahs there under his inspirational leadership. Rabbi Feldman was not only a scholarly and moving speaker, but also made time to listen to even the smallest concerns; bringing us comfort during difficult times. We greatly admired him and could count on his wise counsel. Being in his congregation enriched our lives, and he made a great difference to us, as well as to the others in the community. His memory will be truly cherished, and he will be greatly missed.

Our love, thoughts, and prayers are with his wonderful family; Aviva, Daniel, Jonathan, and Rebecca

I'm sorry for your loss. May you find comfort knowing that God is near you and is a refuge during time.
Psalms 9:9

It is with profound sadness that I learned of Rabbi David M. Feldman's passing. I knew him over many decades and greatly admired him. My husband and I extend our heartfelt condolences to his wonderful wife Aviva and the entire family.
May the family be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
Civia and John Mclean