Dr. Daniel Levitan

Our community sadly lost Dr. Daniel Levitan, a beloved physician, father, brother, grandfather and friend. After a difficult battle with cancer, Daniel died peacefully in Burbank, California on February 28, 2023 (7th of Adar, 5783). He was 70 years old.

Daniel was a man of science and Jewish faith who loved family, friends, baseball, music and humor. His character was loyal, as he developed lifelong friendships that felt like an extension of the family. Daniel was the quintessential provider and the embodiment of responsibility and commitment. He had a strong moral compass and was known for his honesty, generosity and humility. He was in service to others and did not need much for himself as long as those around him were happy and cared for.

During his final days, Daniel received an outpouring of love from countless friends, family members and colleagues whose lives he touched. He was surrounded by expressions of gratitude and support. Daniel's family stayed by his side 24 hours a day. Daniel's illness coincided with an uncharacteristically stormy winter. There was snow in Los Angeles on the day that Daniel passed. However, it was a gorgeous sunny day during Daniel's funeral, two days later. Rabbi Yossi Baitelman led a moving service, which included beautiful eulogies from Daniel's family and friends. Daniel's son had an upright piano hauled to the cemetery so he could play an ode to his father and provide a heartfelt send-off.

Daniel was born on June 16, 1952 in Tel Aviv, Israel, to Dr. Ruven Levitan and Ilana Levitan (nee Rosenblum). Ilana's family was originally from Krakow, Poland and her ancestry traced back to well known rabbis and community leaders in Krakow. Ilana's grandparents were among the founders of Ra'anana, Israel. Ilana was conceived in the British Mandate of Palestine but was born in Poland for medical reasons. She returned to Ra'anana with her parents when she was 6 years old. Ilana was a trailblazer for women in physics in Israel, as she was the first female physicist at the Weitzman Institute. She went on to become a physicist at Columbia University and MIT, where she was the only female in the department at the time. Ruven was a Holocaust survivor from Kaunas (Kovno), Lithuania who managed to survive the war alone as a young teenager after his 2 year old sister was jailed by Nazi soldiers and after he was separated from his parents. He and his parents reunited after the war, though sadly his younger sister was never located. Ruven and Ilana met after the war, while they were both studying at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. They were married in December 1949 on the fourth night of Hanukkah, which their son Daniel always commemorated. Ruven attended medical school on an accelerated track and went on to become one of the earliest physicians to be board certified in both Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology. He was the Chairman of Gastroenterology at the VA Hospital in Chicago, affiliated with the University of Illinois, and a professor of medicine who pursued research and teaching. He was a very hard worker who showed compassion for his patients and whose clinical and academic acumen inspired his son, Daniel. Ruven and Ilana were known for their accomplishments and also their modesty, disapproving of bragging. Ruven's mother (Daniel's grandmother), Dr. Yeta Ada Levitan, was also a physician. She was an obstetrician/gynecologist with an infertility specialty. She was known for her pro bono work in 1930s and 1940s Lithuania. Ruven's father (Daniel's grandfather), Nachum Levitan, was an attorney and community leader who wrote legal advice for the local newspaper. Nachum helped Jewish refugees from Germany and Poland obtain visas to resettle in Shanghai. He also personally met with the president of Lithuania to implore him to take action with the refugee crisis. Even in the 1930s, long before Daniel was born, his grandparents Nachum and Dr. Yeta Ada Levitan were known to have an open house, welcoming everyone, hosting parties and being a warm place for friends to land. Going farther back in time, Daniel was descended from rabbis. Rabbi Zvi Hirsch Levitan, Daniel's great great grandfather, co-founded the famous Slobadka Yeshiva. Daniel's last name, Levitan, is a reference to being descended from the biblical Levite tribe.

Daniel's legacy in many ways echoed the same spirit that his family exuded before him. Daniel was a beloved and incredibly hardworking physician like his father and his paternal grandmother. Like his ancestors, Daniel had an impressive academic and professional career and yet carried himself with the utmost humility. Like his ancestors, Daniel's life was centered around a sense of quiet leadership and devotion to community care. Like his ancestors, Daniel's home was known as a safe landing spot for countless friends and family, as well as the site of memorable parties.

Daniel's birthday in June marked many significant chapters in his life. He and his parents arrived in the United States on June 15, 1956, the day before his fourth birthday, after a two week journey from Haifa to New York City on a ship called Zion. The family lived in Manhattan for two years, during which time Daniel's father completed a medical fellowship at Mount Sinai Medical Hospital and Sloan-Kettering Memorial Medical Center and his mother worked as a physicist at Columbia University. Incredibly, Daniel's babysitter during that time was the grandmother of his future wife, Eilat, who lived in Israel and did not meet her future husband until they were both adults. Eilat's relatives in Manhattan not only provided babysitting for Daniel, they also helped the family find their apartment and enroll Daniel in elementary school. Eilat grew up in Israel hearing about Daniel and his parents but she did not have an opportunity to meet him for many years.

As an adult, Daniel surprised Israelis by speaking with native Hebrew fluency despite immigrating to the United States during early childhood. He credited his mother Ilana for spending many hours practicing Hebrew with him. Daniel also credited his mother for teaching him science and critical thinking skills, not to automatically accept simplistic answers and conclusions of others. Finally, Daniel appreciated his mother Ilana for choosing his name. In his own words, "My mother saved me from having a name that people would make fun of. My grandmother on my father's side wanted me to be named Dov, after my great grandfather. Dov in Hebrew means bear. My mother realized that Levitan in Hebrew is spelled the same as Liviatan, which is a whale. So Dov Levitan would sound like someone in a zoo. Instead I was called Daniel."

Daniel and his parents moved to Boston when he was 6 years old. He spent his formative childhood years there and carried a love of Boston throughout his life. Daniel was a lifelong Boston Red Sox fan. When he wasn't working, baseball was his passion. Daniel attended many World Series games, including once sneaking into a game. He also attended the Olympics and playoff games for several sports. Daniel was a runner and he enjoyed sprinting across the Golden Gate Bridge when he visited San Francisco. He prioritized experiences over things, especially sharing those experiences with friends and family.

Daniel was on an accelerated academic track, starting with his parents' decision to have him skip kindergarten. His family moved to Chicago during the summer between his junior and senior year of high school. Daniel graduated from Niles North High School in June 1969, shortly before his 17th birthday. He participated in his high school chess team. Daniel went on to obtain a BA in biology from Northwestern University in three years. He graduated in June 1972, shortly before his 20th birthday. During his time at Northwestern, Daniel started a baseball team that he affectionately named the Nebbishes ("losers" in Yiddish). Daniel subsequently participated in an accelerated three year track at Rush Medical College, Rush University. He obtained his MD in June 1975, at the incredibly young age of 22 (almost 23). Daniel moved to Los Angeles shortly after graduation and completed his residency, internship, and fellowship training at the University of Southern California. He lived in Los Angeles for the remainder of his life.

Daniel was a brilliant and thorough physician who worked in nephrology, a very cerebral and time-intensive branch of medicine. In 1981 he entered private practice at Saint Joseph Medical Center. He was also the medical director for DaVita Dialysis Center in Burbank and in North Hollywood. In addition to working long shifts and rarely taking vacation days throughout his career, Daniel took phone calls on nights and weekends from family, friends and even friends of friends who sought medical advice. He was affectionately known as Dr. Danny or just Dr., as he supported so many of us who were navigating anything from major medical crises to worrying about a baby with a cold. Daniel was so devoted to his patients that he continued to work as long as he was able to, even seeing patients via telehealth while he was battling cancer. Daniel passed away at the same hospital where he had spent so much of his professional life. During his hospital stay, physicians, nurses and other staff members were eager to share what a bright, compassionate and patient physician he was, as well as a mentor and friend to his colleagues. One physician shared that Daniel was honest and focused on what is best for patients, not what is best for insurance or easier for physicians. A surgeon who worked with Daniel for many years shared that Dr. Levitan is the kind of doctor one aspires to be. Daniel wasn't a doctor, he was THE doctor.

After knowing of Eilat (nee Gordin) for many years, Daniel finally met her in 1976 and was immediately smitten. He put her on a pedestal and was willing to do anything for her. Eilat says that when she met Daniel, she was the luckiest woman in the world. They married on October 2, 1977 in Los Angeles and had five children: Carmel, Alon, Ron, Oren and Talia. Daniel loved babies, diapering all his children at a time when that was uncommon for fathers. He was known as a baby whisperer and exuded joy when he played with his children, nieces, nephews, and many years later, his grandchildren. He had a close bond with his children during their adulthood as well.

Daniel was known as Aba ("father" in Hebrew), not just by his children but also by their friends. He felt like Aba to so many people. In addition to his five children, many friends lived at Daniel and Eilat's house through the years. Before they were married, she told him that she would only marry him if their house could always be open to guests. Reluctantly, he said yes, so long as he wouldn't have to drive anyone to and from the airport. In the long run, he loved having them and even liked them better after they stayed. Their house was always a place where everyone was welcome and could be themselves. Even at the height of the AIDS crisis when being part of the LGBTQ+ community was highly stigmatized, his house was open. Daniel also welcomed newcomers, opening his home to immigrants and helping them get situated. Gatherings such as Passover often had a giant ragtag of guests. Daniel was a cultural anchor who loved hosting holiday events and patiently taught traditions to rowdy children. He also had a silly uninhibited side and an adventurous spirit, which made him a wonderful father. Daniel accepted people for who they are, quirks and all, and he loved to dole out nicknames. When Daniel's children were teenagers, he carried himself with the utmost patience, coming home after a long day at work to find the house filled with their exuberant friends. True to form, rather than get frustrated with the horde of teenage baboons in the house, Daniel would politely ask what game they are watching on television and join the group. Several of those former teenagers who were extensions of the family are now parents themselves and have said that they aspire to be as welcoming and kind towards their children's friends as Daniel was towards them.

Daniel was typically an introverted and reserved person and yet his dancing was legendary. He delighted his friends who discovered that when the groove hit him, he danced with unbridled elation. Daniel's unique ability to have uninhibited fun and enjoy special occasions to the fullest brought happiness to everyone around him. One of the greatest gifts anybody received was the honor of bearing witness to Daniel dancing to the Ghostbusters theme song at a wedding or Bar Mitzvah. Daniel also had the greatest bellowing laugh, full of exuberance, thunderous joy, silliness and pure merriment. Daniel's laugh filled the whole world. It will be deeply missed.

Daniel worked and worked but he never tired. He somehow never burnt out, applying his athletic endurance towards his devotion to patient care. His dedication to others was endless. He never washed his hands of anybody or anything. He acted as though he was responsible for everybody's wellbeing in such a fashion that we can never know the full extent of his impact: through saving lives, putting a roof over so many heads and providing decades of philanthropic support, medical advice and other acts of kindness. Daniel was a congregant and dear friend of Chabad Jewish Center of Studio City since its founding 23 years ago. He was eager to support the congregation in every way he could. He continuously gave to others but in a quiet and modest way, never expecting anything in return and never announcing it. Daniel donated to many more charities than even his family was aware of during his life. He was a true mensch.

There is so much Daniel taught the world. One of the most important lessons is to truly enjoy life. As the child of a Holocaust survivor and as a physician, Daniel bore witness to tragedy, grief, suffering, pain and disease. However, he focused his energy towards helping others, experiencing unbridled happiness and living life to the fullest. Daniel was exemplary of this. He made everyone around him feel special because he felt we all are. His laugh and his dancing made everyone smile around him. As we reflect on Daniel's legacy, let us remember his kindness, dedication and pure joy.

Dr. Daniel Levitan is survived by his wife of almost 46 years, Eilat, five children, five grandchildren and two brothers. May his memory be a blessing.