John E. Itzhaki

John E. Itzhaki of North Caldwell, NJ, passed away on Monday May 19, leaving the world
brighter and richer than when he entered it 62 years ago.
Born in Brooklyn, NY to Edward and Linda (nèe Meyers) Itzhaki, John was raised in Canarsie
and lived in Massapequa before settling in North Caldwell 19 years ago. His deep, gravelly voice
and thick New York accent might have made strangers assume John was a no-nonsense "tough
guy", and his NYPD badge backed that up. But anyone who spent a minute with this 9/11 rescuer
quickly learned he was the kindest of gentlemen. A man with a devotion to helping others, in
1983 at the age of 20, John began his career in law enforcement, although he was too young to
purchase his own gun. He attained the rank of Sergeant and proudly served NYPD. On 9/11, the
world saw the kind of man John was when he ran towards the World Trade Center, while all of
New York City was running the opposite direction. Years later, a dedication to helping others
called John to his second career as a registered nurse with Mount Sinai Hospital in New York
City. There, he worked with men and women gripped by mental illness. His support for strangers
was only surpassed by his endless dedication to family.
John found the love of his life in fellow officer Sylvia (nèe Torres) Itzhaki, who long had
claimed she would never date a fellow cop. She broke her own rules when she met this
motorcycle enthusiast who talked about his Harley Davidson in one sentence, and could muse
about a book on all things New York Mafia in the next. 26 years later, John leaves behind his
beloved Sylvia, and his cherished children, Alyssa Itzhaki and twins, Olivia and Aaron Itzhaki.
Here was a father who worked long hours in a taxing career but always found time to prioritize
each family member. He debated politics with Alyssa, cheered with his booming voice from the
sidelines of Olivia's soccer games and listened with pride at Aaron's percussion performances.
He taught them about Johnny Cash and Led Zeppelin Radio and they taught him new depths of
love and happiness.
Dear brother of Leora Itzhaki, Dahlia Glancy and Michael Itzhaki and husband Marc Lopez.
Cherished uncle of Noah, Christopher, Tracey, Tamara, Andrew and Kevin. John is also
survived by a loving extended family of grand nieces, grand nephews, in-laws and cousins. And
when John made friends, he made them for life, no matter how far the distance. He spoke
regularly with his cousins in Israel and his High School buddies until his final days.
The family will receive relatives and friends Tuesday, May 20, 2025, 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. with a
6:30 p.m. service at Shook's Cedar Grove Funeral Home, 486 Pompton Avenue, Cedar Grove,
NJ. Cremation will be private. Memories and condolences may be shared at shookscedargrove.com.
For those unable to attend in person, the service will be live-streamed at the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81055262144?pwd=8rwriFNbhLbcxrsbtPRuoFeaW5GDzB.1
In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of John to The Lymphoma Research Foundation, Wall
Street Plaza, 88 Pine Street, Suite 2400, New York, NY 10005 or https://lymphoma.org would be
appreciated.