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MARION SHULEVITZ Obituary

SHULEVITZ--Rabbi Marion Ruth, passed away at her home in New York City on May 1, 2021, age 88, surrounded by family. Her funeral was held on May 2 at Riverside Cemetery in Saddle Brook, NJ. A brave Jewish feminist pioneer and activist, she entered rabbinical school at the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1984, at age 51, in the first class to include women. She graduated in 1989 and worked as a chaplain in hospitals, nursing homes, and hospice programs in New York City for 25 years. She was a devoted member of Congregation Ansche Chesed and several professional organizations, and a passionate fighter for egalitarian Judaism who was proud to get arrested at the Western Wall in Jerusalem for demanding women's right to wear prayer shawls and read from the Torah. Marion published essays in Conservative Judaism, Lilith, Shma, and The New York Times, and, along with her late husband William Shulevitz, donated generously to more Jewish causes than can be listed here. Marion was dedicated to her family, immediate and extended, and she inspired them with her courage and kindness. She will be keenly missed, especially by her three children, Deborah, Michael, and Judith; her children-in-law Ori Schwartzburg, Glenda Rosado, and Nicholas Lemann; and her five grandchildren, Alex and Rosa Schwartzburg, Oriana Shulevitz Rosado, and Moses and Josephine Lemann. Contributions may be made to Ansche Chesed (anschechesed.org), Jewish Theological Seminary (jtsa.edu), or Women of the Wall (womenofthewall.org.il).

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Published by New York Times on May 4, 2021.

Memories and Condolences
for MARION SHULEVITZ

3 Entries

Lloyd Newman

May 14, 2021

Marion’s family and mine were friends many years ago in Detroit. I grew up knowing Marion and was grateful that we kept in touch. She and Bill became a second family for my daughter Shawna when she moved to New York. I will always remember her kindness, intelligence, and dry wit. My heart goes out to her children and family.

The Rev. Curtis Hart

May 9, 2021

Marion was both a friend and an inspiration to me while we were members of the staff of the Hospital Chaplaincy, Inc. of New York. I found Marion to have the same sort of courage I saw in women members of my own family who were both suffragettes and crusaders for children in schools. Marion's conversations enlightened me to the nuances of Judaism and I count her as one of the influencers who later brought me to assume the position of Chair of the Jewish Christian Dialogue of the Commission one Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations of the Episcopal Diocese of New York. in spite of the frustrations she encountered in her quest for professional recognition she persevered in a manner that was exemplary for me and I am sure for others as well. She was a progressive who engaged the present with an abiding desire for justice all the while retaining deep regard for the traditions she cherished. My deepest condolences are extended to all her family and friends.

Simone Taylor

May 5, 2021

Please except my deepest sympathies, May the love of friends and family carry you through your grief.

Showing 1 - 3 of 3 results

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