On Saturday, former AJL member and Director of the Jewish Public Library of Toronto, Rabbi Yitzhak Witty passed away.
I'm pasting the text from the excellent _Toronto Star_ obituary below, but I'd also like to add some of my own personal comments. Rabbi Witty was indeed a fine colleague to work with, as others attest to. He was easy-going, but could be tough and firm when he needed to be. Being the Director of the JPL during the time he served was not easy ; it required someone who could deal with difficult people who tried, at times, to make unreasonable demands on the library &/or our library staff. Rabbi Witty was more than capable of doing so. During his years at the library, Rabbi Witty re-instituted programming --- something that was desperately needed and greatly appreciated. He started the "Treasures in Jewish Literature" series, which is now in its 3rd year. He managed to find space for our Yiddish collection, which had been moved offsite for many months. It was an honor and a pleasure to work with him. B'shalom, Steven M. Bergson, Librarian Albert & Temmy Latner Jewish Public Library of Toronto ***** Rabbi Irwin Witty made sure no Jewish child in Toronto lacked a Jewish education because of money. During his years as executive director of the Toronto Board of Jewish Education, he worked with United Jewish Appeal to ensure money was put aside for children who could not afford tuition at local Jewish schools. After he retired, he continued to push the provincial government to fund Jewish schools. Witty died Saturday night in Toronto. He was 73. Jewish education was Witty's lifelong passion, colleagues said. "In his blood he knew the art of teaching," said Seymour Epstein, the board's current executive director. Born in Brooklyn in 1932, Witty graduated from Yeshiva University in New York. He worked as a teacher and principal in Philadelphia and Winnipeg. In Winnipeg, he was also a pulpit rabbi at a synagogue for seven years and helped found a charitable organization to support the Winnipeg Hebrew School. In 1969, Witty became executive director of the Toronto Board of Jewish Education. He held the position until 1997. In Toronto, Witty helped found the Dr. Abraham Shore Academy She'arim Hebrew Day School, which runs programs for Jewish children with learning disabilities. Witty believed Jewish education strengthened not only the Jewish community. In a 1985 interview with the Star, he said, "I think we've learned from other groups that the preservation of collective ethnic identity enriches society in general." Epstein praised Witty's "vast and deep knowledge of his subject matter, which was Judaica, Jewish history, Jewish philosophy ..." Howard English, a spokesman for the United Jewish Appeal Federation of Greater Toronto, worked with Witty during the rabbi's years with the board of education. "He was one of a rare breed of educators who was respected by the whole spectrum of the Jewish community.... More importantly, he respected everyone, no matter what their religious denomination," English said. Epstein agreed. "He led an Orthodox lifestyle and was an Orthodox rabbi, but he was beyond tolerant. He truly identified with Jews of all different persuasions. He was a kind of model of what a Jewish educator should be." Bernie Farber, CEO of the Canadian Jewish Congress, said Witty was recognized around the world as a leader in Jewish education. That was partly because of the changes he brought to the board. "He took a small supervisory body and made it into a major source of school consultative services," Farber said. Three years ago, Witty became the executive director of the Albert and Temmy Latner Jewish Public Library. While Witty was devoted to education, he also loved music, colleagues said. And he had a soft spot for a good joke. "He had a great repertoire of hilarious stories," Epstein said. "It was impossible to follow him on stage because he had a booming presence," Farber said. "He would tell a joke and when he left the stage people were still laughing." Witty used humour to reach out to people. "He was able to communicate with people in their language," Farber said. "He didn't speak at people. He spoke to people." A memorial service for Witty was held yesterday at the Clanton Park Synagogue. The funeral will be held today in Israel. Witty leaves his wife Shulamith, their four children and 22 grandchildren. He will be greatly mourned by Jewish educators, and the students who benefited from his teaching. Said Farber: "He was a father of Jewish education in Canada." Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the AJL =========================================================== Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: Hasafran @ lists.acs.ohio-state.edu SUBscribing, SIGNOFF commands send to: Listproc @ lists.acs.ohio-state.edu Questions, problems, complaints, compliments;-) send to: galron.1 @ osu.edu Ha-Safran Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org
