THE PASSING OF STANLEY B. HOROWITZ, Z"L

 
August 18, 2008

United Jewish Communities/the Federations of North America mourn the passing last week of Stanley B. Horowitz, a former president and CEO of the United Jewish Appeal (UJC’s predecessor organization) and past executive director of the Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland. He was 74 years old.

Born in Cleveland in 1933, Stanley graduated from Shaker Heights High School in 1952. He received a bachelor's degree from Western Reserve University in 1956. His father encouraged him to study social work, and in 1959 Stanley received his master of science in social administration from Western Reserve's School of Applied Social Sciences.

Horowitz was assistant director of the adult services division of the Jewish Community Center in Cleveland Heights before joining the staff of the Jewish Community Federation of St. Louis in 1962. Three years later, he returned to Cleveland to work for the Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland. In 1975, he became the third executive director in the organization's 80-year history.

"Stanley was passionate about making sure that the people in need, whether they were around the corner in Cleveland Heights or in the north of Israel, got the help they needed," said Stephen Hoffman, president of the Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland, "He was an exceptional teacher and groomed his staff to become leaders in the federation world.  An unusually high number of his staff went on to become directors of their own federations."

After leaving UJA in 1991, Stanley consulted with such Jewish philanthropic groups as the Mandel Philanthropic Program. He taught at and served on various panels of Case Western Reserve, Yeshiva and Brandeis universities. He also served on the editorial advisory board of the Journal of Nonprofit Management and Leadership.

"Stanley devoted his life to the service of the Jewish community," said UJC's President and CEO, Howard Rieger. "I know from personal experience, having worked directly with him for 11 years at the Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland, that he was a first-rate professional, who knew the proper way to build a community through the development of a broad consensus with leadership from the top."

"As a teacher, he was second to none. He was a stickler for detail, and demanded something close to perfection from those who worked with him.  I learned much of what I know about the federation world from Stanley, and for that I owe him a genuine debt of gratitude."

"Stanley was an extremely private person in a field that requires a good deal of public interaction," Rieger added. "Because of that, I know he would be embarassed by these public words of gratitude from UJC for his lifetime of devotion to the Jewish world, but that is just what his passing demands. May his good works over so many years serve as a living memorial to him."

Horowitz  is survived by his children, Jay (Karen) of Sarasota Fl.; Beth (Chester) Paskin; Eve Horowitz Leibowitz (David) of Jerusalem, Israel; Howard (Melissa) of Sparta, N.J. and 12 grandchildren. He is also survived by his brother, Richard, and his former wife Jill. His sister, Mildred Goldberg, predeceased him.

Private graveside services were held on Friday, Aug. 15 at Bet Olam Cemetery (Park Synagogue Section) in Cleveland. Shiva will be observed at the residence, 1965 Mornington Lane, No. 5, Cleveland Hts. (East Overlook entrance) Sunday through Wednesday of this week, 2-5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m.

May the Horowitz family be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem and may Stanley Horowitz's name forever be as a blessing.