Rabbi Laurence Skopitz z"l
(December 18, 2006) Rabbi Laurence Skopitz of Temple Beth David in Irondequoit died Saturday at Strong Memorial Hospital.
"He was clearly a pillar of the Jewish community, and one of the most endearing features about him was that he was not just a rabbi," said Temple Beth David President Patrick Kruchten.
"For our congregation, he was our friend, he was our confidant, he was our counselor," Kruchten said.
In May, Rabbi Skopitz was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, a rare disorder that prevented his body from making healthy blood cells. He had a bone marrow transplant in early December but developed an infection, according to a letter e-mailed to members of the congregation.
In addition to being full-time rabbi at Temple Beth David, 3200 St. Paul Blvd., Rabbi Skopitz also was a licensed psychotherapist who practiced for years at Rochester Psychiatric Center, where he recently served as part-time chaplain.
Rabbi Skopitz has led Temple Beth David since 1981. He earned his bachelor's degree from York University in Toronto, a master's degree in Hebrew Letters at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a master's degree in social work from the State University of New York at Buffalo, according to the Temple Beth David Web site.
He also worked and studied in Israel during the Yom Kippur War in October 1973.
Rabbi Skopitz wrote poetry and children's books and was skilled in Hebrew and English calligraphy. He composed klezmer, jazz and classical music and played several instruments, including clarinet, saxophone and guitar. And he had a special fondness for model trains, according to the temple's Web site.
The funeral for Rabbi Skopitz is scheduled for 1 p.m. today at Benjamin's Park Memorial Chapel, 2401 Steeles Ave. West, Toronto. A memorial service is planned for 11 a.m. Dec. 24 at Temple Beth David.
Rabbi Skopitz is survived by: his son, Shalom "Lomey" Skopitz; daughter, Hyla Skopitz; their mother, Linda Roth; his mother, Ida "Tootsie" Skopitz of Toronto; a brother, Macey, of Toronto; a sister, Donna Berger, of Toronto; and his special friend, Nina Kremens Robinson of Philadelphia.