Obituary of RABBI HERMAN SAVITZ

Rabbi Herman Savitz, a much beloved Rabbi and Chaplain, passed away Thursday evening, Nov. 17, 2016 at Morristown Medical Center surrounded by his loving family. Born and raised in Boston, MA, he had lived in Chestnut Hill, MA. and the Lake Hiawatha, NJ for 18 years before moving to West Caldwell, NJ in 1987. Rabbi Savitz served in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War. He was a chaplain while stationed in Turkey. He graduated from the prestigious Boston Latin School, and earned a Bachelors Degree from Brandeis University, in Waltham, MA., and simultaneously earned a BA from the Hebrew Teachers College, Brookline, MA. He later earned a Masters Degree and Rabbinical Ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary of New York, NY, a Masters Degree in Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University, Madison, NJ, and an EED in Family Counseling from Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ. Rabbi was honored with a Doctor of Divinity from the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1991. Rabbi Savitz had a distinguished career in which he touched countless people. He began his tenure as an assistant Rabbi at Temple Emeth in Brookline, MA. He then served as Rabbi at the Lake Hiawatha Jewish Center for 17 years. He concurrently served as a hospital chaplain at Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital, Morristown Medical Center, West Essex County Hospital, the Veterans Administration Hospital at East Orange, and St. Barnabas Medical Center. He was a certified family mediator. He also had a private practice in family counseling, ran several bereavement groups, and ran the Hebrew School while at Lake Hiawatha Jewish Center. He was an active member of Congregation Agudath Israel in Caldwell, NJ. Rabbi Savitz was a caring and devoted family man. Despite his many rabbinical obligations, he always made sure to spend quality time with his family. He was preceded in death by his son, Jeremy Savitz. Survivors include his loving wife of 52 years, Renee (nee Walker) Savitz; his beloved children, Masha Savitz, Shoshana Savitz and her husband Hal Greenberger, Gabriella Savitz, and Joshua Savitz and his wife Naomi; a brother, Joseph Savitz; and four grandchildren, Ariella, Nathanial & Adina Savitz, and Daniele Greenberger. Funeral Services will be held on Sunday, Nov. 20, 2016 at Congregation Agudath Israel, 20 Academy Road, Caldwell, NJ. Interment will follow at Cedar Park Cemetery, Paramus. Memorial gifts in Rabbi's honor can be made to either Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer Research, American Friends of Hebrew University, P.O. Box 12271, Jerusalem, Israel 91120; the Masorti Foundation for Special Needs B'Nai Mitzvah Programs, masorti.org; or Weinstein Inpatient Hospice & Palliative Care Center, c/o Morristown Medical Center, 475 South Street, 1st Floor, Morristown, NJ 07960. Arrangements are with S.J. Priola Parsippany Funeral Service