Bill Text: IL SR0335 | 2013-2014 | 98th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Mourns the death of Rabbi Reuven Frankel of Deerfield.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Passed) 2013-05-31 - Resolution Adopted [SR0335 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2013-SR0335-Introduced.html

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SENATE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
learn of the death of Rabbi Reuven Frankel of Deerfield, who
passed away on April 24, 2013; and
WHEREAS, Rabbi Frankel was born in Jerusalem; his family
immigrated to Chicago in 1939; after 2 years in Chicago, his
family moved to New York and he studied at Brooklyn College; he
spent time in Cleveland, Ohio, and Chattanooga, Tennessee,
studying and working before eventually returning to New York to
study at the Cantors Institute of the Jewish Teleological
Seminary; and
WHEREAS, From 1957 to 1967, Rabbi Frankel was the associate
cantor at Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield, Michigan,
while earning a bachelor's and master's degree in music from
Wayne State University; after brief stops in Albany, New York,
where he spent 2 years as cantor at Temple Israel, and
Congregation Shaarey Zedek, he became the cantor at
Congregation Beth El in Highland Park in 1970; and
WHEREAS, Rabbi Frankel worked as a cantor at synagogues
around the country for 2 decades, but in 1976, at the age of 45
and in his sixth year as a cantor at North Suburban Synagogue
Beth El in Highland Park, he decided to complete his rabbinical

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studies he had started as a youth; he studied at the Hebrew
Theological College in Chicago and was ordained 2 years after
making his decision to resume his studies; and
WHEREAS, Rabbi Frankel joined Congregation B'nai Tikvah in
1979 as the rabbi; he retired in 1999; and
WHEREAS, Rabbi Frankel interpretations of a wide variety of
Yiddish, Hebrew, and liturgical music led to appearances on
radio, television, and at universities as a singer and
lecturer; he recorded several albums and has more than 100
songs available on iTunes; and
WHEREAS, Rabbi Frankel was the beloved husband for 59 years
of Penina (nee Ducoff); the loving father and mentor of Hillel
(Jennifer Salas), Aaron (Jenny Wittner), and Noam (Laura Sova);
the adored Zadie of Eli Blair, Caleb and Gabriel Frankel, and
Lee Sova-Claypool; the cherished brother of the late Naftali
(Penina) Frankel, the late Esther Davis, the late Devora
Friend, and the late Yaffa Flitterman; the dear brother-in-law
of the late Rabbi Bernard (Helen) Ducoff; and the grandfather
of 4; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
Rabbi Frankel, and extend our sincere condolences to his

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family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
presented to the family of Rabbi Frankel as an expression of
our deepest sympathy.