Alfred Weisel

Alfred Weisel died Thursday night, August 19, 2010, while on vacation in Scranton, PA, surrounded by family members. Born in 1920, in the village of Mikev, near Sighet, Romania, he was the first child of the late Nathan and Gussie Wiesel. As a young child, he immigrated to the United States and was raised in the Bronx, NY. Dr. Weisel earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from Yeshiva University, Hebrew Teachers Institute, and New York University School of Education. He was also awarded an honorary Doctorate of Pedagogy by the Jewish Theological Seminary. Dr. Weisel was known for his decades of service and leadership in the field of Jewish education in this region and nationally. Moving to Hartford in 1952, he served as the Educational Director at the Emanuel Synagogue for 32 years. He was one of the charter organizers of the Jewish Educators Assembly of America, a national professional organization, serving as president of the local affiliate as well as the national organization. He initiated the founding of the Greater Hartford Commission on Jewish Education and served as its first director until his retirement in 1992. His tireless and dedicated service over the years was instrumental in establishing, supporting and expanding opportunities for learners of all ages to engage in Jewish Studies in a variety of formal and informal settings, including the support of Jewish Day Schools and congregational Hebrew schools; the establishment of the Midrasha Hebrew High School, an innovative program that brought together young students from all branches of the Jewish community; many types of teacher training programs to support both the development of higher standards for both pedagogy and Jewish Studies content; and the creation of the Hartford Branch of Boston Hebrew College, which made it possible for area teachers to complete studies for an academic degree in Jewish Education. Survivors include his beloved wife, Helen Hersh Weisel; his children, Aviva Weisel-Eichler and her husband, David, of Beer Sheva, Israel, David Weisel and his wife, Barbara, of Potomac, MD, Ilana Weisel of Silver Spring, MD, and Hillel Weisel and his wife, Audra, of Avon CT; his grandchildren, Maor (Hemdat), Raanan (Hayah), Ari and Noam Eichler, Gabriel, Ezra, Jonah, Aden and Tova Weisel; his Israeli great grandchildren, Rachel, Yoel and Shani Eichler; his brother, Phillip Weisel and his sister, Elaine Bassin, and many adoring nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 pm on Sunday, August 22, 2010, at the Emanuel Synagogue, 160 Mohegan Drive, West Hartford. Interment will follow at the Emanuel Synagogue Cemetery, Berlin Tpke, Wethersfield. Shiva will be observed at the Weisel home, with daily minyan as follows: Monday to Friday at 7 am, and Sunday to Thursday at 7:30 pm. Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of the donor’s choosing. Arrangements entrusted to Weinstein Mortuary, Hartford. For further information, directions, or to sign the guestbook, please visit online at www.weinsteinmortuary.com.