Rabbi Morton Leifman Passes Away at 89
May 12, 2016
Rabbi Morton M. Leifman, a highly respected scholar, educator, and member of the Milken Archive's Editorial Board, has died. An obituary posted by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency lists the date of death as May 5th.
"Rabbi Leifman was a man of many outstanding qualities," said Paul Schwendener, formerly the Milken Archive's artist and repertoire advisor. "His insights on matters relating to liturgical texts and performance practices, Jewish history, and Hebrew and Yiddish literature, to mention only a few, were invaluable. He was also a gifted poet, as can be read in his beautiful translations of the S’lihot and Rosh Hashanah liturgies, and had a wicked sense of humor that could shine at unexpected moments. A warm-hearted and delightful man, he will be missed."
Rabbi Leifman was senior vice president emeritus of The Jewish Theological Seminary and dean emeritus of the H. L. Miller Cantorial School and Seminary College of Jewish Music. A preeminent translator of Hebrew liturgical texts and the poetry of Abraham Joshua Heschel, Leifman’s translations appear extensively throughout the Milken Archive.
