Rabinowitz

RABINOWITZ

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 10/13/2010 at 23:31:49

History of Woodbury County, Iowa 1984

Rabinowitz
By Rabbi H R Rabinowitz and Segula (Rabinowitz) Givot

H R Rabinowitz was born January 30, 1892, in Shrednick, Lithuania and lived there until 1904. He arrived in the U S on the ‘Etura’ from Liverpool, England, on December 1, was processed on December 2, and put on a train for Altoona, Pennsylvania. His father lived there as the Rabbi of the Community. He attended Garfield Public School until 1908 when his father took him to New York to study for the Rabbinate.

He lived with a family for ten years, until his parents moved to New York in 1918. In 1912, after studying at the Rabinical school, he entered Columbia University, graduating in 1926 with a B A. He entered the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City, graduating Magne cum Laude as Rabbi in 1925. He accepted the call of the Congregation of Shaare Zion Synagogue of Sioux City, Iowa, in 1925.

The congregation at that time numbered 30 families and used an old Baptist Church on Court and Seventh Streets. Within two years membership had reached 160, and the Synagogue was built at 1522 Douglas Street.

The Rabbi married Gittel Fogel on June 30, 1925; their first home was the ‘Melrose Apartments’ at 915 Jackson Street. In 1931, when their daughter, Segula arrived, they moved to 2119 Jones Street. Later homes were at 206-21st Street, 2207 McDonald Street, 2320 McDonald, and 2224 Pierce Street. In 1946 the Congregation built for them a lovely home at 1800 Grandview Blvd, and they resided there until 1959, when he retired and became Rabbi Emeritus.

The retired couple moved to Jerusalem in 1960. They bought an apartment there at 34 Keren Hayesod Street and lived there until 1978. At that time they moved to a retirement home in Jerusalem. Mrs Rabinowitz passed away in 1979. The Rabbi still resides there at 1 Sorotskin Street, visiting Sioux City each summer since the move to Jerusalem.

While living in Jerusalem, the Rabbi published two good-sized volumes in Hebrew on Jewish preachers, old and new, and an English book entitled Kosher Humor. He was granted an Honorary Degree by the Seminary of Doctor of Divinity in 1953 and is a contributor to many Hebrew periodicals in Jerusalem as well as New York. While a resident of Sioux City, he was a member of the Executive Board of the Red Cross, a member of the Ministerial Association, and a member of many Jewish boards and organizations, both locally and nationally.

Segula (Rabinowitz) Givot, daughter of Rabbi and Mrs Rabinowitz, was born in New York City. She attended Hunt Grade School and North Junior High School, graduating form Central High School. She attended Iowa University at Iowa City until 1950, and married Irving Harold Givot on June 17, 1951. Mr. Givot has owned a grocery store, West Side Market, at 1825 West Fourth Street. They bought a home at 1419 West 21st Street in Sioux City. The couple had two daughters, Deborah Rae, born May 2, 1952; and JoEllen ‘Jodi’, born June 21, 1959. The family moved to 1101 Thirty-sixth and Court Street on April 3, 1971.

Deborah Givot attend Smith Grade School, West Junior, and Central High School. She attended Oklahoma University of Norman, Oklahoma, joined AEPhi Sorority, and transferred to Iowa University. She married Larry Louis Kronick, son of Soll and Sylvia Kronick of Sioux City, on September 2, 1973. Her grandfather, Rabbi H R Rabinowitz, officiated. Now living in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Debbie and Larry have two children: Amanda Jo, born December 30, 1976; and Richard Charles, born May 25, 1979.

JoEllen Givot attended Smith Grade School, Hoover Junior High, and graduated from North High School in 1977. She attended Iowa University at Iowa City and married David Michael Sklar on July 8, 1979. Her husband owns and operates Parkside Mens Wear in Loves Park, Illinois. They have one son, Phillip Givot Sklar, born December 12, 1983.