Rabbi Emeritus Joseph Levenson passed away on Feb. 1, 2006, at the age of 92. He will be remembered for his tireless local, regional and national community service.
Born in Luknik, Lithuania, on June 10, 1913, Levenson moved to Weirton, West Virginia, in 1920. He received an AB degree from the University of Cincinnati and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa in 1935. He earned a Masters of Hebrew Letters and received his rabbinic ordination at Hebrew Union College, Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1939.
Levenson served as regional director of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations from 1939-1941 and as assistant rabbi for Ohev Shalom Congregation in Norfolk, Virginia, from 1941-1942. Then he served as a chaplain in the Armed Services from 1943-1946.
Levenson became rabbi of Temple B'nai Israel in Oklahoma City in July 1946. During his tenure, he served on a number of local boards, including the Visiting Nurses Association, Urban League and Oklahoma Mental Health Council. He was president of the Oklahoma Ministerial Association. In addition, he was active with the local chapter of the National Council of Christians and Jews and the Oklahoma City Downtown Rotary Club. He was appointed to a number of governor's committees and was a part-time instructor at Oklahoma City University.
Through the years, he devoted himself to the cause of integration and served on the Oklahoma City Race Relations Committee. OCU granted Levenson an honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity in 1961; HUC granted him an honorary doctorate of humane letters in 1964. Levenson was also a past president of the Southwest Region of the Central Conference of American Rabbis and served on the executive board of the CCAR.
Locally, he appeared on the ABC radio program, 'The Message of Israel,' conducted 'Voice of Judaism' also on ABC radio, and was a panelist on 'Your Bible' a weekly WKY-TV telecast. He became rabbi emeritus of Temple B'nai Israel in 1976 after 30 years of service.
He was preceded in death by Claire Levenson, whom he married on July 12, 1942. Survivors include his wife Ruth Levenson of Oklahoma City, son David and wife Cathy Levenson and child Tovah of Tallahassee, Florida; step daughters Nancye Green and husband Michael Donovan of New York City, Darcy and husband James Cobb of Brooklyn, New York; five step-grandchildren; and caregivers James Brown, Sandra Wenrow and Winda Parker.
Contributions in his honor may be made to Temple B'nai Israel.
Born in Luknik, Lithuania, on June 10, 1913, Levenson moved to Weirton, West Virginia, in 1920. He received an AB degree from the University of Cincinnati and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa in 1935. He earned a Masters of Hebrew Letters and received his rabbinic ordination at Hebrew Union College, Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1939.
Levenson served as regional director of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations from 1939-1941 and as assistant rabbi for Ohev Shalom Congregation in Norfolk, Virginia, from 1941-1942. Then he served as a chaplain in the Armed Services from 1943-1946.
Levenson became rabbi of Temple B'nai Israel in Oklahoma City in July 1946. During his tenure, he served on a number of local boards, including the Visiting Nurses Association, Urban League and Oklahoma Mental Health Council. He was president of the Oklahoma Ministerial Association. In addition, he was active with the local chapter of the National Council of Christians and Jews and the Oklahoma City Downtown Rotary Club. He was appointed to a number of governor's committees and was a part-time instructor at Oklahoma City University.
Through the years, he devoted himself to the cause of integration and served on the Oklahoma City Race Relations Committee. OCU granted Levenson an honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity in 1961; HUC granted him an honorary doctorate of humane letters in 1964. Levenson was also a past president of the Southwest Region of the Central Conference of American Rabbis and served on the executive board of the CCAR.
Locally, he appeared on the ABC radio program, 'The Message of Israel,' conducted 'Voice of Judaism' also on ABC radio, and was a panelist on 'Your Bible' a weekly WKY-TV telecast. He became rabbi emeritus of Temple B'nai Israel in 1976 after 30 years of service.
He was preceded in death by Claire Levenson, whom he married on July 12, 1942. Survivors include his wife Ruth Levenson of Oklahoma City, son David and wife Cathy Levenson and child Tovah of Tallahassee, Florida; step daughters Nancye Green and husband Michael Donovan of New York City, Darcy and husband James Cobb of Brooklyn, New York; five step-grandchildren; and caregivers James Brown, Sandra Wenrow and Winda Parker.
Contributions in his honor may be made to Temple B'nai Israel.
Rabbi Emeritus Joseph Levenson passed away on Feb. 1, 2006, at the age of 92. He will be remembered for his tireless local, regional and national community service.
Born in Luknik, Lithuania, on June 10, 1913, Levenson moved to Weirton, West Virginia, in 1920. He received an AB degree from the University of Cincinnati and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa in 1935. He earned a Masters of Hebrew Letters and received his rabbinic ordination at Hebrew Union College, Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1939.
Levenson served as regional director of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations from 1939-1941 and as assistant rabbi for Ohev Shalom Congregation in Norfolk, Virginia, from 1941-1942. Then he served as a chaplain in the Armed Services from 1943-1946.
Levenson became rabbi of Temple B'nai Israel in Oklahoma City in July 1946. During his tenure, he served on a number of local boards, including the Visiting Nurses Association, Urban League and Oklahoma Mental Health Council. He was president of the Oklahoma Ministerial Association. In addition, he was active with the local chapter of the National Council of Christians and Jews and the Oklahoma City Downtown Rotary Club. He was appointed to a number of governor's committees and was a part-time instructor at Oklahoma City University.
Through the years, he devoted himself to the cause of integration and served on the Oklahoma City Race Relations Committee. OCU granted Levenson an honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity in 1961; HUC granted him an honorary doctorate of humane letters in 1964. Levenson was also a past president of the Southwest Region of the Central Conference of American Rabbis and served on the executive board of the CCAR.
Locally, he appeared on the ABC radio program, 'The Message of Israel,' conducted 'Voice of Judaism' also on ABC radio, and was a panelist on 'Your Bible' a weekly WKY-TV telecast. He became rabbi emeritus of Temple B'nai Israel in 1976 after 30 years of service.
He was preceded in death by Claire Levenson, whom he married on July 12, 1942. Survivors include his wife Ruth Levenson of Oklahoma City, son David and wife Cathy Levenson and child Tovah of Tallahassee, Florida; step daughters Nancye Green and husband Michael Donovan of New York City, Darcy and husband James Cobb of Brooklyn, New York; five step-grandchildren; and caregivers James Brown, Sandra Wenrow and Winda Parker.
Contributions in his honor may be made to Temple B'nai Israel.
Born in Luknik, Lithuania, on June 10, 1913, Levenson moved to Weirton, West Virginia, in 1920. He received an AB degree from the University of Cincinnati and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa in 1935. He earned a Masters of Hebrew Letters and received his rabbinic ordination at Hebrew Union College, Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1939.
Levenson served as regional director of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations from 1939-1941 and as assistant rabbi for Ohev Shalom Congregation in Norfolk, Virginia, from 1941-1942. Then he served as a chaplain in the Armed Services from 1943-1946.
Levenson became rabbi of Temple B'nai Israel in Oklahoma City in July 1946. During his tenure, he served on a number of local boards, including the Visiting Nurses Association, Urban League and Oklahoma Mental Health Council. He was president of the Oklahoma Ministerial Association. In addition, he was active with the local chapter of the National Council of Christians and Jews and the Oklahoma City Downtown Rotary Club. He was appointed to a number of governor's committees and was a part-time instructor at Oklahoma City University.
Through the years, he devoted himself to the cause of integration and served on the Oklahoma City Race Relations Committee. OCU granted Levenson an honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity in 1961; HUC granted him an honorary doctorate of humane letters in 1964. Levenson was also a past president of the Southwest Region of the Central Conference of American Rabbis and served on the executive board of the CCAR.
Locally, he appeared on the ABC radio program, 'The Message of Israel,' conducted 'Voice of Judaism' also on ABC radio, and was a panelist on 'Your Bible' a weekly WKY-TV telecast. He became rabbi emeritus of Temple B'nai Israel in 1976 after 30 years of service.
He was preceded in death by Claire Levenson, whom he married on July 12, 1942. Survivors include his wife Ruth Levenson of Oklahoma City, son David and wife Cathy Levenson and child Tovah of Tallahassee, Florida; step daughters Nancye Green and husband Michael Donovan of New York City, Darcy and husband James Cobb of Brooklyn, New York; five step-grandchildren; and caregivers James Brown, Sandra Wenrow and Winda Parker.
Contributions in his honor may be made to Temple B'nai Israel.
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