Jacob Heifetz

Madison-Jake Heifetz was born on April 17, 1917, in Lachwa, Poland and died November 3, 2009 . Jake was a special man. He was a father of five, grandfather of six, and was soon to be blessed with the birth of his first great-grandchild.   Jake himself was the second youngest of seven children born to Arieh and Leah Heifetz.   All but two of these children were later killed by the Nazis (with a third older child already residing in the Unites States).   In September of 1942, Jake and his brother Zelig escaped the mass destruction of their town by the Nazis and their collaborators, and fled to the woods.  There Jake and his brother lived for the duration of the war, homeless in their own homeland; fighting to survive against desperate odds.   Jake not only fought against the Nazis, but he even managed to meet and marry his wife, Fania in the woods.   The story of how Jake was able to obtain a ring for their wedding is emblematic of the way Jake lived his life.  As the Nazi soldiers were fleeing from the Eastern front, one soldier begged for bread.   Jake, who was armed could have killed this man to avenge all that he himself had been through, but he said that option did not seem right to him; instead he traded the man a loaf of bread for his ring.   That ring served as Fania's wedding ring for over 50 years. Jake remained a person who believed in the kindness of others, and who brought joy to all around him.   Jake carried candies in his pocket and all the children who knew him, knew to go to Uncle Jake' for their sweet dose.   With a candy in his pocket, and a joke up his sleeve, Jake was always ready to be part of any social gathering. Since arriving in Madison, Jake worked as a carpenter.   His strong hands have helped build houses and cabinets, have held aloft the torah like nobody can, and have handed out countless candies and toasted many occasions with his ubiquitous shots of whisky.   After his retirement, in 1974, Jake took on the role of caretaker at Beth Israel Center, a role which he has held for many years. In this role, many people would say, Jake was the synagogue.   His recitation of the blessings were reminiscent of the world of the heder in which he spent his early years studying the Hebrew prayers.   Jake was extremely well read, and perhaps under different life circumstances would have chosen to study or teach the Jewish texts.   His humor and his great love of life, will be sorely missed by all his family and extended family.' May his memory be for a blessing.   Jake is survived by his five children: Leah, Ethel (Tom), Pauline, Lawrence and Steven (Judy), and by his grandchildren: Tommy, Shayna, Bria, Allie, Jordan and Josh.     Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, November 5, 2009 at BETH ISRAEL CENTER, 1406 Mound Street, Madison with Rabbi Joshua Ben Gideon officiating.   Burial will follow at Forest Hill Cemetery.   The family would suggest memorials be made to the Morris Heifetz Welfare Fund at the Beth Israel Center.    
Cress Funeral & Cremation Service