Jewish Community Mourns the Loss of Mira Koschitzky (z”l), Distinguished Leader and Close Friend

OTTAWA, ON – June 12, 2023 – Upon the passing of Jewish community leader Mira Koschitzky, CIJA’s National Chair Gail Adelson-Marcovitz and President & CEO Shimon Koffler Fogel issued the following statement:

"On behalf of CIJA’s Board of Directors, professional staff, and the community we serve across Canada, we extend our deepest condolences to Saul, David, and the entire Koschitzky family upon the passing of Mira.

"Mira Koschitzky’s commitment to the Jewish community in Canada and around the world and her devotion to the security and prosperity of the State of Israel were consummate and boundless. She was both a fearless leader and a warm person who devoted enormous effort and generous philanthropy in service of her fellow Jews and fellow Canadians. She was a role model for many, including Canadian Jewish student activists and women in Jewish communal life.

"Mira led by example, with her children following in her footsteps and taking on significant community leadership roles. Her son, David Koschitzky, served as a national chair of CIJA and has served in many other senior community leadership positions.

"Mira survived the horrors of the Holocaust and, together with her distinguished husband Saul, built a magnificent family, first in Calgary and then in Toronto, a family that, today, includes many great-grandchildren in Canada and Israel who are loyal to the family tradition of religious commitment, devotion to community, modesty, and charity. Together with Saul, Mira endowed many philanthropic projects, perhaps most centrally, in the Jewish day school system in Toronto.

"Mira served with distinction as Chair of the National Executive of one of CIJA’s predecessor organizations, the Canadian Jewish Congress, and in leadership capacities for, among many others, UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, Bnei Akiva Schools of Toronto, Associated Hebrew Schools of Toronto, Camp Moshava of Ontario, Bar-Ilan University in Israel, and the Canadian Friends of Bar-Ilan University.

"We note that Mira’s sister-in-law, Julia Koschitzky, was also a noted and internationally recognized Jewish community leader and a role model for many at CIJA. She passed away just over one year ago. These two “matriarchs” of the noble Koschitzky family truly set the gold standard in Canadian Jewry for what makes a “leader.”

"To the Koschitzky family we extend with great affection traditional Jewish consolations, praying that they be comforted by the Heavens “among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.” Surely, Mira’s life story and sterling reputation stand as blessing to all who were privileged to know her and were touched by her generosity."

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