Sidney Berkowitz

Sidney Berkowitz was born September 23, 1911 in Terre Haute, Indiana. As a child he was diverse in his talents. He played the violin, tennis, practiced gymnastics and participated on the debate team. He attended Crawford Public School and Wiley High and graduated at the top of his class at both. 

After graduating high school at the age of fifteen, he simultaneously attended the Hebrew Union College and the University of Cincinnati, graduating from both in 1937. Berkowitz had a desire to go into medicine but the gentle persuasion of his grandfather pushed him to be a rabbi. Following college, he received the Morganthau Fellowship to Oxford and Cambridge. He spent two years in England receiving his PHD in Aramaic and Syriac. While serving as an interim rabbi in Sussex, he met Pauline Anderson who was to be his future wife. In 1939, as WWII loomed in Europe, Berkowitz and his new bride left England and returned to the United States.    

After enlisting and serving in World War II, Berkowitz returned to the United States and was offered two positions: one in New Orleans and one in Youngstown. He opted for the more moderate climate of the north. In 1946, Rabbi Berkowitz came to Youngstown to serve the Rodef Sholom congregation. He remained with the Temple for thirty-seven years.   

Rabbi Berkowitz’s leadership to both the Rodef Sholom congregation and the community was indispensable. He received many awards in recognition of his service to the community including, the Justice Louise D. Brandeis Award (1970) from the Youngstown Zionist District, the Race Relations Award, Fraternal Order of Eagles Humanitarian Award, B’nai B’rith Man of the Year Award, and the National Jewish Hospital Asthma Center’s Humanitarian Award. Even after Rabbi Berkowitz retired from Rodef Sholom in the early 1980s, he continued to be an active member and leader of Youngtown’s Jewish community.[1]    

Picture from the Vindicator of old Rodef  Sholom, May 7, 1967. Acc. No. JA91-660P-82, MVHS Collections.

ZOA Berkowitz, Hill, and two others 1974. Acc No. JA95-273, MVHS Collection.

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