Obituary

Rabbi Arnold B. Marans, 92

Sephardic Temple of Cedarhurst’s first spiritual leader

Posted

Rabbi Arnold B. Marans, the founding rabbi of the Sephardic Temple of Cedarhurst died on his birthday, July 12. He was 92.

Born on July 12, 1928, Marans, who majored in philosophy, graduated from City College of New York with a degree in social sciences. Ordained as rabbi from the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1953, Marans simultaneously earned a master’s degree in Hebrew literature.

He began his rabbinical career at the United Sephardim of Brooklyn. Marans was also appointed chaplain of the Raymond Street Jail in Brooklyn and was the Jewish chaplain at the Brooklyn and Caledonian hospitals, also in Kings County. In 1957, he accepted the chaplaincy at the Sephardic Home in Brooklyn and continued in that position for years.

His success led him to become the founding rabbi of the newly established Sephardic Temple in Cedarhurst in 1961. Marans and his wife, Zipporah, had five children and 25 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren. She served as the national vice president of AMIT, a New York-based nonprofit that seeks to help Israel’s youth recognize their potential and strengthen Israeli society by educating and nurturing children from diverse backgrounds.

On Facebook, Robyn Jacobson Azus posted: “It will not be the same without him. Prayers to his beautiful wife and family.” Annette Tauber Stern also write on Facebook: “Wonderful family, great leader.”

Marans was also affiliated with several civic and religious organizations, including grand  chaplain emeritus free and accepted masons in New York state, past president of the American Friends of Misqab Ladach Hospital in Jerusalem, past chairman of the Joint Retirement; the agency that maintains the pension programs of rabbis, cantors, educators, and executive directors; a trustee of the Sephardic Geriatric Foundation and for more than 25 years he was comptroller of the Rabbinical Assembly. Marans continued  serve the Sephardic Temple as senior rabbi.

Along with his wife, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Marans is also survived by Israel and Goldie Marans; Hillel Marans and Shirley Kaplan; Dr. Zvi Marans and Nina Kampler; Rabbi Noam Marans and Rabbi Amy Roth; Aliza and Alan Miller and his sister, Bernice Weiss.

The funeral was at the Sephardic Temple in Cedarhurst on July 12. Because of coronavirus restrictions in-person attendance was limited to the immediate family.