Passing of a Warrior of Life
It has been an intense and sorrowful week for the Australian Jewish community with the passing of Joshua Daniel Levi.
A huge crowd assembled at Sydney’s Central Synagogue to mark his untimely passing and pay their respects.
Josh Levi was the CEO of The Australian Jewish News and an award-winning journalist.
His passing affected the entire Australian Jewish community. He was 36.
Joshua Levi
“We should not have to be here” said Rabbi Elozer Gestetner.
He paid to tribute to Levi’s “bright and ever-smiling mischievous soul” as his passing deeply affected the Australian Jewish community to its core.
“It was utterly surreal that his wife Lia gave birth to a baby girl, Lara just two weeks after the death of Lia’s mother Valerie” he said.
Describing Levi as a warrior of peace and a warrior of life, he mentioned Josh’s commitment to the Australian Jewish community and to the Canberra Raiders. In a moment of affection and humour, he told how Josh wore an emerald green blazer under the chuppah at his wedding while Lia danced in bright green sneakers at their simcha.
In his eulogy, Rabbi Mendel Kastel described Josh’s childhood and his special closeness to his older brother, Ben and many cousins. From a young age Josh was a skilled negotiator with a huge zest for life, something he never lost.
“He always knew how to work a room” he said.
Community leaders, family, countless friends and colleagues from the AJN’s Sydney and Melbourne offices came to pay their respects.
Josh loved the paper. But more-so his family, his wife Lia and two-weeks-old baby Lara.
On a wild, windy rainy day in Sydney, Josh Levi was laid to rest in Rookwood Cemetery.
A minyan will be held on Sunday February 9 at Central Synagogue at 7.30pm
