Abigail’s Page

 
 

The Jerusalem Post is mourning the sudden, shattering loss of our beloved colleague, Abigail Radoszkowicz, 53, who was at work editing our op-ed pages just a few short weeks ago but died of cancer late Thursday night, September 3/14 Elul.


Abigail was a wonderful workmate and friend, an original thinker who approached everything she did with passion and curiosity.


She was so refreshingly unconventional that when she walked into the room, one never knew which direction the conversation would take. Talking to her was always interesting, challenging and worthwhile; she always led us to reevaluate and reconsider.


Her speech patterns conveyed her essence: Words veritably bubbled out of her - fast, for there was much that had to be said; often rising in pitch - for who had time to take a breath?; and delivered with a uniquely infectious enthusiasm.


She was a truly fine woman, a person of utter integrity and decency who surely never had a mean thought, far less expressed one.


She also had the knack of making those around her feel good about themselves: A few months ago, she phoned our sports editor to tell him she'd seen him on television interviewing a basketball player after a game. There'd been nothing exceptional about the interview, he recalls, but the very fact that Abigail was so impressed made him feel he'd achieved something special.


She was generous with her expertise and with her time; she worked with a colleague who has an autistic son on a book about autism.


As several members of our staff can testify - staffers who are among the most affected by her death - she hosted new immigrants who had little or no family here for Shabbat and festive meals.


One of her colleagues and his now wife spent a recent Seder night with her family, and remember how she did everything to make them feel welcome, including - that night and whenever they were invited - seeing them off not at the front door of her home in Har Homa, but after walking with them 20 minutes to the entrance of the neighborhood.


Twice on Shabbatot in recent years she also walked the lengthy distance from Har Homa to Baka for the bar- and bat-mitzva celebrations of a colleague - coming to a synagogue from a stream of Judaism with which she did not identify, exuding quiet contentment at being part of the simcha, and insisting that the schlep was nothing.


Abigail was perpetually busy caring about others: her own growing family, of course, but also anybody else who exhibited some human need - even if it was only for an engaged and empathetic listener to their problems.


There were many, many times that you would walk past her office and see other members of staff sitting with Abigail, talking, confiding. There'd invariably be laughter, too; Abigail was good fun.


At work, she delighted in the discovery of a new writing talent, was truly unhappy when a contributor delivered material that lacked originality or polish, and was always seeking ways to avoid inflicting substandard writing on our readers.


At the same time, she never really learned how to reject material - because she didn't want to hurt anybody's feelings - and was anguished if she ever thought she'd done so. She even felt bad, she told a colleague, that she had disappointed us by initially passing on what unfortunately proved to be unfoundedly encouraging reports about her terminal medical condition.


Abigail was born in Tel Aviv in 1956, the oldest child of Yisrael (later known as Joe) and Chava, who were both refugees from Europe.


Yisrael's family had immigrated to Palestine from Vienna in the late 1930s. Chava's family was from Berlin. Fleeing the Holocaust with a group of children, Chava finally made it to Switzerland, from where, after many stops, she was sent to Palestine.


The family emigrated to the United States soon after Abigail's birth, ending up in Los Angeles, where "Joe" opened the Sunset Grill, which eventually became world-renowned thanks to a 1984 Don Henley song of the same name.


Following Abigail in birth order were her younger siblings, Michael, Barbara and Olivia. The family lived in the predominantly Jewish Fairfax area of Los Angeles, and Abigail attended Fairfax High School, graduating in the top 2 percent of her class.


She started off college at UCLA, and went off after a year to the Hebrew University, where she majored in English literature. She made aliya at the same time, for Zionist/idealistic reasons, but came back to Los Angeles in 1979.


Around that time, she began attending Jewish lectures and classes, which led her to explore her Jewish background. After a while she became observant, inspired by Chabad, even living in Crown Heights for several years.


In 1983, she came back to Israel to live.


She met her husband, Yitzchak, an oleh from Uruguay, in early 1986, and they were married shortly before Pessah of that year.


Yitzchak is currently a ba'al megihah (a proofreader for a sofer/religious scribe). They first settled in Baka, moved to Har Nof in 1990, and lived there until they moved to Har Homa four years ago.


The couple had four children: Malka (21), Uri (20), Dov (almost 17) and Yehoshua (almost 14). Malka is studying law at the Hebrew University, Uri is in the Tank Corps of the IDF. Dov is a 12th-grader at Horev High School in Jerusalem, and Yehoshua is entering 9th grade at Noam, also in the capital.


Although she came from a secular background and became Orthodox in early adulthood, Abigail showed none of the zealotry of some of the newly religious. While strictly observant herself, her tolerance of others emphatically extended to those who were not.


She once upbraided a colleague for criticizing secular Israeli reporters "representing" Israel on trips abroad, who seemed to show too little Jewish self-respect by, for example, devouring non-kosher food and appearing to disparage their Judaism.


"Consider the weight of the Jewish legacy," she cried, and the overpowering need of some Jews to get out from underneath it.


Abigail began her career at the Post compiling events listings, but her quick intellect swiftly became clear and she was drafted onto the reporting staff. She was an astute religious affairs reporter, not afraid of controversy, of stepping into sensitive territory.


Asked to switch from that role to the editorship of the Post's Billboard listings guide, she took on the new task - a fiddly, complex role that requires tremendous attention to detail - with characteristic conscientiousness.


The irony of the appointment was not lost on her - after all, she did not own a TV. But that did not get in the way. In fact, she transformed Billboard, turning it into a vibrant magazine, by adding feature articles to the familiar TV and entertainment listings. She may not have seen the movies, or the TV offerings or the concerts, but a reader would never have guessed.


Then, last year, she was appointed to the ultra-sensitive job of op-ed editor - compiling one of the Post's most-read sections, perhaps the section by which the paper is most judged.


She embraced the challenge of producing diverse pages in the spirit of the newspaper - to give readers a sense of the range of options facing the Jewish nation and the Jewish people; not just to lecture, but also to inform and to challenge.


The job was immensely difficult - commissioning and sifting through material, finding the appropriate mix, editing the articles, preparing them for the page - and relentless. Ten hours a day, as often as not. But, again, the reader, so well-served, would never have guessed.


And it was typical of her generosity of nature, when she recently had to hand over the section, temporarily we hoped, that she confided to a colleague that her replacement was so "sharp" - a bittersweet transition relieved a little by her pleasure that she was entrusting the job to capable hands.


A thoroughly modest woman, it is certain that Abigail did not internalize the extent of her workmates' love and affection for her. She seemed happily surprised when we called in the last few weeks to see how she was getting on.


But, of course, we really did miss her enormously, and really did want to believe, in the face of all probability, that she would yet make a return.


As recently as a week ago, she was happy to chat with a colleague about goings-on at the Post. She was engaged, focused and comforted, it seemed, that some of her friends here had organized Shabbat food for her and her family.


Even now, amid the sorrow of her death, it is hard to think of Abigail without smiling - such was the effect of her company. She loved life, and managed to convey that joy to the rest of us.


We are all the poorer for her passing. And we wish her family every strength in grappling with her loss.


David Horovitz, Jeremy Last, David Shamah, Linda Amar and Judy Montagu




 

Obituary: Post's Beloved Op-ed Editor Dies at 53

In NY and stunned, Please convey my condolences, Never aware of extent of her illness. - Isi Liebler


I can't believe what I am reading. The last time I spoke to Abigail she told me she was going for medical tests.

Elliot said it was a seriously bad situation but I didn't know how bad

So fast. So untimely.

I feel so guilty about fighting with her.  - Sarah Honig


I'm sure it was difficult to write but it's beautiful. Thanks for mentioning me in it. Abigail was a huge help to me in so many ways, editing my book and just encouraging me to keep writing. - Hannah Brown


I read this sad news while I am in cape Town. I never actually met

Abigail (all our contact was by email and phone) , nor did I know that she

was sick. I can only say that in the few months that i worked with her on my column I found her very helpful and supportive, even if we did not always necessarily agree on the substance of some of the articles. Please pass on my condolences to her family - David Newman


Please send the whole Jerusalem Post team the heartfelt condolences from myself, Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon and our bureau on the passing of Abigail. I will always remember Abigail extremely fondly and always enjoyed working with her. Even when she was under pressure she always kept her humor and her composure. I always enjoyed speaking to her and even though I only had a professional relationship with her, she always found time to enquire about my personal life. She will be sadly missed by us all - Ashley Perry


Please accept my heartfelt condolences on the untimely passing of Abigail Radoszkowicz.  I never met Abigail, and never even spoke with her on the phone, but I thoroughly enjoyed working with her on the various op-ed pieces of mine that she published in the Post.  As your obituary/tribute article says, she was always enthusiastic, encouraging, and energetic, and was truly a joy to work with.  Baruch Dayan Ha'Emet - Michael Rosen


I was very saddened to hear about the passing of Abigail Radoszkowicz. She gave me my first big break when she accepted me as a contributing cartoonist for the /Post/, and was always quick to dish out praise when I sent her an entry she found nice or funny. I am sorry we never had a chance to meet face to face - Menachem G. Jerenberg


I didn't know Abigail other than that long, recognizable name in my paper. But when reading her obituary two weeks before Rosh Hashanna, one cannot help thinking, if we want to be remembered like that we better start acting like it. How beautiful to be a giver and not a taker - Moshe-Mordechai van Zuiden


I was stunned and shocked to hear of Abigail's death. I had nvver met her personally in old fasheined non-virtual reality. She belongs to that rare category of persons whom one never  met or spoke to--except via the virtual relalitiy of email, and. yet I   found her to be a wonderful person to work with---fast, qucik on the uptake, open-minded, and generouos towards op-ed contributiors--and I felt her warmth coming through cyberspace. . We mouorn her, but her memory will be enduring.  A wonderful role model for all of us on how plain old meschlichkeit can trump the web - Elihu D Richter


I was saddened to read about the passing of the Jerusalem Post's Op-Ed Editor Abigail Radoszkowicz. I never had the privilege of meeting Abigail in person or even speaking to her by phone, yet she had an impact on me. A few months ago she published an op-ed article of mine, my first ever published article. As a result, I continued to send her articles. Of course, most of the articles I submitted were not accepted for publication, but Abigail's e mail replies were always polite and encouraging. She will be missed - Yonatan Sredni


I only knew Abigail via e-mails, but she seemed like a wonderful person. The obituary in today's paper only reinforced those thoughts. I share in your loss. Only good tidings for all Am Yisrael in the year to come - Michael Hirsch


I didn't know Abigail for long, but every moments spent with her were  full of laughter and gaiety. Her sudden death will leave a big void. I  truly share your pain and am wholeheartedly with her family - Nathalie (French Edition)


Such sad news. Please extend my sincere condolences to her family. This is a profound tragedy - Caroline Glick


I was terribly shocked this morning when I read the news in the JP. Abigail was so kind and available to me for consultation, and gave me my first-ever publishing opportunity.  I grieve with all of you at the loss of this special lady - Linda Stern


I was shocked to read of Abigail’s passing.  I was unaware that she was ill.  We had never met nor even spoken by phone, but we had worked together these months as I contributed columns. She was responsive, encouraging, friendly and professional. The very touching tribute to her by you and your colleagues was deeply moving.  She certainly was an impressive person - Doug Bloomfield


Condolences on the loss of your friend and colleague. I did not know Abigail, though I am a good friend of her sister, Barbara, who lives here in Las Vegas.  Together, our families have shared many holidays, and simchas, as well as sad times, such as the passing of their mother, Chava, and, now, Abigail. Your beautiful article, along with Barbara's stories of growing up with Abigail, gave me a sense of who she was, and how much she will be missed by all.  I feel your tribute to her is outstanding, and will inspire those who have the opportunity to read it.  I will certainly be forwarding it along - Aileen B. Epstein-Ignadiou


I, evidently along with many others felt very emotional reading the obituaries by the Jpost staff about Abigail Radioszkowicz- a woman I never met- a woman I never knew. And yet the tears kept flowing as I read the articles -so i felt compelled to write in. Abigail truly seemed to be special and one of a kind. I cannot offer words of comfort at this time- because the wounds are way too fresh- and unfortunately I do know that at these early stages- of aveilut- words don't help much. So- if any comfort can be offered to the reeling family and friends-please know that many persons/readers now feel that we got a glimpse of a very unique wonderful person. I feel saddened and intrigued to mourn a person I never knew and never met. I feel saddened at yet -another untimely death -that makes me think why do the good die young? And yet- I feel a glimmer of hope- that this must be a spark of truth that all these gems that have passed through this world -like Abigail- are now looking down on us-and hopefully hastening the final redemption- when all those who have suffered the loss of loved ones can finally be reunited again. Hamakom Yinachem Etchem B'toch Shaarei Avalei Yerushalayim - Phyllis Hecht


I just wanted to add my voice to the chorus of condolences in memory of Abigail z”l – We had a virtual (what we once would have called epistolary) friendship, mostly through email, rare occasions on the phone. I knew her as “abigailr” with her last name being “jpost.com” – still, within those limits, her warmth, her intelligence, and her vitality shone through. It was a pleasure to write for her and learn from her – she was that right editorial combination of smart and supportive - Gil Troy


I am stunned and saddened by abigail's death. Although we never actually met,

she was a real pleasure to work with. My condolences to you all, who had

the pleasure of her company. Marilyn Henry


We worldwide letter writers have no organization, but we surely share the sorrow of the paper's staff, which has suffered recent losses, and hope you go from strength to strength - E. Zeitlin


I was shocked to hear of Abigail's untimely death.  She was the best of editors: sensitive, encouraging, punctilious and understanding.  Working with her was always a pleasure. She will be sorely missed - Naomi Chazan


I was so sorry to hear of the untimely passing of your sister Abigail who has been my editor at the Jerusalem Post this last year. I was  truly shocked and saddened at the tragic news. I hope that G-d gives  you and your family much comfort and her memory serves as an eternal  blessing to you - Rabbi Shmuley Boteach


I want to send my condolences with the passing of Abigail. I may have corresponded with her, but never met her, in the past. But you using her email created an eerie sensation now that she is gone. May her family be blessed with her memory and good works - Mordechai Nisan


I am Alan Gordon and was once was an employee of the Jerusalem Post in the Telemarketing Department. At that time I was casually acquainted with Abigail and would say hello from time to time. We had nice chats. I was shocked to see in the paper of her passing. I extend my personal condolences to the Post Staff and to her family - Alan Gordon


During the year I had the honour to work with her on my submissions she guided more than a dozen onto the pages of the /Jerusalem Post/.  She advised me, cajoled, and criticized; “You have good points here, but the piece is a bit sloppy.” Abigail was an amazing woman, a talented, insightful and thoughtful personality who was primarily responsible for guiding my early attempts at submitting my writing and helping me polish it. She had a great love for Israel and its people and a deep understanding of Jewish affairs.  I will never forget her mannerisms, her smile, and the warmth that emanated from her office - Seth J. Frantzman



המקום ינחם אתכם

G u e s t b o o k


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