It is with regret that we inform you that Mrs. Sisel Klurman z’l passed away this past Sunday Night.
The Klurman Family is the namesake of the Camp Klurman, our remarkable MBJCC Summer Camp program. Mrs. Klurman was the Grandmother of our Board Member Michelle Ben-Aviv's husband, Matan. We are so thankful for the Klurman/Ben-Aviv family’s ongoing support of our agency and we know that you join me in offering our deepest condolences. The Klurman name and legacy will continue to live on proudly here at our Miami Beach JCC with the beautiful and impactful Camp Klurman summer program.
Born in Romania in 1925 to a traditional Jewish family, Sisel enjoyed a happy and loving childhood until the Holocaust began. When the war started her family was torn from their home and forced to move to Mogilov ghetto, where her parents and two siblings perished. As the oldest living child, Sisel became a maternal figure to her remaining two brothers and sister, and worked hard to get them to safety and ultimately to Israel where they heroically reunited years later.
Sisel escaped the ghetto and met the love of her life Samuel Aba Klurman, z’l while they were both helping other Jews escape. They fell in love and quickly married to form an incredible lifelong partnership. Sam, who at the time was a commander of the Partisans in Eastern Europe, then joined the Etzel movement with Sisel and they spent the remaining years of the war risking their lives to smuggle Jews to the future Eretz Israel. After the war, Sam and Sisel organized the Etzel activities from Italy and then eventually moved to Israel themselves. They remained ardent zionists throughout their lives.
Over the years, they lived between Israel and the US (Denver, New York City and then Miami) where they built a successful healthcare business. After Samuel’s death, Sisel took over the business and to great success.
Their proudest work was their lifelong commitment to strengthening and expanding Jewish life. This work was spread throughout the world; primarily focused in Israel and the US, specifically Miami. The Klurmans focused on Jewish Education, Health Initiatives and Social programs including the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, Friends of the Israel Defense Forces, Touro College, Bar Ilan University, Weitzman Institute, Ariel University, Toras Emes Toras Chaim Yeshiva, WIZO, Miami Beach Jewish Community Center, Jewish Communal Services, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Souraski Medical Center, Mount Sinai Hospital (Miami) and many others.
Sisel Klurman was extremely proud of her family and their commitment to Jewish life. Despite the horrors she witnessed, she was able to remain an optimist and love humanity. Her four daughters and many grandchildren and great grandchildren will forever miss her.
