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Dan Tannenbaum leaves great legacy to his community
Dan Tannenbaum arrived in Berks County in 1981 with a distinguished career as a Jewish community leader already established. He wound up finding a home for the rest of his life, and a community eternally grateful for his service.
Tannenbaum died Dec. 16 at the age of 85. He served as executive director of the Jewish Federation of Reading from 1981 to 1994, then served the community as coordinator of the Holocaust Resource Center at Albright College until his death. His work as a leader and educator had an impact far beyond the Jewish community.
The native New Yorker was well traveled when he arrived in Reading. He was a Syracuse University graduate with a Master's degree in social work from Ohio State University. He worked at the Jewish Community Center in Columbus, Ohio. He later worked as a program director at Jewish Community Centers in Allentown and in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., prior to becoming the Executive Director of the JCC in New Bedford, Mass.He served as Executive Director of the Jewish Community Center in Rockford, Ill., from 1974 until 1981, when he arrived in Reading.
His wife, Shoshana, passed away on March 3, 2010.
He is survived by his son, Marc H., Charlotte, N.C.; and daughter, Miriam B. Castrege, Aldan, Pa.
His other community activities included a stint as president of the Reading Rotary Club, a board member and former chairman of the Board of B’nai B’rith Apartments, a member of the Pennsylvania Holocaust Education Council and a board member of the Jewish Federation.
His contributions to our community will not be forgotten.