Remembering Hank Katzen and his commitment to the Jewish community

Last week, the Katzen family suffered the terrible loss of Harry "Hank" Katzen Z"L who succumbed to a cancer that was more stubborn than the man himself and that is saying something! This loss comes on the heels of the loss of Hank's father of blessed memory, Marc Katzen Z"L, who sadly died Dec. 4, 2022. This is a lot for any family to absorb in a short period of time much less because of the outsized role these gentlemen played in the lives of their respective families. 

However, for the Orlando Jewish community, the loss is no less impactful as it marks the first time in over 50 years that a Jewish organization in this town hasn't had a Katzen either at the leadership helm or in the leadership benches of a board. While originally from southwest Pennsylvania, Marc and Henrietta Katzen came to Orlando in the 1970s and immediately got involved in the Jewish community. Service to the Jewish community runs deep in the Katzen family. 

Hank and Marcie's sons, Malcolm, Max and Mason Katzen, were raised in a home that reflected their parent's experiences as volunteers in their respective communities from both Marcie's family as well as Hank's. For the Katzen family, giving back to the Jewish community was as much a part of their growing up Jewish as Sunday was about the Pittsburgh Steelers. This kind of multi-generational Jewish commitment is not as common as it once was and in Orlando, while there are notable parent-child combos of multi-generational involvement to hold up as paradigms, these are few and far between and tend to be the exception that proves the rule.

Hank Katzen was a lot of things and being the exception is just one of them. For me, Hank was like an older brother. I will never forget the day he walked into the Hillel in Pittsburgh and asked for a tour of the facility. Hank had a glint in his eye that could light up the room when he had an idea in his head that got him excited. I have given lots of tours but something was different with this guy. 

He had a devilish smile and a way of speaking that left an indelible impression. He knew before he walked in the door that he wanted me to come to Orlando but wouldn't come out and say it and instead poured on a charm initiative that could be taught in a Dale Carnegie course.  

When he was in charm mode, Hank could do things with the English language that Eric Clapton could do with a guitar (a metaphor that Hank would appreciate very much). In fact, in my entire life I have met few people with Hank's command of the English language. He at once possessed the folksy wit and charm of a Mark Twain or Will Rogers and could turn a phrase so quickly and deftly that you just wanted to listen to him talk to hear what marvelous witticism he would pull out next.

When Hank pulled me aside and started to sell me on the notion of building what would one day become the Jeffrey & Diane Ginsburg Center for Jewish Student Life, he did so with a mixture of joy and ebullience that was wrapped in so much vision and inspiration that I could almost see it in front of me. I recall thinking to myself that I don't know if I can do this, but with this guy by my side, it can really happen!

I'm not saying that Hank was the world's greatest salesman but suffice to say if Hank was selling sand to the Arabs, there would be mountains of sand today in Arabia and empty beaches worldwide! Hank was one of those rare visionaries who could both conceive of an idea as well as bring it to life.

Hank was no superman and as soon as he could inspire you with a big vision, he could also be self-aware and even self-deprecating in a way that reinforced his own humanity. He was completely human alright; with frailties and all the "piss and vinegar" of a plucky fighter from the streets. Those who knew Hank knew that he was both fiercely loyal as well as an adversary that one would do well to avoid if at all possible. He didn't do this to advance himself or his name. When he was hunkering down for a fight, it was usually for the community's benefit and while unpleasant to be on the receiving side at times, it was almost always stemming from a place where Hank was convinced that this would be for the advancement of the whole Jewish community. 

As I mentioned earlier, we were like brothers and as such, our affection for one another was liberally mixed with verbal tousles that left bruises on us both. After incidents like these, I would remind myself of his motivations, his passions and his deep desire to build for Central Floridians a bit of the amazing Jewish youth experience he had growing up in Pennsylvania.

From the Jewish Academy of Orlando and Temple Israel to Shalom Orlando and his personal pet project, Central Florida Hillel, Hank was not just the necessary leader for the times, he was the indispensable leader without whom much work would still be left in committee. 

May his spirit be bound up in Heaven and may we all be worthy of the community institutions he worked so hard to bequeath us all. B"H