Saul Mirowitz, longtime board chairman of Delmar Financial Co. and founder and major benefactor of the Saul Mirowitz Day School-Reform Jewish Academy, died Sunday, Jan. 4, 2009. He was 82 years of age and a resident of St. Louis. The information on Mr. Mirowitz’s passing was received by the St. Louis Jewish Light as we were going to press for this week’s edition. A detailed story on Mr. Mirowitz’s many contributions to the Jewish community of St. Louis will be in our Jan. 14, 2009 edition.

Mr. Mirowitz was born Aug. 17, 1926, in Mannheim, Germany, and arrived in the United States in 1938. He attended Washington University in St. Louis, and graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in 1950. At the university, Mr. Mirowitz was vice president of the Student Senate and vice president of Pi Lambda Phi fraternity.

Mr. Mirowitz was president of his B’nai B’rith lodge, and was founder and president of Traditional Congregation. He served as president of the St. Louis Chapter of the American Jewish Committee, vice chair and commissioner of Human Rights for the state of Missouri and board president of the Jewish Family and Children’s Service. He was a past member of the Jewish Federation Board of Directors and of the St. Louis Jewish Light Board of Trustees and its advisory committee.

He served on the Missouri-Southern Illinois Regional Advisory Board of the Anti-Defamation League, and was president of the St. Louis Chapter of the American Technion Society. Mr. Mirowitz served on the Chicago Board of Trade and was on the board of the Landmark Bank.

Mr. Mirowitz, an active member of Traditional Congregation, was the founder of the Reform Jewish Academy, which later changed its name to the Saul Mirowitz Day School-Reform Jewish Academy. He provided the major original funding for the school, and continued to support the school financially and through participation on its board of directors throughout its existence.

Cheryl Maayan, Head of School of the SMDS-RJA Board of Directors, said, “It is with a heavy heart that I write to inform you of the passing of Saul Mirowitz. He passed away peacefully tonight, surrounded by his loving family. Mr. Mirowitz was a visionary leader who believed deeply in Jewish continuity. His passion for threading tradition through every generation inspired rabbis, educators and other community leaders. The Saul Mirowitz Day School-Reform Jewish Academy carries forth his vision every day, and continues to honor his values, his ideals and his name. We have lost a leader and a friend.”

Mr. Mirowitz is survived by his wife, Barbara and four daughters, Marilyn Levison, Wendy Goldberg, Jan Axelbaum and Jill Mogil. A funeral service was planned for Jan. 6 at Traditional Congregation.