On Sunday, May 23, YU’s Sunday morning Arbesfeld Yom Rishon Program memorialized philanthropist Marilyn Belz, z”l, who passed away on December 22, 2020, at the age of 91, from COVID-19 complications. Together with her husband of 72 years, Jack Belz, yibadel l’chaim, she promoted the visual arts and music through her generosity of spirit and philanthropy. Known for her beauty, kindness and graciousness, Marilyn Belz worked alongside her husband Jack, developer and downtown Memphis visionary, in establishing centers of culture in every corner of Memphis. Together they founded the Belz Museum of Asian and Judaic Art, and lent support to some of Memphis’ most influential cultural, arts and religious institutions from the Orpheum Theater to the Memphis Jewish Home and Rehab.
Pillars of the renowned Baron Hirsch Synagogue, “Marilyn was a third generation member,” said Rabbi Binyamin Lehrfield. “She picked up the mantle of leadership like her parents before her. This is a beautiful legacy which she leaves behind.”
Rabbi Micah Greenstein of Temple Israel shared, “Marilyn and Jack Belz gave all of themselves, making them two of a few American Jews nationally who contribute disproportionately, whether philanthropically or through leadership or artistically. They are model Jewish humanitarians. The Belz name has its imprimatur on many institutions throughout Israel as well.”
Proudly counted among their U.S. cultural beneficiaries is Yeshiva University’s Belz School of Jewish Music. Founded in 1954 as Cantorial Training Institute, its name was changed to the Belz School of Jewish Music in 1984, subsequent to a generous gift by Jack and Marilyn Belz in memory of Jack’s parents, Philip and Sarah Belz. The mission of the Belz School of Music is to educate and prepare aspiring professional cantors, ba’alei tefilla, music educators and synagogue laymen to serve in Jewish communities throughout the world.
Sunday’s Yom Rishon Tribute to Marilyn Belz, z”l, featured divrei zicharon from Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, president of Yeshiva University. Berman cited the pasuk from Ruth 3:11 in which Boaz praises Ruth, “And now, my daughter, fear not. I will do to thee all that thou request. For all the city of my people knows that thou art a virtuous woman.” Berman posited that this pasuk can fittingly describe Marilyn Belz, whose grace and beneficence were known not only throughout the city of Memphis but in cities across the U.S. and Israel.
Professor Smadar Rosensweig, associate professor of Bible at Stern College, presented on “The Musical and Artistic Sensibility of the Bible.” Through her presentation, Professor Rosensweig illustrated that music provides the ultimate connection to Hashem. When Moshe led the people in the famous Az Yashir after their passage through the Red Sea, this was the first occasion in Tanach that Bnei Yisrael were galvanized in a unified expression of thanks to God. Shortly afterward, Miriam united the women in song and dance as an expression of thankfulness for the miracles they experienced in Egypt and on the sea. Even before leaving Egypt, the righteous women were already collecting musical instruments to serve them in their song and dance to Hashem, as they were confident of their future redemption.
When Dovid Hamelech brought the Ark to Yerushalayim, he accompanied the journey with joyous song and dance. Once the Beit Hamikdash was erected, David Hamelech added music to the service, as we see in the many Tehillim that are introduced with the words Shir Hamaalot, the Songs of Ascent to the Beit Hamikdash. Chana and Devorah sang songs of praise to Hashem in beseeching Him for help in their times of need. The Prophet Samuel urges King Saul to seek inspiration in his reign through music. King Yehoshaphat asks Elisha the Prophet for inspiration through music. Bezalel, the chief architect of the Beit Hamikdash and grandson of Miriam, was divinely inspired to create the artwork adorning the Temple.
Thus we learn throughout Tanach how vital music and art are as instruments of connection to Hashem as they inspire deep messages of spirituality to the people. The Belz family, through their magnanimous support of the arts and music, enable this message of spirituality to be disseminated globally.
Cantor Joseph Malovany was invited to address the program in memory of Marilyn Belz as he serves as a distinguished professor of liturgical music at the Belz School of Music as well as the cantor of the 5th Avenue Synagogue. Additionally, he serves as the rector of the Institute of Jewish Liturgical Music in Leipzig and Berlin, Germany. Cantor Malovany’s connection to the Belz family goes back to 1971 when the parents of Jack Belz, Philip and Sarah Belz, were members of the 5th Avenue Synagogue when Malovany auditioned for the position of cantor. Cantor Malovany has witnessed firsthand the genuine dedication of Marilyn, together with Jack, to her family, faith and the larger Jewish community.
Cantor Malovany has been a professor of liturgical music at the Belz School since 1985. He views the Belz School as unique in the world of liturgical music as its threefold mission has not been duplicated. The first and key mission is to prepare baalei tefilla who are grounded in the proper nusach hatefillah that has been passed down through the ages.They should be musically talented, but even more importantly, musically educated in the traditional musical chants of the creators of our tefillot.
The second crucial mission of the Belz School of Music is to prepare educated baalei batim of synagogues who will be proper judges of potential chazanim and know what they are seeking in a well-prepared leader of the liturgy. The third mission is to ensure that YU-affiliated synagogues throughout the U.S. and globally preserve the traditional nusach and not abandon it to modern renditions with no previous history.
In his remarks, Jack Belz expressed his gratitude to Yeshiva University for the beautiful tribute to his beloved Marilyn as well as the gratitude of his five children and their spouses, his 13 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. In selecting Cantor Malovany to address the program, they paid tribute to Marilyn’s great admiration for Malovany during the many opportunities she had to hear him perform. Two recent occasions were his 90th birthday celebration concert with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra as well as their 70th wedding anniversary celebration at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis.
May the joy she gave others through her loving and gracious countenance continue on and may her memory be a blessing.
By Pearl Markovitz
