Gary Rosenthal Death – Gary Michael Rosenthal, a native of Washington, DC., and a well-known Sculptor and Judaica Artist passed away peacefully in his bed at home, surrounded by his loving family on Friday, May 26th, 2023. He was 69 years old at the time of his death. According to sources, Gary Rosenthal died following a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. He was confirmed dead by his beloved son Reuben Max Rosenthal through a social media statement on Friday.
Who was Gary Rosenthal?
Gary Michael Rosenthal was a native of Washington, DC., and a well-known Sculptor, dedicated philanthropist, and Judaica Artist. Gary was born on June 25, 1953, in Bethesda, Maryland. He was the second of Bob and Ann Rosenthal’s three children. Before getting his MBA from the University of Virginia, he went to Walt Whitman High School and Cornell University.
Gary was once thought to have “no artistic talent,” but he went on to become one of the most important figures in the modern American craft movement. He made beautiful Judaica that is used in homes around the world for family celebrations and as art. Gary learned to weld while working in his family’s appliance repair business. At a young age, he turned his welding skills to sculpture, capturing the human form in brass. He made a line of ballerina figures for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Because he was Jewish and thought that Jewish ritual items didn’t have enough artistic variety, he focused on Judaica, which he saw as an underserved niche in the American craft market. Through the Gary Rosenthal Collection, he put together a group of artists, including refugees fleeing oppression and people with different skills, to make Judaica which is now in thousands of homes and temples. Gary used his art to help people whenever he could. He did this with an open heart and a kind attitude.
About Gary Rosenthal
He made the Art as a Catalyst Program to help cause marketing in the community. He went all over the country with his Hiddur Mitzvah Project, which brought together people as young as 4 and as old as 104 to make art, often to help those in need. And his Glass Ribbon Project helped bring attention to and money for breast and pancreatic cancer patients.
Gary also worked with other groups like Arts on the Block, the Montgomery Arts and Humanities Council, The Theatre Lab, Avodah, and many others to reach more people. He was Marta Goldsmith’s beloved husband and the loving father of Reuben Rosenthal and Sophie Rosenthal. Dale Rosenthal loved his brother Gary very much. He owned the Gary Rosenthal Collection and started it. Gary thought that building ties were just as important to his business as Judaica.
Tribute to Gary Rosenthal
“Very saddened to hear the news that Gary Rosenthal just passed away from cancer he had been fighting for some time. A real mensch and someone whose art studio in Kensington many of us had enjoyed, not to mention his collection of amazing Judaica – including gifts made for Rabbi Charles Arian and Andrea Epstein.” Joan Fagan Teich said. “I also knew him as a dad had taught his daughter and my husband taught his son. BDE. May his memory be a blessing!” Joan added.
Stephen J. Thompson also expressed his condolences as he wrote “R. I. P. Gary Rosenthal. An amazing artist and a wonderful man. I am grateful that I got to meet him. I am glad to call his children my friends. His art made our world better. His personality did so even more. May his memory be a blessing.”
Robert Hoff’s obituary and funeral arrangements
Funeral services will be held on Sunday, May 28, 2023, at 10 a.m. at the gazebo, at the Garden of Remembrance Memorial Park, Clarksburg, MD. A celebration of life service will be held at a later date. Shiva will be observed at the family home on Sunday and Monday at 7 p.m. and a virtual shiva on Tuesday at 7 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCan).
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