Lazan, a YI Hewlett founder, 92
Nathaniel Lazan, husband of Holocaust survivor and author Marion Blumenthal Lazan, died on Jan. 26 at age 92.
Lazan’s legacy lives on at the Young Israel (Ahavat Yisrael) where he was a founder and president emeritus.
The shul began began in the basement of Lazan’s home where services were held everyday for two years.
“He always took davening very seriously, assiduously saying every word out loud,” Michael wrote.
He was devoted to Judaism, the Jewish people and a supporter of Israel. He volunteered at an army base for six weeks, during the Lebanon War in 1982.
“He always was careful to do the right thing and do it immediately,” son Michael Lazan wrote in an email.
Lazan was his wife’s scheduler, social media manager and fan-mail manager for her many speaking engagements.
At 44, he had a stroke that paralyzed half of his body that he was able to overcome and resume regular activities. He was diagnosed with cancer six years ago and had surgery at 87 helped him beat the cancer.
Lazan was born in the Rockaways and grew up in the Averne section until he was 13.
His family moved to Woodsburgh and he attended Woodmere High School (now Hewlett High School) and then went to Bradley University in Illinois. He was a pilot in the Air Force and an owner of Selby Fifth Avenue, a chain of shoe stores.
He is survived by wife, Marion Blumenthal Lazan; his children, David and Lisa Lazan, Robert and Susan Lazan, and Michael and Rachel Lazan, along with his grandchildren Arielle and Moshe Spern, Joshua and Allyssa Weinberg, Gavreil Lazan, Dahlia and Gilad Kessler, Yoav and Noa Lazan, Jordan Lazan, Hunter Lazan, Ian Lazan, and Casey Lazan.
He is also survived by his great grandchildren Leah Spern, Rachel Spern, Ahuva, Spern, Esther Spern, Chaya Spern, Atara Spern, Rebecca Weinberg, Yehudis Weinberg, Shoshana Weinberg, Be’eri Lazan, Rimon Lazan, Ayala Lazan.
“Dad, we love you and we will miss you,” son Michael wrote.
A funeral was held at Boulevard-Riverside Chapels in Hewlett, on Jan. 27. He was buried at Old Montefiore Cemetery in Elmont.
The family has asked that donations in his memory be made to the Israel Chesed Center in Hewlett.
