Daniel Szafran

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Daniel Szafran passed away peacefully at his home in Canton early Friday morning with his family by his side. He had survived World War II and the Holocaust, surviving Auschwitz, Saxenhausen, and the Death March. He immigrated to Palestine and fought in Israel’s War of Independence, and in the Sinai Campaign of 1956.

He married Simona Dulzer in 1953, Zvi was born in 1955, and Drorit in 1957. They came to the United States in 1959, and lived in Syracuse, where he worked at several jobs, the last at Greyhound as a master mechanic. When Zvi became President at SUNY Canton, Daniel and Simona would stay in Canton the warmer half of the year, going to Las Vegas in the winter. One of their proudest moments was when they danced at Zvi’s inauguration. Another came when Daniel was awarded a Doctorate by Touro University Nevada, honorus causa.

After my his beloved Simona passed away, Daniel came to Canton, where he lived with Zvi and Jill for the past five years or so.

Daniel was an extraordinary man, full of love and compassion despite all he had gone through. He spoke all over the country about his experiences, loved playing and watching basketball, and was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, and friend.

“Aba, you’re together at peace with your beloved Simona and Mark now. We’ll miss you until we are rejoined when our time comes.”

The traditional prayer for those who passed away is El Malei Rachamim, G-d Full of Mercy:
God who is full of mercy and dwells on high, provide a true rest on the wings of the Divine Presence amongst the holy and pure ones who shine as brightly as the brilliance of the sky to the soul of Daniel Szafran who has gone on to his eternity, the Garden of Eden will be his resting place. We beseech the Merciful One to shade him forever with divine wings, and to bind his soul up in the bonds of life. The Lord is his heritage, and he shall rest peacefully on his bed. And let us say, Amen.

Funeral sevices will be at 11AM on Monday, June10 at Sisskind Funeral Chapel. There will not be a visitation prior to the service. Burial will be in Beth El Cemetery. Shiva will be observed at Zvi and Jill’s home in Canton. Contributions in his memory may be made to the Simona Szafran fund at The Syracuse Hebrew Day School, or to Th Mark Szafran Endowment at SUNY Canton.

The service will be live streamed beginning at 11AM on Monday on the Sisskind Funeral Service Facebook Page.