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Louise Kazzaz, 1929-2012

Jews either love Israel or rarely give her a second, serious thought. For many years, Louise Kazzaz was the singular voice of Israel in Denver. A one-woman cultural exchange program, she led ADL and government missions to the Jewish state and hosted Israeli celebrities under her hospitable roof. Mrs. Kazzaz understood that love does not bloom in an intellectual vacuum. Some people don’t connect to Israel until they’ve stepped on its soil, inhaled its flowers, savored its food or enjoyed its music. Mrs. Kazzaz, who died May 30, was a wise, passionate and charming woman who appreciated the power of culture. And she knew how to smile.

She invited great singers like Naomi Shemer and Ofra Haza to perform here. It was her hope that music might stir dormant or non-existent emotions. A kind of magic often transpired between the singers and the audience at those concerts. Before you knew it, something in that music convinced you to book a flight to Israel.

Mrs. Kazzaz, the longtime owner of Custom Travel, had a scarred and magnificent love affair with the world. Born in Baghdad, she endured anti-Jewish pogroms and riots. In 1950, Louise went to live in Jerusalem with her husband Dr. David Kazzaz. The couple moved to Denver four years later — and Jewish Denver has never been the same.

Although she would be the last person to call attention to her accomplishments, they were considerable. She was instrumental in initiating Denver’s Israeli Memorial Day (Yom Hazikaron) and Israel Independence Day celebrations, now a staple on the local Jewish calendar. She organized pro-Israel rallies. Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon came to Denver at her bidding. For the vast majority of us, this was our last opportunity to meet him before his tragic death in 2003.

Louise Kazzaz will live on in every lovely Israeli song we hear and each balloon that rises at an Israel Independence Day celebration — just like Israel herself.

Louise Kazzaz will also live on in the many friendships she nurtured for their own sake. If Israel was Mrs. Kazzaz’ all consuming passion, she loved the humanity and the individuality of her friends, whatever their take on Israel. But when the two coalesced — Israel and friendship — wow! A friendship with her was like none other. She is deeply missed, not least by the faces of the young people she always sought out, encouraged and enlivened.

Copyright © 2012 by the Intermountain Jewish News


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