Leon Levy

Leon Levy, aka, Laizer Lewi, age 99, of New York, New York passed away peacefully in his home, surrounded by family, on Saturday, June 24, 2023.

He is survived by his wife of more than 77 years, Lili Koniecpolska Levy; sons Harvey Levy (Lena Rotenberg) and Irwin Levy (Diane); grandchildren Jonathan Levy (Regina), Charles Levy (Alison), Rebecca Friedman (Joshua), and Ariel Levy; and great-grandchildren Atara (Shuli), Bella, and Raphael (Rafi) Friedman, and Byron, Miles, Arlo, and Sasha Levy.

Leon Levy was a Polish-born Holocaust survivor of multiple forced labor and concentration camps. In 1945, he met and chatted with Lili through a barbed wire fence. After the war ended, he went in search of Lili and they married in 1946. The young couple settled in Munich, Germany, where Leon became a watch repairman and had a son, Chaim (Harvey). In 1949 the family immigrated to Brooklyn, NY, where another son, Irwin, was born a few years later.

Together with his younger brother Harry, also a Holocaust survivor, Leon established the Levy Brothers Jewelry Store in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, NY which enabled his family to thrive. After the jewelry store burned down as a result of a fire, instead of retiring Leon took a job as a doorman and elevator operator on Park Avenue for “a few years” and really retired 23 years later, well into his 80s. He was always willing to talk with students and researchers about his experiences as a Holocaust survivor, and one of his videos can be seen online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLc2AMk9BGs

Leon will be remembered as an honest, hardworking family man loved by all.

The funeral will be limited to family only.