Harold Wishna's Obituary
Harold Wishna, 87, of Plantation and formerly of Tamarac, passed away on Wednesday May 4, 2016. He spent decades in community service, starting in his home state of New Jersey where, for 29 years, he was a teacher, guidance counselor, Director of Guidance and school principal in Linden, New Jersey where he grew up. While serving in these positions, he was also State Chairman of the School and College Division for the New Jersey Safety Council and Garden State Arts Center; Chairman of the United Way Cancer Drive; founding Volunteer Director of the Youth Employment Services for Underprivileged Teenagers; and Youth Director for the New Jersey Region of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. Harold received a special citation from the New Jersey State Senate recognizing his service when he left New Jersey to move to Florida. He worked for United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism for a total of 22 years, including Senior Director of Youth Activities for the Southeast Region and Executive Director of the Southeast Region, as well as serving on the National Youth Commission, Long Range Planning Commission, National Convention Committee, Leadership Training Committee, as well as being a consultant on a national, regional and congregational level. While Executive Director, he spearheaded efforts for hurricane relief in his district. Harold was a member of numerous local and national committees, including the Holocaust Committee for the development and implementation of the Florida state law that includes the study of the Holocaust in the Florida public schools curriculum; Chairman of the Volunteer Services Advisory Committee; the Community Chaplaincy Services; National Advisory Council of Boy Scouts; Broward County Crime Commission; Broward County Task Force for Drugs and Alcohol Abuse; Governor’s Task Force on Elderly Affairs; Midrash of Broward County; Education Commission of the Fort Lauderdale Federation; Community Relations Council of Miami, Hollywood and Fort Lauderdale Federations; Advisory Committee for the Jewish Federation Television Services; Florida Council on Aging; Service Academy Selection Committee; Federal Judicial Nominating Committee for the Southern District selecting federal judges, U.S. Attorneys and U.S. Marshals; Co-Chairman of the Program Options Committee of the Broward County School Board; Blue Ribbon Committee of the Broward Education Planning Initiative; Commission on Presidential Scholars. From 1991 through 1998, he was appointed to the North Broward Hospital District Board of Commissioners, overseeing the administration of the public hospitals in the northern part of the county, serving as both Vice Chairman and Chairman of that Board. He also served as Executive Consultant for the North Broward Hospital District, Executive Board of the Broward County Red Cross, Health Education Board, Florida Council for Education Policy, Research and Improvement, and the Broward County Sheriff’s Department. He was also regional director for Hebrew College South. Harold received many awards in appreciation of his community service, including Tree of Life Award from the Jewish National Fund (the Jewish National Fund’s highest honor); New Jersey Senate Educators Award; American Cancer Society Award; United Synagogue Youth Award; BARC Award; United Way Award. He was a member of Temple Beth Torah Sha’aray Tzedek in Tamarac. He received a BA from Seton Hall University, Masters Degrees in Education and Administration from Newark College, and in Guidance and Psychology from Seton Hall University. Preceded in death by his sons, Michael Wishna and Charles “Chuck” Wishna, and his beloved wife of almost 65 years, Helen Wishna. Harold is survived by Esther Wishna and Rhoda Monaco, who both provided him with wonderful care during the last challenging year, grandsons Cleon Bingham and Troy Bingham, as niece Judi Shur and nephews Alan and Philip Wishna. The family would also like to thank Drs. Caren and Glenn Singer who provided Harold with outstanding and compassionate care. A funeral service will be held at Temple Beth Torah Sha’aray Tzedek, 5700 NW 94th Avenue, Tamarac, at 11AM on Friday May 6, 2016. Burial will take place in Beth Israel Cemetery in Woodbridge, New Jersey. Memorial donations in his honor may be made to Broward Health Gold Coast Health & Hospice, 300 S.E. 18th St., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316, or Temple Beth Torah Sha’aray Tzedek, 5700 N.W. 94th Ave., Tamarac, FL 33321.
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