Jerome Rosenfeld

ROSENFELD, Jerome Manuel Of Chestnut Hill passed peacefully on July 11, 2011. He was 100 and survived the recent death of Elaine Rosenfeld, his wife of 70 years. Even in his mid-90’s Mr. Rosenfeld remained active in the cultural life of Boston, as Chairman of the 112 year old Jerome Press Publications, publishers of Boston’s Playbill, Panorama, Theatrebill magazines and as well as Chairman of Show of The Month Club. Heir to a family printing business begun by his grandfather in the late ninteenth century, Mr. Rosenfeld saw his position as business manager of Brown University’s Brown Daily Herald, as preparation for working in the family business after his graduation from Brown at the height of the Great Depression. During the ensuing years, he expanded the family business into publishing and political printing and then, in the 1950’s, into cultural enterprises, which included On Stage, Playbill, Good Listening, and Boston Arts magazines as well as National Theatre Clubs, Inc., which operated theatre clubs in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago. In 1952, he co-founded, with Nelson Aldrich of Marblehead, the Boston Arts Festival which was held each summer in the Boston Public Gardens for 13 years and attracted millions of Massachusetts citizens. During his theatrical career, Mr. Rosenfeld produced over 50 theatrical productions and, during the 1980’s, he leased and managed The Colonial Theatre. At various times, he served as trustee of the Institute of Contemporary Arts, endowed a chair in the Boston Symphony Orchestra and served as Chairman of the Massachusetts Heart Fund. His philanthropy included many cultural and medical institutions, most recently endowing the annual Jerome and Elaine Rosenfeld Concerts in the Courtyard Series at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. He is survived by his sons Richard and his wife Anne of Gloucester, Donald and his wife Abby of Wayland and his grandchildren, Tadd Rosenfeld of Miami Beach, Jill and her husband Dan LaGattuta of New Canaan, Jacquelyn-Kate Rosenfeld of Boston and his cherished great-grandchildren, Lucy, Julian and Chloe LaGattuta of New Canaan, Conneticut. Graveside service and burial will be private. Visiting hours for Shiva will be held at 52 Malia Terrace,Newton, on Tuesday from 2 to 4 pm. Expressions of sympathy may be donated to the Elaine and Jerome Rosenfeld Family Charitable Fund of The Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston, 126 High St., Boston, MA 02110.