Rabbi Abraham Morhaim

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Sephardic Scholar, Chaplain, Youth Group Leader, Teacher and Storyteller

A Sephardic Scholar and Pulpit Rabbi at Temple Ner Tamid in Peabody Massachusetts for over thirty years, Rabbi Abraham Morhaim passed away peacefully on Saturday, February 5th, 2022 at age 89 in Dedham, Massachusetts. He was born on June 19th, 1932 in Brooklyn, NY, the second youngest of eight children, to Calie (Cohen) and Haim Morhaim, two Sephardic Jews who had immigrated from Turkey. Born into a vibrant Sephardic Jewish community, Rabbi Morhaim’s first language was Ladino, but learned Yiddish to attend Jewish studies at the local Yeshiva. At age thirteen, he joined his temple choir which was led by the angelic-voiced thirteen-year-old Victoria Yousha, to whom he was later married for 44 years and with whom he had five children: Calie, Jeffrey, Esther, David, and the late Haim Morhaim. He went to Yeshiva University as an undergraduate where he played college basketball, and later received his masters and rabbinical ordination at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York. He spent his early rabbinical career in Brooklyn, NY, subsequently serving as a Rabbi in Mexico City for about a year before settling in Peabody at Temple Ner Tamid. He was an active member of the Peabody Clergy Association, an interfaith clergy group, and enjoyed teaching Jewish conversion classes at the Gerim Institute, now the Jewish Discovery Institute. Over the course of twenty-five years, he led trips of Jewish youth groups and adults, as well as interfaith clergy, to Israel, fulfilling his deep passion for inspiring and educating people about Judaism and the state of Israel. He also served as the Jewish Chaplain at Boston Children’s Hospital, at the VA Hospitals in West Roxbury and Jamaica Plain, and at Hanscom Airforce Base. Together with his first wife Vicky, who passed away in 1996, Rabbi Morhaim gave lectures around the country about the history, customs, and Ladino language of Sephardic Jews, while Vicky sang traditional Ladino songs. Always young at heart, Rabbi Morhaim could often be found entertaining congregants and youth groups with card tricks, playing competitive basketball, and telling stories about his youth growing up in Brooklyn and about his experiences attending Yeshiva. His enthusiasm for Judaism and Israel influenced thousands throughout the US and Israel, leading many into Jewish professional leadership roles.  Later in life, Rabbi Morhaim married Bonnie Orlin, his wife of 22 years, and together they lived in Cambridge Massachusetts and traveled the world. In his retirement, he continued his passion for education, teaching and taking classes at the Harvard Institute for Learning and Retirement.  He leaves behind sister Lily Daar, wife Bonnie Orlin, daughter Calie Candia (husband Robb Cohen), son Jeffrey Morhaim, daughter Esther Hausman (husband Ken), and son David Morhaim. He also leaves grandson Ari Hausman (wife Laura), granddaughter Hannah Hausman, and grandson Zach Morhaim, as well as great grandchildren Lev and Ezra Hausman. From Bonnie Orlin’s family, he leaves Jeff Orlin (wife Francis Keech), Eric Orlin (wife Kathleen), and David Orlin (wife Karyn), as well as Bonnie Orlin’s grandchildren Daniel, Casey, Sam, Ben and Devlin Orlin.

The funeral will take place at the graveside in New York, Tuesday, February 8, 2022 at 3 pm. Shiva information can be obtained from the following temple websites: www.templenertamid.org, www.templeemunah.org and www.templeemanuel.com.  Donations in Rabbi Morhaim’s memory can be made to the United Synagogue Youth organization at www.usy.org/donate or to the charity of your choice. Special thanks to Nathan Patrick for his diligence and kindness.