Woody Kaplan

Passionate Advocate for Civil Rights, Liberties and Freedom of Speech

Woody Kaplan of Boston, age 80, passed away on August 3rd. Following a highly successful career in commercial real estate, Woody retired from business 30 years ago and devoted himself full time to his political passions — advocating for civil liberties and civil rights, locally and nationally, supporting candidates who shared his ideals, and giving money away instead of making it. A former ACLU national board member, Woody helped establish the organization’s endowment fund in the 1990s. A lifelong atheist, who fought for everyone’s freedom of conscience, he was a founding member of the Secular Coalition for America. A lifelong free speech advocate, he was a longtime board member of Defending Rights and Dissent, a successor organization to the National Committee to Abolish HUAC (the House of UnAmerican Activities Committee). A fighter for racial justice, Woody went to Mississippi in 1962 to work on voter registration drives. Woody Kaplan was a patriot.

He is survived by his wife and life partner, writer Wendy Kaminer, who shared Woody’s passions and beliefs. He is also survived by his daughters, Abigail of Jerusalem and Emily of Los Angeles, by 11 grandchildren, and by his devoted sister, Nancy Fischman and her husband, Steve.