Saul Gitomer celebrated the 72nd anniversary of his bar mitzvah by reading from his Torah portion, Bereshit, on the morning of Monday, Oct. 9.
Shortly after his 70th bar mitzvah anniversary two years ago, Gitomer was inspired to reflect on his life and began an autobiography, starting with his parents’ immigration stories from Ukraine and Argentina at the turn of the 20th Century.
“My history starts in Atlantic City in 1938 and goes through Philadelphia for college; New Brunswick, New Jersey; and Kansas City (for graduate schools),” Gitomer told The Chronicle. “[I ended up] working at Marion Labs for 18 years until retirement in 1986. [In] the years since, I consulted, did community service, traveled the world and spent months cycling through Europe, South America, Canada, Alaska and New Zealand.”
Gitomer has also raised thousands of dollars for various charities (including for multiple sclerosis research, AIDS research and homeless shelters). He recounted these stories, his encounters with entertainers and politicians, and other important moments from his life in his autobiography.
Now at Village Shalom, Gitomer remains active with his family and the Jewish community.
