Funeral Details

Leona Rae Molotsky

July 9, 1929 - June 25, 2026

SERVICE INFORMATION

Date and Time

Sunday, June 28, 2026 at 12:30 PM

Service

Chicago Jewish Funerals
Skokie Chapel
8851 Skokie Boulevard
Skokie, Illinois 60077
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Clergy

Rabbi James Gordon

Interment

Shalom Memorial Park
1700 West Rand Road
Arlington Heights, Illinois 60004
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Shiva

Park Plaza
6840 North Sacramento Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60645
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Shiva meals are being coordinated by Alison Molotsky
To contribute to Shiva meals, please call or text Alison at 847.414.1808

Minyanim, along with Park Plaza:
Monday morning to Friday morning:
Shachrit 8AM
Minchah/Ma’ariv 6:45PM

Shiva hours:
Sunday: 7:30PM–9:30PM
Monday through Thursday: 10AM–12PM; 2PM-5PM; 7:30PM-9:30PM
Friday: 10AM–12PM; 2PM–5PM
Shiva concludes Friday at 5PM

Memorial Contributions

Leona Molotsky Hanukkah Music Festival
at Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School
3751 North Broadway
Chicago, Illinois 60613
OR
Dr. Hyman Molotsky Education Fund
at Congregation Ezras Israel
7001 North California
Chicago, Illinois 60645




OBITUARY

Leona R. Molotsky nee Peltzman.
Beloved wife of the late Dr. Hyman M. Molotsky. Loving mother of Alan (Alison) Molotsky, Carla (Neil) Banoff and Judith (Phillip) Samuels. Proud grandmother of Dina (Asher) Feuchtwanger, Aviva (Etai) Sooliman, Talia (Yitzy) Mayefsky, Lisa (Matthew) Rothenberg, Jenna Banoff, Rachel (Orri) Benatar and Avi Samuels. Cherished great-grandmother of Yonatan, Chana, Tuvya, Amichai, Yair, Nadav, Maya, Elah, Daniel, Nava, Leora, Ayelet and Ariel. Dear sister of the late Charleen (the late Arthur) Froog. Service Sunday 12:30 PM at Chicago Jewish Funerals, 8851 Skokie Blvd., (at Niles Center Road), Skokie. Interment Shalom Memorial Park. Memorials in her memory may be made to: Leona Molotsky Hanukkah Music Festival at Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School, 3751 N. Broadway, Chicago, IL 60613 OR Dr. Hyman Molotsky Education Fund at Congregation Ezras Israel, 7001 N. California, Chicago, IL 60645. To attend the funeral livestream, please visit our website. Arrangements by Chicago Jewish Funerals - Skokie Chapel, 847.229.8822, www.cjfinfo.com.


GUEST BOOK

We encourage you to share your personal condolences and stories of Leona Rae Molotsky below and we will share them with the family.
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Dear Carla, Neil and family:

Steve and I want to extend our condolences on the passing of your beautiful mother of blessed memory.
May she rest in peace and may her memory be for a blessing.

Esther Ginsberg
June 26, 2026
To Leona’s family,
We’re so sorry to hear of the loss of your beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, z”l. My mother, a”h, was so very fond of her and loved being part of her “Sweet Singers,” at Ezras Israel. May her memory be a blessing forever to all of you!
Regine and Stuart

Regine and Stuart Meisel
June 26, 2026
My condolences to the entire Molotsky family. Leona worked at Bernard Zell with my grandfather Morton Reisman, whom I never knew. But the music program at Bernard Zell was founded by these two. When my kids went to school there I would come over and say hello to Leona. She was such a sweet lady and would always say something kind about my grandfather. The Hanukkah Festival is a Bernard Zell highlight for every child and family. Leona's legacy lives on. May her memory be for a blessing.

Lisa Reisman
June 27, 2026
Such fond memories of Mrs. Molotzky, although in 8th grade when it was Operetta time she made me be the lead in Oklahoma even though I sang as bad as I could during tryouts!! She pulled me aside and said "you have a beautiful voice and I know what you are doing! It's not going to work. You will be great". And with that I was Curly!! Still one of the best memories I have!!! My prayers and thoughts are with your family. What a wonderful legacy she leaves

Elliot Benn
June 27, 2026
Please accept my deepest sympathy. Mrs. Molotsky was my music teacher in the 1950's till 1960 when I graduated 8th grade. She taught our class the ukuleye and the recorder, which I still have! I can still remember being in HMS Pinafore! What a wonderful, kind and patient teacher she was. She leaves a special legacy to all the students, parents and others she touched with equal gracefulness. May her memory be a blessing .

Roselynn (Gordon) Roseman
June 27, 2026

Roselynn (Gordon) Roseman
June 27, 2026
As a child I attended public school and Anshe Emet Hebrew and Sunday school. When our children were ready for school, they went to the Anshe Emet Day School (now BZAEDS). Throughout this span of many years, Mrs. Molotsky was "MUSIC" at Anshe Emet . May her memory be for a blessing.

Susan Kamin Livingstone
June 28, 2026
On behalf of the YCCS Family, please accept our sincere and heartfelt condolences. Lisa is a valued member of our team and we know her Grandmother had a profound influence in the woman she is today. Thank you!

Donna Santell Cote
June 29, 2026
Mrs. Molotsky was my music teacher at Anshe Emet in the 1960s. My well-meaning but nonpracticing parents chose Anshe Emet not to further my Jewish education but simply because it was a good alternative to the local public school. Culturally, they preferred symphony recordings to show tunes. Little did they expect that Mrs. Molotsky would introduce me to what would become two mainstays of my life -- Judaism and musicals. I remember seeing a poster for MILK AND HONEY on her wall and learning that Anna in THE KING AND I used music to reach her Siamese students. Most memorably, she had us sing "Sabbath Prayer" from a new musical called FIDDLER ON THE ROOF on the community hall stage. Thank you, Mrs. Molotsky.

Susan Lieberman
July 7, 2026