Wethersf ield , Conn .—Rabbi Barton Leftin, former rabbi of Congregation Beth El, passed away.
He is survived by his wife, Cathy; sons Avi (Maria) and Ben (Shill); grandson, Sid; and siblings Howard and Joan.
Rabbi Lefitin graduated with a BA from Boston University, and an MA from Brown, with majors in Russian Literature and Ancient Slavic Languages. Before entering Rabbinical School at the Jewish Theological Seminary, he worked in Great Neck, N.Y., teaching at a local college, as well as at the Hebrew High School and running its Youth House.
He served pulpits in Beverly, Mass., Norfolk, Va., Waterbury, Conn. (where he earned a PsyD in Divinity in Counseling), and Sunrise, Fla. (where he also served as a prison chaplain). His lifelong love of Soviet Jewry was reflected in his two trips to Russia on missions of support. In addition, during his lifetime, he was associated with three Camps Ramah (Ohai, Wisconsin and New England).
A graveside funeral was held at Emanuel Cemetery in Wethersfield, Conn.