Melvin "Mickey" Metelits

Metelits, Melvin, 89 passed away on 28 January 2023 peacefully, with his family by his side. He lived an outsized life while remaining enormously grounded. His early activism in the organised left and civil rights movement included leadership in the Fair Play for Cuba Committee of Philadelphia, and journalism with the left wing newspaper The Independent Citizen. He was a member of the Communist Party USA from 1963 to 1991. An elementary school teacher who ended that phase of his career in the Frederick Douglass School, his early work in the Philadelphia teachers union securing rights for “permanent part time teachers” including full time pay and benefits changed the economic fortunes of many. He organised protests against the Vietnam War as well as busloads of protestors and activists for The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963.

A charismatic, intellectual and deeply spiritual man, he returned to his Jewish roots through P’nai Or in Philadelphia and Jewish Renewal. Teaching scores of bar and bat mitzvah learners, as well as aspiring converts, Melvin became a revered teacher of Torah and Jewish values. He led several circles of Torah and Jewish text study groups, and eventually received smicha as a Maggid, a traditional teller of folk stories in the Jewish mystical and ethical traditions. He held storytelling sessions far and wide, and his last session was captured on a CD entitled The Whispering Maggid. His storytelling was all the more remarkable given that he had survived throat cancer, had only one vocal chord, and spoke in a whisper that was at once penetrating and captivating. A warm, open teacher, whose appreciation for the wonder of everyday existence could turn any moment into a deep lesson, his spiritual guidance and example transformed the lives of congregants and students, and even some of his own teachers.

In his youth and middle age, he was an avid athlete, excelling in table tennis and cycling in his middle years as past President of the Pennsylvania Cycling Club. He played classical guitar at a very high level when younger, and had a keen appreciation for music. He spoke Spanish perfectly from a young age, and loved sports, being an ardent supporter of the Eagles and Phillies. He is survived by his third wife, Maria, and his son Michael, grandchildren Caleb and Leah, as well as stepchildren Letetia, Sabre, Chandler and Cassandra; and step grandchildren Niara, Kyle, Simone, Cloe, Chandler Jr., Victoria and Terrell, and step great grandchildren along with Jeremiah, Timothy, Shalayh, Samir, Mahlani, Tyreek and Carter.

Services will be held on Wednesday, February 1 at Goldsteins’ Rosenberg’s Raphael-Sacks Funeral Home at 6410 North Broad St, Philadelphia PA, 19126. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to P'nai Or Philadelphia https://pnaior-phila.org/ or The Shalom Center https://theshalomcenter.org/ .