Jack Rabinovitch

Jack Rabinovitch (24 June 1930 – 6 August 2017) OC, O.Ont was a Canadian philanthropist best known for founding the Giller Prize which is named after his late wife, Doris Giller, who was a literary columnist for the Toronto Star.[1]

Jack Rabinovitch

OC, O.Ont
Born(1930-06-24)June 24, 1930
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
DiedAugust 6, 2017(2017-08-06) (aged 87)
Sunnybrook Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Alma materBaron Byng High School
McGill University
SpouseDoris Giller (d. 1993)
Parents
  • Issac Rabinovitch (father)
  • Fanny Shulman (mother)

Life and career

Rabinovitch was born and raised in Montreal to Isaac Rabinovitch and Fanny Shulman, then graduated from McGill University with a BA in English.[2]

Rabinovitch was a reporter and speechwriter who later turned to business (working for Sam Steinberg of food retailer Steinbergs) and made his fortune in food retailing and real estate. He joined real estate developer Trizec Corporation in the 1970s and was an executive who helped develop six million square feet of hotel, commercial and retail space.

He was Maclean's magazine's man of the year in 1999 and was a recipient of the Order of Canada and the Order of Ontario.[3]

Personal life

Rabinovitch and Giller moved to Toronto in 1985, where he remained until his death.

Death and legacy

Rabinovitch died on 6 August 2017, aged 87.[4][5] He was laid to rest at Beth Tzedec Memorial Park.

After his death, the Toronto Public Library opened the Jack Rabinovitch Reading Room inside the Toronto Reference Library in downtown Toronto in 2019.[6] Rabinovitch's book collection and his other memorabilia are on display there, and events leading to the Giller Prize are being held here.[7]

References
  1. Porter, A. (Fall 2017). "Jack Rabinovitch, 1930-2017". Queen's Quarterly. 124 (3): 326–330. ProQuest 1940838311.
  2. "Biographies".
  3. Honorary doctorates, professors emeriti and teaching award winners
  4. Austen, Ian (7 August 2017). "Jack Rabinovitch, Founder of Canadian Literary Award, Dies at 87". The New York Times.
  5. "Jack Rabinovitch, founder of Giller Prize, dead at 87". The Globe and Mail, August 6, 2017.
  6. "Presenting the Jack Rabinovitch Reading Room at the Toronto Reference Library". Toronto Public Library. 30 October 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  7. "Watch the 2022 Scotiabank Giller Prize shortlist reveal on Sept. 27 at 11 a.m. ET". CBC. 26 September 2022. Retrieved 4 November 2022.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.