(Tekirdag, 1919 – Seattle, 2019)
Rabbi Solomon Maimon was born in Tekirdag, Turkey as the youngest of eight children of Rabbi Abraham and Victoria Maimon. In 1924, Rabbi Abraham Maimon was called to serve as the Rabbi of Seattle’s Sephardic Bikur Holim Congregation, where many of his previous community members had moved. Thus at the age of six Solomon came to the United States with his family.
Rabbi Solomon Maimon was the first Sephardic Rabbi to be ordained in the U.S. at New York’s Yeshiva University. Following his ordination, in 1944, he returned to Seattle and became the Rabbi of Sephardic Bikur Holm Congregation. He held that position for over 40 years until his retirement and then served as its Rabbi Emeritus until his passing.
Rabbi Maimon’s mantra was “Let’s Build for Them” focusing on youth, believing them to be the future community builders. Rabbi Maimon envisioned, encouraged, and was the architect of many Jewish institutions in Seattle, including the Seattle Hebrew Day School (now known as the Seattle Hebrew Academy), Northwest Yeshiva High School, Seattle Kollel and the Sephardic Adventure Camp which began in 1955. To this day, the camp is still very well attended by local, national and international children where they are exposed to and trained in the unique Sephardic customs, rituals and liturgy in a fun and active way. He also served for many years as the Av Beth Din (Chief Rabbi) of the Seattle Va’ad, the organization of Orthodox Rabbis in the Seattle area. Rabbi Maimon was also a mohel.
Rabbi Solomon Maimon passed away on September 26, 2019 in Seattle at the age of 100. His funeral, held at the Sephardic Bikur Holim Congregation, was attended by 400 members of Seattle’s Jewish Community.
Rabbi Maimon is survived by his two sons, Rabbi Abraham Maimon of Monsey, New York and Rabbi Michael Maimon of Jerusalem, Israel, and 30 grandchildren. He was predeceased by his beloved wife Sarah Romey Maimon, the untimely death of his two children, Mordechai and Sheryl Maimon and by his second wife, Esther Kubie Maimon.
Rabbi Maimon left a towering legacy for the Sephardic community in Seattle and the greater Sephardic community throughout the United States.
Read much more about Rabbi Maimon’s life, impact, and legacy on the website of Sephardic Bikur Holim Congregation here.
Watch a documentary about Rabbi Maimon here.
Read an interview with Rabbi Maimon entitled “The Secret to a Successful Sephardic Community” here.
Read a memorial tribute to Rabbi Maimon written by Rabbi Marc Angel here.