Masza Reznik Rok's Obituary
Masza Reznik Rok
May 15, 1915 – October 20, 2013
Masza Reznik Rok, beloved mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, passed away in Miami Beach on Sunday, October 20, 2013. She was 98 years old.
Born in Davidgrudek, Poland in 1915, Mrs. Rok was the youngest of nine children of David and Leah Reznik. At the age of 18, fearing the impending horror of World War II, she fled her native homeland to Cuba by boat to join her brother and two of her sisters. She encouraged the rest of her family to leave as well but to her dismay they remained and perished in the Holocaust. In Cuba, she met her future husband Peisa Rok, whom she married in November 1936. They built a successful textile business and raised three daughters, Silvia, Syma and Lidia. As Castro came to power, Mrs. Rok once again had great foresight and encouraged her husband to leave Cuba and begin a new life for their family in the United States. The Roks moved to Miami in 1960, started a new clothing business, and became prominent members in many Jewish and philanthropic organizations, including the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Hadassah, Wizo, Karen Kayemet, the Simon Wisenthal Center, Miami Jewish Federation, and Douglas Gardens. Her husband passed in 1987 after 50 wonderful years of marriage. Mrs. Rok continued her involvement in the Miami community and remained committed to charity and helping others.
She is survived by her three children, Mrs. Sylvia Muskat, Syma and Allan Rubenfeld, and Lidia and Jimmy Resnick, 9 grandchildren, and 14 great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held on Monday, October 21, 2013 at 12:30 p.m. at The Shul of Bal Harbor, 9540 Collins Avenue. Shiva will be observed at the home of Lidia and Jimmy Resnick, 2700 Bay Avenue, Sunset Island #2, Miami Beach, Florida. The family requests that donations in Mrs. Rok’s honor be made to the Friends of the IDF, 2040 NE 163rd Street, Suite 207, North Miami Beach, Florida 33162 (305) 354-8233.
Arrangements by Blasberg-Rubin-Zilbert
(305) 538-6371
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