(Jewish Daily Bulletin)
The text of the will of the late Dr. Charles D. Spivak, bequeathing his body to a medical college for scientific research, was made public here. The paragraph dealing with the disposition of his body read:
“I request my wife and heirs to permit of the disposal of my remains after my death in this way:
“The body should be embalmed and shipped to the nearest medical college for an equal number of non-Jewish and Jewish students to carefully dissect. After my body has been dissected the bones should be articulated by an expert and the skeleton shipped to the University of Jerusalem with a request that the same be used for demonstration purposes in the department of anatomy.
“All expenses incident to the embalming, dissection and shipping of my skeleton to Jerusalem University shall be paid by my estate.
“It is my will that the above directions be carried out by the medical advisory board of the Jewish Consumptive Relief Society in the event I die in Denver. If I die in New York City the directions will be cared for by the American Jewish Academy of Science and Arts.”
Prefacing the above part of the will, Dr. Spivak wrote:
“It is my will and direction that my funeral shall be conducted in accord with preference for Yehoash’s Yiddish monies. It is my will that no addresses or eulogies should be delivered at my funeral. Rites shall be read in Yiddish with preference for Yehoask’s Yiddish translation of the Bible.”
Members of Dr. Spivak’s family were greatly surprised by the contents of the will but after considering the matter decided that it should be carried out to the letter.
Following the funeral services which were held at the Beth Ha’Medrosh Hagodol Synagogue, the body was taken to the Colorado General hospital where it will be dissected by students of the medical school of the University of Colorado.
Dr. Spivak’s death resulted from cancer of the liver from which he had been suffering for a number of years.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
