January 13, 2026 ~ 24 Tevet 5786
Jonathan R. Ziskind died peacefully at age 86 on Tuesday morning, January 13th, 2026, at Barton House in Louisville, KY. Jonathan was born in New Bedford, MA to Rabbi Bernard H. Ziskind of Tifereth Israel Synagogue and Minna Lightman Ziskind. He was married to Martha Andes Ziskind for almost 60 years.
Jonathan was a scholar at heart and loved the classics, especially Latin and Greek. He earned his doctorate in Ancient History from Columbia University and taught history and ancient political thought at the University of Notre Dame for seven years, and at the University of Louisville for over 30 years. His scholarly worked focused on Ancient Near Eastern legal systems and the work of John Selden. He was also an active member of Congregation Adath Jeshurun, where he was a regular at weekday, Shabbat, and holiday services. His commitment to Jewish practice shaped his life and that of his family. He was also a passionate Boston Red Sox fan and counted himself lucky to have lived to see the end of the Curse of the Bambino.
Jonathan was predeceased by his sister, Shulamith Friedland of South Dartmouth, MA.
He is survived by his wife Martha Ziskind, his daughter Minna Ziskind (Gabriel Miller) of Philadelphia, PA, and his grand-daughters Ariadne, Sarah, and Rebecca Miller. The family is deeply grateful to the Congregation Adath Jeshurun community for anchoring their Jewish life for so many years and to the staff of Barton House and Hosparus for the wonderful care they provided to Jonathan in his last years of life.
“Happy is any man who fears GOD,
who follows godly ways.
You shall enjoy the fruit of your labors;
you shall be happy and you shall prosper.” Psalms 128:1-2
Funeral services will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 15 at Herman Meyer & Son, Inc., 1338 Ellison Ave, followed by burial in Adath Jeshurun Cemetery. Visitation begins at 1:30 until the time of service. The service will be live-streamed on Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/share/1ATcojRUUu/ Memorial donations may be made to Congregation Adath Jeshurun, the Yiddish Book Center, or Hosparus Health. For shiva information, please call the funeral home (502) 458-9569.
23 Condolences
Our deepest sympathy to the family. May his memory be a blessing.
May his memory be for a blessing. Love Ellen and Jon
Martha – So sorry to hear of Jonathan’s passing. May his memory be for a blessing…. Brian & Barbara Andes
Baruch dayan haemet. I enjoyed years at AJ with Jonathan and will miss his friendship, knowledge and wisdom.
Condolences to Martha and family.
Sending sincere condolences and thinking of you at this difficult time.
Dear Minna,
Stephen and I extend our condolences to you and your family on the death of your father. May his memory be a blessing and bring you solace.
Sincerely,
Patty and Stephen Segal
Johnathan will be missed by so many as a devoted member to Adath Jeshurun and a pillar in our community. My thoughts are with the Ziskind family. May his memory be a blessing.
Johnathan will be missed by so many as a devoted member of Adath Jeshurun and a pillar in our community. My thoughts are with the Ziskind family. May his memory be a blessing.
We are so sorry to hear this. Our condolences are with you and the family. Marla and Bobby Rehbock
Baruch Dayan haemet. My sincere condolences to you and your family for your loss. I’ll miss seeing him at the minyan services.
Remembering many holidays spent together and shared times in the History Department.
Martha. So sorry for your loss. Wishing your the best as you deal with his passing.
I have known Jonathan for more than ten years. He was an incredible person in every way. He was always straight, “yashar, yashar” as they say in Israel. He was a mentsch in every sense of the word. He was a wonderful person and a delight to be with. He was, of course, absolutely brilliant. He was just an incredible human being and we are all the better for having had him in our lives. Hamakom yenachem etchem betoch shar avli zion vyerushalayim.
I have known Jonathan for more than ten years. He was an incredible person in every way. He was always straight, “yashar, yashar” as they say in Israel. He was a mentsch in every sense of the word. He was a wonderful person and a delight to be with. He was, of course, absolutely brilliant. He was just a beautiful human being and we are all the better for having had him in our lives. Hamakom yenachem etchem betoch shar avli zion vyerushalayim.
So sorry that we can’t be there to give you a hug. May his memory be for a blessing.
המקום מנחם אתכם בתוך שאר אבלי ציון וירושלים.
I am so sorry to learn of Jonathan’s passing. I joined the Department of History at UofL in 1995, and Jonathan quickly became one of my favorite colleagues. We’d often chat when he came in in the morning, and I loved his sense of humor. I hadn’t seen him since his retirement, but I will miss him. My condolences to Martha and the rest of the family.
Jonathan was a generous and delightful colleague. He was extremely supportive and welcoming when my husband Blake and I joined the History Department at UofL in 1994/1995 respectively. Our condolences to the family. May his memory be a blessing.
My sincerest condolences to Martha, Minna and the entire family. I have fond memories of my cousin, Jonathan from when were very young. HaMakom Y’Nachem Etchem B’Toch Sh’Ar Aveilei Tzion V’Yerushalaim.
Dear namesake cousin, I had heard about Jonathan from my late brother, Marshall. I know it is a difficult time. A time we all must endure. Hugs & Blessings.
Martha, so sorry to hear about the death of your husband- my prayers and sympathy are wit you and your family.
Martha, I truly appreciate all the support you provided for me and my people while we were at PNC and citizens fidelity.
Eddy Foley
My deepest condolences to Minna and Martha. My evening visits with you and Professor Ziskind so many years ago are a cherished memory. Wishing you both comfort in each other’s company and in his memory.
Paul Simpson
Though I only met Jonathan once or twice, it was clear he had a significant impact on the world around him. These contributions I see through the presence of his daughter Minna, like him a committed scholar and teacher, and through his three insightful, compassionate, and spirited granddaughters. May you all be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
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