Raymond Zilber, an executive director of the Beth Jacob Congregation for 15 years who was known as the "backbone of Beth Jacob," died Thursday at Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital of complications from diabetes. He was 76 and lived in Pikesville.
"Every bit of his energy went to Beth Jacob; he had a tireless devotion to the congregation," said his son-in-law, Ross Klavans of Downingtown, Pa.
Mr. Zilber's association with Beth Jacob lasted nearly 50 years, beginning in 1953, when the congregation worshiped in a small cottage on Park Heights Avenue. By the time of his retirement as a consultant in 2000, Beth Jacob had grown to be one of the city's leading Jewish congregations.
During his tenure, Mr. Zilber served on the PTA Hebrew school board, as congregation president and as chairman of the board from 1976 to 1979. He was appointed executive director in 1981 and served in that capacity until 1996.
Born in Southwest Baltimore, he was the son of Samuel and Fannie Zilber, who ran a grocery store on Vine Street. He graduated in 1944 from City College, where he attained the rank of first lieutenant in the Victory Cadet Corps, a club established at the high school during World War II.
"He always wore his class ring on his finger or on a chain," Mr. Klavans said. "Up until a few days before he died, he was wearing that class ring. He wore out the gold on the inside of the ring because he refused to part with it. He loved City College."
School was important to him, Mr. Klavans said. He sent his three daughters to the University of Maryland, College Park. He always regretted that he never attended college.
Mr. Zilber worked in his parents' grocery store until he and his brother Joseph, now deceased, started Balco Electric on York Road in Cockeysville. They ran the electrical wholesale supply company from 1948 until 1981, and Mr. Zilber personally delivered many of the supplies to customers who resided in rural areas.
He married Betty Freedman in 1947, and they bought a house across the street from the then-small Beth Jacob synagogue. "He was happy to be close to the synagogue. It changed his life," said Mr. Klavans.
Mr. Zilber also created a Sunday morning breakfast service for young men in the year of their bar mitzvah to help them understand their heritage. He supervised the program for 10 years.
In 1975, Mr. Zilber was honored as Beth Jacob's Man of the Year. He also was a member of the Hackerman Lodge of B'nai Brith.
Mr. Zilber learned the skills of an electrician but never obtained a license, his son-in-law said. Early in his business career, he also ran a small printing press and printed his own wedding invitations.
Services were held Friday at Sol Levinson and Bros. Burial was in Hebrew Young Men's Cemetery in Woodlawn.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by three daughters, Judi Myones of Marlboro, N.J., Phyllis Rosen of Reisterstown and Sharon Klavans of Downingtown, Pa.; a brother, Israel "Duke" Zilber of Asheville, N.C.; and four grandchildren.