Ruth (Moskowitz) Meisels, Ida

American. Born NYC, nee Moskowitz. Composer. Pianist. Accompanist. Died Feb. 12, 2004 at age 93. Married to a Cantor, Saul Meisels in 1935. Focused on creating accessible music that would be “timeless and well-received by people of all ages.” She wrote, arranged or orchestrated more than 400 songs — many of which have been performed by famous Jewish musicians. Her daughter Florence Nelson told the Miami Herald “She knew that much of what she wrote would be possible for cantors, choirs and children to sing,… She wanted to keep the music of Judaism alive.” Ida frequently accompanied her husband and other cantors for recitals and concerts. She discovered her talent for composing later in life, and it became a passion. “Music was her life,” Nelson said. “It was her everything.” After spending many years in Cleveland, where Saul worked as the cantor of a temple, the couple moved to Miami in 1978. Together they performed at weekend Jewish services and cantorial recitals throughout the Miami area. Saul Meisels died in 1990.