UPDATE 2:55PM EST, July 3, 2007: Yeshivaworld has just been informed that a positive ID has just been made by the OPP - and it is in fact the body of Eli Horowitz Z”L. 2:48PM EST July 3, 2007:Yeshivaworld has just been informed that a body was found by a fisherman a few moments ago in Toronto the North Bay Waterfront. The OPP are working to confirm that this is in fact the bodyÝof Eli Horowitz who went missing last summer while on a fishing trip with his father-in-law in Lake Nipissing.
Eli Horowitz, 30, and his father-in-law, Heine Mondrowitz Z”L , went missing on Aug. 21 2006 after renting a boat for a fishing trip. Their boat was found empty two hours later, with no sign of them.
The body of Heine Mondrowitz Z”L was found a few days later on the shore.
Massive search and rescue crews scoured the area for weeks by air, land & sea, but no trace of the body of Eli Horowitz was found until today.

Eli Horowitz

Four years ago, on the night Chartered Accountant David Rosenzweig was killed, a twenty-six year old volunteer from Hatzolah - Toronto's Jewish Emergency Response Service - was among the first responders to that terrible scene at Bathurst Street and Lawrence Avenue.

From the moment he arrived, Hatzolah paramedic Eli Horowitz went to work on David Rosenzweig. He remained at David's side throughout the night, accompanied him by ambulance to hospital and then stayed on with David's family, paying particular attention to his children. Hours later, Eli returned to the scene to retrieve David's blood from the pavement. Such was the dedication of Eli Horowitz.

Tragedy has struck and Eli Horowitz, husband, father, friend and dedicated volunteer is presumed dead. Friends and family are hopeful his remains will soon be recovered from Lake Nippising in Ontario where it's believed he drowned in a freak boating mishap together with his father-in-law.

By all accounts, Eli Horowitz was a remarkable and selfless young man. Eli did his utmost to lead a normal life. In truth, he lived a super-human life. He was a committed Jew, a devoted husband and son, and the proud father of three young children: a five-year old daughter and a set of twins (a boy and girl) aged three.

Eli owned and operated a small business but devoted every spare moment of his time to his family and his community. Unfortunately, Eli was ineligible for life insurance. So in addition to the enormous trauma and loss his family has suffered, their grief is compounded by the financial disaster resulting from his death.

Friends say Eli was the kind of person who would drop everything if it meant helping someone - anyone - a friend or a stranger. Perhaps because Eli was such a mensch, individuals from across the community are now rallying together to raise funds for Eli's wife and children.

Every member of every Shul in Toronto is being asked to help in whatever way he or she can. Tax-deductible donations of One Thousand Dollars or more would be much appreciated, but any contribution, large or small, will help the fund reach its ambitious goal and will be graciously accepted.

Contributions to The Eli Horowitz Fund can be made on line by credit card at: www.ehfund.com. Cheques payable to “C.O.C.” may also be sent, C/O EH Fund, 53 Ranee Ave., Toronto, Ont., M6A 1M8 and tax-deductible receipts will be issued for all donations.

The Eli Horowitz Fund will be administered by a team of professionals, expert in the field of financial management and all contributions will go directly to the fund.

We ask that you give generously to this urgent appeal. In so doing, may you and all of Klal Yisrael be zoche to a healthy, happy and peaceful New Year.