3100 Dundee Road
Unit # 801
Northbrook, IL 60062
Phone: 630-MITZVAH (630-648-9824)
Fax: 847-282-1635

Funeral Directors

Our funeral directors have over 175 years of combined Illinois licensure.




Lloyd Mandel, Founder-Licensed Funeral Director
Email: Lloyd@Mitzvahfunerals.com
Office Phone: 630-MITZVAH (630-648-9824)
Fax: 847-282-5136

Lloyd Mandel has a Bachelor of Science in business from The Ohio State University and a degree in Mortuary Science from Worsham College of Mortuary Science.  Lloyd is a licensed funeral director in both the State of Illinois and in Florida.  Lloyd has been licensed in Illinois for over 30 years.

A fourth generation Jewish funeral director in Chicago, he began his career at his family's firm-Piser-Weinstein-Gratch-Mandel-Menorah Chapels from 1983 through 1988.  

He opened Lloyd Mandel Funeral Direction in January 1989 at 3939 Dempster Street in Skokie.  He was the first funeral director in the country to operate from a store-front and he was featured on the front page of Chicago Crain's in October, 1991 with the title "The Maverick Mortician".  After this unique concept was featured in Crain's, Forbes, USA Today and CNBC did similar stories.  www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhYe-aZ7Tn4


Lloyd re-named his business  Lloyd Mandel Levayah Funerals in 1992.  In 1993, he moved his business to 4750 Dempster Street in Skokie.  

In 1995, after directing over 2500 funeral services Lloyd Mandel sold his business to Service Corporation International (SCI).   He became a Vice-President with SCI in Corporate Development opening a new Jewish funeral home in Montreal, acquiring Memorial Park Cemetery in Skokie for SCI, and acquiring 10 other funeral homes for SCI.

In 2001, he co-founded Houston Jewish Funerals and in 2006 he co-founded Dallas Jewish Funerals.  He sold the Texas funeral  businesses in 2009.

In July of 2010 Lloyd opened Mitzvah Memorial Funerals back in Chicago.   Mitzvah has served over 1250 funeral services since opening.

Lloyd Mandel is married to Cheri and has 3 children-Travis (Katy), Taylor and Rene "Rainy" Mandel, and a grand-daughter-Nora.


Seymour Mandel, Funeral Director
Email: seymour@mitzvahfunerals.com
Office Phone: 630-MITZVAH (630-648-9824)
Fax: 847-282-5136
Mobile Phone: 312-316-2491

Seymour Mandel is a third generation funeral director.  Father of the founder of Mitzvah Funerals (Lloyd Mandel), Seymour grew up above the funeral home owned and operated by his parents, Mollie and Arthur.  Gratch-Mandel was located at 2235 Division Street.  

Seymour is a graduate of the University of Minnesota School of Mortuary Science (1956).  He became a funeral director in the late 50's and joined his parents and brother-Eugene-in the family business which had merged with Piser.    Seymour has been a licensed funeral director in Illinois for over 56 years.

Seymour is a past president of the Jewish Funeral Directors of America
(JFDA-1974).

Seymour left Piser several years ago and opened his own funeral business-Seymour Mandel Funeral Direction-which worked with Goldman Funeral Group.  

Seymour continues to run this business through Mitzvah Memorial Funerals.

In addition to Lloyd, Seymour has another child-Paula and 5 grandchildren.

William "Bill" Goodman, Funeral Director
Email: bill@mitzvahfunerals.com
Office Phone: 630-MITZVAH (630-648-9824)
Fax: 847-282-5136

Bill was born and raised in a Jewish home in Chicago’s northern suburbs.

As a funeral director with a degree in Mortuary Science, Bill has dedicated his life to the service of those who have lost a loved one.
Through experience working with leading local funeral homes, as well as establishing Goodman Family Funerals.   Bill has been licensed for over 20 years as an Illinois funeral director.

Bill has gained a unique local perspective on the services that will meet the needs of his clients. It starts with Bill’s personal philosophy of providing "A HIGHER LEVEL OF SERVICE," and reaching out to both the traditional Jewish and interfaith-Jewish communities.

Bill has also been a leading provider of funeral services to the Russian community.  

The need for a locally-owned and operated funeral provider such as Mitzvah Memorial Funerals has never been greater. The once-familiar names you knew and trusted are now owned by large, publicly traded companies. As an independent funeral company, we are able to provide a more personalized level of service at a significantly lower price.

Bill’s family resides in the Northern suburbs because they think it is important to be actively involved with the Jewish community, as well as with numerous local councils, foundations and activities



I. Ian Dick, Funeral Director
Office Phone: 630-MITZVAH (630-648-9824)

Izzy is the oldest licensed Jewish funeral director in the State of Illinois, having been licensed for over 67 years.  

Izzy began his career working for Piser when they had a chapel on Stoney Island South of the Museum of Science and Industry.  In the nineties, Izzy went to work at Lloyd Mandel Levayah Funerals.  Later Izzy opened Southtown Jewish Funerals.

Izzy is married to Rose, he has 3 children (Brian "Bud", Mallory Dodds and Douglas Dick.  Izzy also has 6 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.



Olivia Hurtgen Varo, Funeral Director
Email: olivia@mitzvahfunerals.com

Olivia joined Mitzvah Memorial funerals as a funeral director apprentice in 2014 and became licensed in 2015.