Funeral Directors

The Mandel family has been serving the Chicago Jewish Community for over 118 years!


Our funeral directors have over 100 years of combined Illinois licensure.


Our policy is to treat every family as if they were our own!

Lloyd Mandel, Founder-Licensed Funeral Director

Email: Lloyd@Mitzvahfunerals.com

Office Phone: 630-MITZVAH (630-648-9824)

Fax: 847-282-1635


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 39 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 moving 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 now served over 3150 funeral services since opening.


Lloyd has 3 children-Travis (Katy), Taylor and Rene "Rainy" Mandel, and grandchildren Nora and Adam



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 the oldest licensed Jewish funeral director in the State of Illinois.  A third generation funeral director, Seymour is the 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 65 years.  He is currently the oldest licensed Jewish funeral director and just renewed his license in May of 2023 for another 2 years.


Seymour is a past president of the Jewish Funeral Directors of America

(JFDA-1974).


Seymour left Piser in 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 and 2 great-grandchldren



I. Ian Dick, Funeral Director-Deceased August 9, 2019
Office Phone: 630-MITZVAH (630-648-9824)

Izzy was the oldest licensed Jewish funeral director in the State of Illinois, having been licensed for over 67 years.  He past away on August 9th of 2019.  His funeral on August 13th, 2019 was attended by many of his former colleagues.  You can view his funeral at https://youtu.be/TlV_iHkunv0

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 joined Mitzvah Memorial Funerals is 2012

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

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