Tanchum Portnoy: key obituary facts
Is Tanchum Portnoy dead? Yes. Tanchum Portnoy died on September 12, 2026, at age 75.
Cause of death: Tanchum Portnoy's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Tanchum Portnoy known for?
He was an American composer.
More about Tanchum Portnoy
Born: 22 July 1951.
Place of birth: Brooklyn.
Gender: male.
Occupation: composer.
Nationality: United States.
Occupations: Composer, author.
Years active: 1975–2026.
Known for: Melody for "Eitz Chaim".
Tanchum Portnoy, the American composer best known for writing the melody for “Eitz Chaim,” died on September 12, 2026, at age 75.
Born Tanchum Gershon Portnoy in Brooklyn on July 22, 1951, he became associated with Jewish music and with a tune that first appeared on his 1975 album, Tanchumim. The melody for “Eitz Chaim,” set to the liturgical texts Eitz Chaim Hi and Hashivenu and sung as the Torah is returned to the ark, spread widely through synagogues across denominations and was often treated as a traditional song of unknown origin.
Portnoy’s name remained tied to one of the best-known contemporary settings used in synagogue worship.