Lena Cymbrowitz

---

title: "Lena Cymbrowitz" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1957-births", "2000-deaths", "20th-century-american-jews", "american-people-of-egyptian-jewish-descent", "deaths-from-cancer-in-new-york-(state)", "egyptian-emigrants-to-the-united-states", "egyptian-jews", "jewish-state-legislators-in-new-york-(state)", "jewish-american-women-in-politics", "democratic-party-members-of-the-new-york-state-assembly", "21st-century-members-of-the-new-york-state-legislature", "20th-century-members-of-the-new-york-state-legislature"] description: "American politician" topic_path: "politics" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lena_Cymbrowitz" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American politician ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox officeholder"]

Field	Value
name	Lena Cymbrowitz
state_assembly	New York
district	45th
term_start	January 1, 1999
term_end	August 21, 2000
predecessor	Daniel L. Feldman
successor	Steven Cymbrowitz
birth_date
birth_place	Egypt
birth_name	Lena Azizo
death_date
death_place	New York City
party	Democratic
spouse	Steven Cymbrowitz
children	Jay, Jennifer{{cite news
url	https://www.nytimes.com/2000/08/22/nyregion/lena-cymbrowitz-brooklyn-assemblywoman-43.html
title	Lena Cymbrowitz -- Brooklyn Assemblywoman, 43
date	August 22, 2000
profession	Politician
::

| birth_place = Egypt | birth_name = Lena Azizo | death_date = | death_place = New York City | party = Democratic | spouse = Steven Cymbrowitz | children = Jay, Jennifer{{cite news |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/08/22/nyregion/lena-cymbrowitz-brooklyn-assemblywoman-43.html |title=Lena Cymbrowitz -- Brooklyn Assemblywoman, 43 |date=August 22, 2000 |access-date=October 27, 2022}} | residence = | alma_mater = | profession = Politician | website = | footnotes =

Lena Cymbrowitz (January 1, 1957{{cite web |url=http://www.genealogybank.com/gbnk/ssdi/doc/ssdi/v1:112FF618E5CD2BAB |title=Social Security Death Index (SSDI) Death Record |publisher=Genealogy Bank |access-date=August 17, 2012}} – August 21, 2000) was an American politician who served as a Democratic member of the New York State Assembly. She represented Assembly District 45, which included the Brooklyn communities of Flatbush, Midwood, Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach, Gerritsen Beach, and a portion of Brighton Beach.

Early life, family, and education

Cymbrowitz (née Azizo) was born in Egypt and came to the United States with her parents, Albert Azizo and Lilianne Tawil Tawil Azizo. She had a Bachelor's degree in English Literature. Prior to her election, she worked in fundraising and marketing.

Career

In November 1998, following a New York Times endorsement in a September primary,{{cite news |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/09/15/opinion/democratic-primary-choices.html |title=Opinion: Democratic Primary Choices |date=September 15, 1998 |access-date=October 27, 2022}} Cymbrowitz was elected in the 45th District's general election to the New York State Assembly. She received over 70% of the votes cast and replaced former Assemblyman Daniel Feldman.{{cite web |url= http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=123896 |title= NY Assembly 45: 1998 Race Details |publisher= ourcampaigns.com |access-date= March 23, 2011}} This made her the first Sephardic Jew ever elected to state office. She died in 2000, serving less than one term in office. The Lena Cymbrowitz Distinguished Legislator Award was named in her memory.{{cite news |newspaper=The Jewish Press |url=https://www.jewishpress.com/news/us-news/ny/its-stem-not-steam-for-the-o-u/2018/03/21 |title=COJO Legislative Fete Welcomes a Who's Who |date=March 21, 2018 |quote=Receiving the Lena Cymbrowitz Distinguished Legislator Award}} While in office, she had advocated for increasing monies allocated for mammographs.

Personal life

Cymbrowitz had two children (Jay and Jennifer) with her husband, Steven Cymbrowitz. She died on August 21, 2000, after a long battle with cancer.

References

|url = http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/2000/08/22/2000-08-22_lena_cymbrowitz__43.html |archive-url = https://archive.today/20110815083536/http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/2000/08/22/2000-08-22_lena_cymbrowitz__43.html |url-status = dead |archive-date = August 15, 2011 |title=Lena Cymbrowitz, 43 |first=Bob |last=Liff |date=August 22, 2000 |access-date=March 23, 2011}}

|url=http://www.hsje.org/Obituaries/lenacymbrowitz.html |title=LENA CYMBROWITZ, Born AZIZO, Passes Away At 43 |publisher= Historical Society of Jews From Egypt |access-date= March 23, 2011 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110928063257/http://www.hsje.org/Obituaries/lenacymbrowitz.html |archive-date= September 28, 2011 |url-status= dead }}

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