Condolences to the family of Selma Kaplan Glass, 97, who died on September 19. She was predeceased by her husband, Paul Glass, parents Jacob and Lillie Kaplan, sisters Frances Kaplan and May Levitan, and son-in-law Peter Pressman. She is survived by her daughter, Ruth Pressman, grandsons Adam (Isa) Pressman and David (Hannah) Pressman, and great grandchildren Jarin, Ayla, Idan, Yaniv and Leora.
Condolences to the family of Lillian C. Goldberg who died on October 4. She is survived by her husband, Robert Stanley Goldberg and children, Brenda Joyner (Michael) and Michael Goldberg (Audrey Arkovitz), and grandchildren Phillip Goldberg and Deborah Watkins.
Condolences to the family of Bruce Goldstein who died on September 20. He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Bonnie and Chris Carrabba, and grandchildren Alexa and Caden, as well as his ex-wife Liz Wexton. Memorials can be made in Bruce's name to Congregation Micah.
Condolences to the family of Bettye Ann Green who died on September 28. She is survived by her three children, Joseph Green (Amy), Stacey Elkins (Barry), and Shawn Turner (Gregory). Memorials can be made in Bettye's name to Israel Guide Dog Center and Congregation Micah.
Condolences to the family of Anita Raye Head who died on October 13. She is survived by her husband, James Head, and daughters, Christie (Titus) Weimers, Chantelle Schart and Michelle Need. Donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Congregation Micah. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, November 20, at Brentwood Baptist Church at 2 p.m.
Condolences to the family of Helene (Ring Zander) Katz who died on September 9 with her family by her side.
Helene Katz lived life to the fullest. When asked how she was, her answer was always an exuberant, "Great." She was able to light up a room in such a way to put the attention on everyone with whom she engaged. Her life, her personality and her style were vibrant with color.
Born in New York, Helene attended the University of Alabama and lived in many cities throughout her life. She cultivated friendships everywhere and maintained them throughout her life. She eventually settled in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., with her loving husband Herb Katz, who preceded her in death.
Helene was the first woman in the wealth management department at Sanford C. Bernstein (predecessor to Alliance Bernstein) in the 1980s and was one of the first female partners. She quickly climbed the ladder in NYC and when she and Herb decided they were ready to move south, she helped launch the Bernstein office in Palm Beach.
Helene loved entertaining. She could turn any occasion into a reason for a party, welcoming each person as if they were the guest of honor. She always had room at her table for one more. She had a gift for putting people together. Whenever she met a new person she had an uncanny ability to discover everything about them and find just the right introductions and connections that people often claim are positively "life changing”.
Helene is survived by her son Jeffrey (Elisha) Zander, and granddaughter Halle; her sister Jane Birnbaum; niece Stephanie Allen and great-niece Brandy; stepdaughter Debra Katz and grandson Ari; stepson David (Michelle) Katz and grandchildren Jacklyn and Ada
Condolences to the family of Jerry Lee Kopelman who died on September 27. He is survived by his wife, Marcia Barrish Kopelman; daughter, Jodi Kopelman Stout; sons, Marc (Terry) Kopelman and David (Patti) Kopelman; grandchildren, Jonathan Stout and Kaitlyn Kopelman and Sadie, Amanda and Zachary. Memorials can be made in Jerry's name to The Alzheimer's Association or Congregation Micah.
Condolences to the family of Elaine Parker, 91, who died on October 8. She is survived by her husband, Frank Parker, as well as her children Nina Parker Ganz, Aaron B. Parker, Stephan A. Parker and David S. Parker and five grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
Elaine had two great influences: Frank Laubach, who developed the "Each One Teach One" literacy program, and Helen Keller. "Do not let this go to waste" were the words that Helen Keller said to Elaine at her graduation ceremony, when Keller was presented as the first woman to receive an honorary degree and Elaine was the first woman to receive an advanced degree in teaching the blind from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Elaine Marilyn (Goldman) Parker, was born in Boston, daughter of Maurice Goldman (a state senator in Massachusetts) and Helen Stepansky Goldman Perlman. She attended the Boston Latin School and graduated from Drew Seminary for Young Women in Carmel, N.Y.
One of Elaine's earliest memories was volunteering with her Hungarian-born grandmother in cooking for—and writing to—World War Two servicemen through the Red Cross. She later volunteered with the Boston Veterans Hospital and the New York Lighthouse for the Blind—experiences that contributed to her interest in working with people with vision disabilities
Elaine earned a Boston University School of Education degree in special education and counseling, before going on to Harvard. She taught in public schools in Waltham and Brookline, Mass. Later, she moved to Oak Ridge, Tenn., where she taught special education. At the same time, she developed and implemented an adult education program for the blind, founded a Recording for the Blind Program in Oak Ridge, and organized volunteers to bring Talking Books to blind families in the mountains of East Tennessee. She was appointed chairperson for the East Tennessee Employment of the Handicapped Program created under Governor Frank Clement.
Instrumental in founding the Talking Book Program for the Blind for the Library for Congress, she took those skills and, when moving from Oak Ridge to Nashville in 1967, opened five adult education programs for the handicapped in Metro Schools. She taught life skills such as shopping and cooking to those with vision disabilities and other disabilities at the Knowles Center for Senior Citizens. She was then appointed commissioner for the State of Tennessee Services for the Blind, where she instituted multiple innovative programs and opportunities for those in need of services including setting up a Braille transcribing program at a Nashville synagogue for parents of blind children and for Peabody College students
In 1971, while still with the State of Tennessee, she founded a summer camp for blind children funded by the B'nai B'rith Maimonides Lodge, which ran for 37 years. Later projects included the creation of the Low Vision Closet for Jewish Seniors in cooperation with the Jewish Family Service and B'nai B'rith Maimonides Chapter.
Elaine worked full time as a career counselor and taught culinary arts at the Nashville College of Applied Technology (then Nashville Tech), while creating an event planning and wedding business on the side.
She opened Weddings by Elan after noticing the need for someone who specialized in wedding planning for couples with disabilities as well as for couples marrying from diverse backgrounds and countries. She also traveled to many exotic places to coordinate wedding ceremonies. She shared her insights in four books.
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Her volunteer work was recognized with the Chesed Award from the Jewish Family Service, whose community she touched deeply.
Memorials may be made in honor of Elaine Parker to the Jewish Family Service of Nashville.
Condolences to the family of Mort Schulman, the husband of Rhoda, stepfather of Shaul (Pam) Kelner and grandfather to Shoshana and Boaz. Mort loved coming to Sherith Israel for Shavuot and Sukkot, during their snowbird migrations between Florida and New Jersey.
Condolences to the family of Lois Schwartz (Lifsha bat Shalom), 91, who died on September 28. She is survived by her children, Dr. Herbert (Susan) Schwartz and Carol Olbur (Paul Kaufman); grandchildren, Jessica (Tony) Hill, Scott (Kathleen) Schwartz, Dana Schwartz and Sam Olbur; siblings Roberta (Dr. Donald) Charous, Davida (Jeffrrey) Arnold, Dr. Norman Glazier, Dr. Howard (Shirley) Glazier and Judy (Louis) Seif; and many nieces and nephews. Donations may be made to Congregation Kol Emeth (www.kolemethskokie.org).
Condolences to the family of Sy Trachtman, 85, who died on October, 5. Sy was preceded in death by his wife, Diane Trachtman, and his brother, Ira Trachtman. He grew up in Bronx, N.Y., and was a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces. Sy was a loving husband, an amazing father and a great friend to all that knew him. He is survived by his daughters Michelle and Alyssa Trachtman, nephew Joey Trachtman, sister-in-law Marilyn Trachtman, numerous cousins and close friends
Condolences to the family of Barbara Levy-Zander who died on October 6.
Condolences to the family of Todd Preis Zeitlin, 57, who died on September 26. Todd graduated from the University School of Nashville and from the University of Florida with a degree in architectural building construction. He later joined the family business with his father in Nashville. Todd was an avid Gator Fan, golfer, and enjoyed playing cards with his buddies. He was a gentle and humble spirt, loved by all that he knew.
Todd is preceded in death by his brothers, Richard Irwin Zeitlin and Garry Elliot Zeitlin and grandparents, Erna and Fritz Preis and Bessie and Joe Zeitlin.
He is survived by his wife, Kathy Clayton Zeitlin of Nashville; mother and father, Linda and Barry Zeitlin of Nashville; nephew, Brandon Zeitlin, aunts, uncles, cousins and close friends.
Contributions may be made to Courage Worldwide, an organization that rescues and restores minor children of human trafficking. Please mail to: Courage Worldwide, 12177 Business Park Drive, Suite 2 #313 Truckee, CA 96161.