Famed violist Emanuel Vardi, whose life story encompasses nearly a century of politics, art and music, died at his North Bend home on Jan. 29 at the age of 95. Born April 21, 1915 in Jerusalem, Vardi was accepted to New York’s The Juilliard School when he was 12 yearsContinue Reading
May 15, 1953-January 4, 2011 Jamiyya Jeanne Laner, recent president of Bet Alef Meditative Synagogue, will be remembered by her beloved Jewish and Sufi communities, former employees, family, and numerous friends for her generosity, compassion, integrity, boundless energy, and love. She was born on May 15, 1953 in Kansas CityContinue Reading
(JTA) — Debbie Friedman, a popular singer and songwriter who is widely credited with reinvigorating synagogue music, has died. Friedman died Sunday after being hospitalized in Southern California for several days with pneumonia. She was in her late 50s. “Debbie influenced and enriched contemporary Jewish music in a profound way,”Continue Reading
Merrily McManus Laytner: August 27, 1942—October 24, 2010 Merrily McManus Laytner was born in Seattle on August 27, 1942 and, although born to Jewish parents, did not know she was Jewish until she was 9 years old. In the 4th grade, her teacher told his class how he was aContinue Reading
Ernest R. Stiefel, long active in Seattle’s Jewish community whose dramatic personal history sparked his penchant for service, died Oct. 18. He was 89. Stiefel was born in Frankfurt, Germany in 1921. His parents were active in the Jewish community and early on he developed an interest in genealogy. InContinue Reading
It was a battle she had fought for years, and a battle she ultimately lost. Joyce Shane was well-loved in her two overlapping Jewish communities — that of Congregation Beth Shalom, where she had long been involved as a member and educator, and of the Seattle Jewish Community School, whereContinue Reading
1917—April 14, 2010 Rabbi Dr. Bernard Poupko, a nationally prominent Orthodox rabbi recognized for his initiatives in saving Soviet Jewry, pioneering efforts in the Jewish day school movement, and for his leadership of religious Zionism, died April 14 in Seattle, where he had lived for the last six years. HeContinue Reading
More than two decades after he left his post, former students who had attended events at Hillel at the University of Washington still stopped in to ask how Rabbi J, as people knew him, was doing. That’s the impact Arthur Jacobovitz had on the Seattle Jewish community, said Rabbi WillContinue Reading
Three days before his death, Samuel Ruben Owen became a Bar Mitzvah. Sam, who turned 13 on Oct. 11, died Oct. 21. He had been diagnosed with Burkitt’s lymphoma in February of this year. “He was just a very sweet child, and always wanting to do good and to doContinue Reading
Editor’s note: This obituary has been changed to note that Charlotte Spitzer was pre-deceased by her daughter, Jil Spitzer-Fox. On June 26, social activist Charlotte Spitzer of Kirkland died peacefully. Spitzer, along with her husband Jack, served her community through her work with the King County Library Systems, and byContinue Reading
Eileen Mintz made everyone feel as if they were her best friend. It’s the sentiment many people conveyed at her funeral Monday. Mintz died of cancer of the gall bladder on Feb. 1, 2009. She was 66. “Sometimes you meet somebody and there’s this connection that you make pretty quickly,”Continue Reading
I only knew Gorgieh Hemmat, my husband’s grandmother, for 13 years. In the perspective of a lifetime that spanned more than a century, that’s a small amount of time to get to know someone. But in those years that Gorgieh let me be a part of her life, I learnedContinue Reading
In April, when the first 10 Microsoft employees reunited to recreate an office photo taken in the company’s early days, 72-year-old Miriam Lubow was proud to be placed front and center. “She had missed the first photo because of a snow storm,” recalled Lubow’s daughter, Michelle Weinberg. “But she wasContinue Reading
Charles “Chuck” Kaplan, Seattle pediatrician and founding member of Temple Beth Am, died on April 18, 2008. He was 95 years old. Friends and family described Kaplan as a dedicated father and physician, as well as a man who was deeply committed to the growth of the local Jewish community.Continue Reading
Popeye’s dog made Selma Waldman inspired to become an artist and devote her life to art. Actually, it wasn’t the dog itself, but the man who created the dog, Selma’s uncle Myron Waldman, a renowned cartoonist who died just over a year ago. Selma herself died of cancer on AprilContinue Reading
Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, Leona Goldberg died suddenly on December 15, 2007 at the age of 77. Born in Manhattan and raised in the Bronx, Leona graduated from New York University and received a Master’s degree in Psychology from City College of New York. She worked at theContinue Reading
Joseph Goren died on November 29, 2007 in Boca Raton, Florida. He was 88 years old. Joseph was born December 8, 1918 in Manhattan. He worked for the Feature Ring Company as head of their casting department for 43 years. He is survived by his wife, Miriam, as well asContinue Reading
Anne Farber Ziegman died on November 13, 2007 at the age of 85. Anne was born in Tacoma on January 7, 1922. She later moved to Seattle and graduated from Garfield High School. Anne worked for 32 years at the Sand Point Naval Air Station in Seattle until she retiredContinue Reading
Max Sigel died on November 24, 2007 at the Kline Galland Home in Seattle. A lifelong Seattle-area resident, Max was born in Snohomish on January 11, 1914 to Abraham and Ida Sigel. He was a decorated veteran of World War II and served under General Patton. He was also aContinue Reading
Sylvia Robboy (nee Davis) died peacefully in Seattle on October 11 at the age of 91. Formerly of Mayfield Heights, Ohio, Sylvia graduated from John Adams High School in Cleveland. She was a piano teacher for many years in Cleveland and enjoyed music throughout her life. She worked at TheContinue Reading
