Mathilde Albers
On Aug. 6, 2016, Mathilde Albers passed away at the age of 99 at her residence in Oakland, California. Born on Dec. 2, 1916, in Germany, Mathilde was the daughter of the late Oskar Wolff and Betti (nee Weinberg).
Due to the radical marginalization of German Jews by the Nazi regime, Mathilde was denied entry to medical school, staying at home where she met the love of her life, her future husband, Henry Albers. Mathilde and Henry married subsequent to the atrocities of Kristallnacht and planned their escape from Germany. They were able to acquire the necessary work permits to enter England. Through Mathilde’s continued perseverance to attain visas, after being interred from 1939 thru 1941, they were able to enter the United States over two years later after 16 grueling weeks at sea on the captured German ship the Dusseldorf.
Ever defying the odds, Mathilde entered the United States with nothing but the determination that would guide her throughout her life. Henry and Mathilde created their own American Dream, a successful wholesale contract furnishing firm and, thereafter, a successful hospital-equipment supply company through pure willpower and the entrepreneurial spirit. Inseparable in work and life, they embodied the immigrant energy of making a positive impact on their community. They shared a passion for travel and learning, and Mathilde continued this love of world exploration throughout her life.
After the early passing of her beloved Henry in 1974, Mathilde and her son Dennis decided to sell the business and focus her life in the support of Jewish causes and activism. She became, in fact, married to philanthropy, and her involvement in advocacy was expansive. Mathilde served as the Honorary President for Life of the Jewish Community Federation of the Greater East Bay, Temple Sinai and many local and national boards. Through her conviction that her family might have survived the Holocaust had Israel existed before 1945, her mission included Holocaust remembrance and other organizations dedicated to the betterment of Israel. Having escaped the horrors, Mathilde made it her purpose to ensure that Israel remains a sanctuary for the world’s Jews.
Her extensive involvement included roles with the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science, the Anti-Defamation League, AIPAC and Israel Bonds. She was an active member of the American Society for the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, an adviser to Israel’s premier as part of UJA/Federation of North America Prime Minister’s Council, and on the board of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Mathilde was a jewel — the sparkling embodiment of tzedakah. She was a quiet philanthropist who understood her obligation to give because she herself had been blessed. A poised and elegant dresser, Mathilde possessed a quick wit and a determined will. A fierce advocate, she used her prosperity for the good of others. Mathilde exemplified the motivation for tzedakah — to sustain the Jewish people, to enhance Jewish life and to strengthen the community for today and the future. She will be greatly missed. She is survived by her son Dennis, daughter-in-law Tracy and her grandchildren Joel and Jamie.
A memorial service was held at Temple Sinai in Oakland on Aug. 10. Contributions in her memory may be directed to Jewish Federation of the East Bay, 2121 Allston Way #200, Berkeley, CA 94704 or Temple Sinai, 2808 Summit St, Oakland, CA 94609.
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(925) 962 -3636
Johanna Ehrlich was born on Nov. 14, 1927, in Berlin, Germany, and passed away peacefully on Aug. 4, 2016. Beloved mother of Elvira and Dianne and adoring grandmother of Alisha. Johanna was predeceased by her husband Max on Sept. 9, 2001.
Mom was a Holocaust survivor. At 15 years of age she and her mother were rounded up and placed in a holding camp in Austria. When they were liberated, she was 16 years old and weighed 57 pounds. She lost her mother on the train going to Hungary. While she was recuperating, her aunts in London located her and arranged for her to move to London. There she met our father Max, and they were married on Nov. 11, 1947. They immigrated to the United States along with Elvira in 1953. They settled in San Francisco and had another daughter, Dianne.
Mom said that she wanted to pass away at home. She was given her wish. Mom was the sweetest, kindest, most loving and generous person. Mom was a very quiet woman who kept to herself. All that ever mattered to her were her children and grandchild. She always placed their needs before her own. The apple of her eye was Alisha. Whenever Alisha entered the room, mom’s whole world seemed to brighten up. The two of them shared a very special bond. To Alisha, mom was her Oma. Until Mom’s very last breath she was protecting her children. We firmly believe that she did not want us to see her pass away. That is why she passed while I was ringing the doorbell and my sister showing up shortly thereafter. Mom missed our father every day since his passing. Now Mom and Dad will be together throughout eternity.
We wish to thank Yvette Chu of Kaiser Permanente’s Palliative Care Program for taking such excellent care of our mother both physically and emotionally. Whenever we called Yvette, she always had the time to talk to us.
We also wish to thank Trish and the other nurses who took care of our mom while she was in Kaiser Permanente’s Hospice Care Program at home.
We will always be grateful for the loving care Mom received from you these past eight years. Leini, we don’t even know where to begin. Mom loved you and depended on you for all of her needs. You never let her or us down. You have always been there for her day and night. Words from us cannot express our deep gratitude for what you have given our family. We are also so grateful in having the same quality of care from Big Rosie, Little Rosie, Sela and Olive. Throughout these years, we have developed an extended family and we consider all of you as part of our family. In closing, Little Rosie, Big Rosie and Olive: DeDe and I are so grateful that you were there during her final moment. She knew that she was loved by your family. We also want to thank Ofelia and Jill for caring for our mother.
If you wish to make a tribute in memory of Johanna Ehrlich, please contact the United States Holocaust Museum on (877) 808-7466 or visit www.ushmm.org
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(650) 369-3636
Hadassah Kramer passed away peacefully at the Reutlinger Center for Jewish
Living in Danville on Saturday, July 9, 2016, at the age of 93. She was born in Zgierz, Poland, on Sept. 16, 1922, the only child of Moshe and Helen Goldberg. In the winter of 1928, she arrived in the United States bound for Oakland, California, where her father became the first rabbi of Temple Beth Abraham. She entered U.C. Berkeley as a freshman in 1939 and became active at Hillel, where she met her husband, Ralph Kramer. In March 1944, several months after her graduation from the School of Social Welfare, Hadassah traveled with her mother and future mother-in-law to Wichita Falls, Texas, where she and Ralph were married in a small ceremony officiated by a U.S. Army chaplain.
After the war, Hadassah and Ralph returned to the East Bay where they remained for the rest of their lives. They became active in Jewish and civic life and formed the Bay Area Jewish Forum in 1947 — one of the first chavurot. Hadassah helped to organize Young Judaea on the West Coast in 1959 and, with Ralph, was a founding member of Congregation Netivot Shalom in Berkeley in 1989. She was a social worker for single mothers and then for adoptive parents in the 1960s and a group worker for seniors in the 1970s. She was active in the Piedmont League of Women Voters and a lifelong patron of the Oakland Public Library.
From 1967 to 1992, she and Ralph made over 20 extended trips to Israel, during which Hadassah made close friends, volunteered in schools and other organizations, conducted research interviews and spent invaluable time with her Israeli grandchildren.
She cooked extraordinary meals and baked delicious desserts for innumerable dinners and simchas. She was a woman of uncommon generosity, integrity, diplomacy and keen intellect. A devoted wife to Ralph, her husband of 72 years, she is survived by him and their daughters, Miriam and Alisa (daughter Debby died in 2001), six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Contributions may be made to Congregation Netivot Shalom, Mazon—a Jewish Response to Hunger, Friends of the Oakland Public Library or the organization of your choice.
Lilian Prusan, age 89, of Brookline, Massachusetts, died on Aug. 5, 2016, surrounded by her children, granddaughters and hospice. She was for 59 years the beloved wife of Nathan Prusan z”l, mother of Peretz Wolf-Prusan and Jody Prusan, mother-in-law of Becki Wolf-Prusan, beloved grandmother of Leora, Avital and Noah Wolf-Prusan, and daughter of the late Esther and Jack Brown of Brookline and Russia. Dear sister of the late Stanley Brown of Chestnut Hill and the late Ruth Miller of Camarillo. She leaves many nieces and nephews.
She attended the Rhode Island School of Design and UCLA. At age 50 she returned to school and graduated from the Wagner Paraprofessional Certificate Program at the American Jewish University.
She practiced audacious hospitality, opening the door to her homes in Beverly Hills and Las Vegas, to many friends (new and old), and family (close and far). She ran her own chocolate business, helped potential young singers and musicians to develop their talent, helped raise money extensively for the Hadassah Hospital in Israel, the Opera Guild, Haven House, Club 100 of the Music Center, Founding Associates of the John Douglas French Foundation supporting the John Douglas French Center for Alzheimer’s Disease at Los Alamitos Medical Center, Brandeis Las Vegas Chapter, and the Jewish Family Service Agency of Las Vegas. She was a master at calligraphy, bead-work, embroidery, painting and design. In the years following the passing of her husband she found fulfillment reading to children in the Henderson public schools, attending the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UNLV and participating in four book groups.
With her husband Nathan and friends she loved to travel the world, picking up teapots and Wedgwood pottery and new friends along the way. If you met her you would remember her, she was a force of nature and a commanding presence. She wanted her son to write a story, “My Mother the Unordinary.”
She was grateful for the kindness and care she received from Karla Gomez and all the good people at Sterling Court and the Forbes Norris MDA/ALS Research Center and the Sutter Health Home Hospice. Contributions to her memory should be made to CPMC Foundation, P.O. Box 7999, San Francisco, CA 94120-7999, or online at sutterhealth.org.
The funeral was Aug. 7 at Sinai Memorial Chapel.
Maxferd Bud Saul
June 5, 1931–Aug. 5, 2016
Bud was born and raised in San Francisco, a graduate of Washington High School. Lived in Eureka, where he managed family clothing stores “Saul’s” and “The Parade.” Moving back to S.F., he was a custom tailor for 50 years. Most recently enjoyed life, dancing and his companion Shirley Allen in Rossmoor.
He is survived by his four children, Julie, Charlie, Kenny and David; seven grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Marjorie Beckwith and Beverly Wilson.
Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Aug. 15 at Temple Isaiah in Lafayette. Donations to East Bay Hospice would be appreciated by the family.
Sara Roth Schottenstein
Jan. 7, 1967–Aug. 5, 2016
Sara Schottenstein died peacefully at home on Friday, Aug. 5, 2016, surrounded by the family she loved after a nearly two-year, heroic battle with cancer. Sara was born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin, where she enjoyed a joyous childhood with her beloved parents, Dr. Harry and Karen Roth, and her best friend and sister, Julie Roth (Novack).
Sara graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1989 where she majored in political science. She went on to graduate from law school at DePaul University in 1991 and enjoyed a distinguished career as an Assistant State’s Attorney with Cook County.
In 1999, Sara married her adoring husband of 17 years, Jeffrey S. Schottenstein, ultimately settling in Tiburon, California, in 2004. She retired from the practice of law to focus on her family, including the children at the center of her world, Adam (14), Abigail (12) and Daniel (8).
Sara was deeply loved and respected by a large community of friends. She was active with many nonprofits, including having served on her children’s school board.
Sara is survived by her husband, Jeff, her children, Adam, Abigail and Daniel, her parents, Dr. Harry and Karen Roth of Madison, Wisconsin, and her sister, Julie (Doug) Novack of Glencoe, Illinois.
Sara’s funeral was held at Congregation Kol Shofar on Aug. 9. Donations may be made in Sara’s honor to the following: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 10 Brookline Place West, Brookline, MA 02445 – Attention: Hillary Repucci, Memo: Schottenstein Fund for Gastric Cancer Research
Sinai Memorial Chapel
(415) 921-3636
Rhoda Claire Singer, 83, died peacefully at her home surrounded by family and friends on Aug. 2, 2016. Born in San Francisco on Nov. 16, 1932, to the late Sally and Jacob Leichter, she attended U.C. Berkeley, where she met her late husband, Roger Singer. She worked in many volunteer capacities at her children’s schools and at Temple Emanu-El before starting her own business, which she still ran until May 2016.
She is survived by her brother, Ernest Leichter, her three children, Jacqueline, Steven and Matthew Singer, her two grandchildren, Laura and Eric Satterlee, her cousins, Alan and Ronnie Schneider, her niece and nephew and many dear friends. Funeral services were held. Contributions in her memory can be made to Financial Women of San Francisco or Bay Area Jewish Healing Center.
Sinai Memorial Chapel
(415) 921-3636
Arnold “Arnie” Mitchell Weinstein
Resident of Danville, California. Arnie was born to Herman and Sara Weinstein on Jan. 31, 1957, in Buffalo, New York, and passed away on Aug. 4, 2016, in Danville. He is survived by wife Shelly Ress-Weinstein, children Lili Weinstein, Levi Weinstein and Ashleigh Brown, mother Sara Weinstein and brother Richard (Bonnie) Weinstein. He was much loved by Steven (Lori) Starr, Ernie (Beverley) Nidick and our wonderful family of brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, mother-in-law, nieces, nephews, uncle, aunts and cousins. He will be missed by his puppies, Schnitzel and Vashti.
Arnie graduated from Kenmore East High School 1976 and Buffalo State College 1980 in New York. He moved to California in 1980 to work at LLNL. Arnie met Shelly in 1981 and they married in 1985. Arnie was a genuinely nice guy. He was a Master Mason in Crow Canyon Lodge and part of Oakland Scottish Rite. He was past president and board member of Greentree Terrace HOA. Arnie loved his career as a computer scientist at LLNL, OTR and UCOP. Arnie truly loved his family and was a very active part of their lives. Even though Arnie had very aggressive brain cancer, he showed us his love every day. There are not enough words to describe how Arnie touched us all. Memorial gifts may be made to Congregation B’nai Shalom.
A memorial service was held on Aug. 8 at Congregation B’nai Shalom, followed by burial at Oakmont Memorial Park in Lafayette.
Sinai Memorial Chapel
(925) 962-3636