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Obituaries are supported by a generous grant from Sinai Memorial Chapel.

Elinor Sussman Berke

Ellie passed away on Aug. 7, 2024, at the age of 87. Born in Tacoma, Washington, she grew up in Oakland, making lifelong friends at Oakland High School. She attended the University of Colorado, Boulder, where she met Gordie, her husband of 66 years. She leaves two wonderful kids: Gary (Brenda) and Linda Evans (Blake), and four grandchildren: Tyler (Nicole), Brandon (Sydney), Parker (Kayla) and Jordan (Conner). She also leaves two great-grandchildren: Skyler and Asher.

She enjoyed the adventures of world travel and creating beautiful works of art, just to name a few of her many hobbies. Her favorite hobby was golf, and she loved and enjoyed her dear golf and lunch friends, “the girls” at Round Hill Country Club. Most of all, she loved her adoring family. She will be remembered and missed by all.

Please send donations in Elinor’s memory to a charity of your choice.

Shirley Bess Goldberg

July 4, 1935–July 13, 2024

Shirley Bess Goldberg, 89, former longtime resident of El Cerrito, died on July 13, 2024, in Tucson, Arizona. Born on July 4, 1935, in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, she moved to Tucson in her teens and after high school attended University of Arizona. Wanting to serve her country, she joined the United States Navy as a Lieutenant, serving domestically and overseas in England. She then met her husband Leonard (deceased) in Los Angeles and had two children. They then moved to the Bay Area and settled in El Cerrito. Shirley managed her husband’s photography studio in Berkeley (Lensart Studio). She also was a youth group advisor at Congregation Beth El in Berkeley, as well as an officer for the East Bay chapter of Women’s American ORT. Later, she earned an MBA from San Francisco State University and an MA in Educational Psychology from CSU Hayward. In 2012, she returned to Tucson, where she resided until her passing.

Shirley is survived by her daughter Tina Rosenbaum (Evan), son Aaron Goldberg, sisters Sorale Fortman, Zita Fortman and Lois Bejerano, and many nieces and nephews. She will be remembered for her sharp wit and generosity.

Rachel Sacks Rappaport

Oct. 2, 1926–July 12, 2024

Rachel Sacks Rappaport passed away on July 12 at the age of 97. A resident of San Francisco for the past 12 years, she was born and raised in Mountain Dale, New York, a tiny village in the Catskills. Her parents, Jacob and Lena Neiman Sacks, emigrated from Cape Town, South Africa, to New York in 1912. Jacob, a native of Jerusalem, was a contractor, and Lena, originally from Lithuania, ran a boarding house for summer tourists. The youngest of six, Rachel maintained a lifelong connection to her siblings and their descendants.

Rachel graduated first in her class of 10 students in 1943 and immediately went to work as a legal stenographer. In 1951, she married Ralph Rappaport, a Bronx native, and lived in New York City briefly before moving back to her beloved Catskills in 1955. She adored country living, especially the brilliant fall foliage that matched her natural red hair, long walks during all the seasons, and the birdsong she liked to imitate.

The couple settled in Woodridge, the next town over from Mountain Dale, and raised two daughters, Lynne of San Francisco and Debby of Potomac, Maryland. After being widowed in 2008, she relocated to San Francisco to the Rhoda Goldman Plaza assisted living community. It was a big adjustment from small-town life, but she soon thrived on the city’s cultural attractions, and was able to realize her dream of attending college by taking over 30 classes, between ages 85 and 90, at the Fromm Institute at USF.

She had an insatiable curiosity about the world and was a lively conversationalist with a genuine interest in people. She was a dedicated, talented writer who stayed in touch with a wide network of extended family through postcards and letters. She often enclosed newspaper clippings, and even autumn leaves.

Rachel was an active volunteer — singing in Catskills nursing homes, tutoring immigrants in English, and serving as president of her local chapter of Hadassah. She was proud to make three trips during her lifetime to Israel, her father’s birthplace. She continued to enjoy singing up until her final months. She loved movies, Broadway musicals, folk and classical music, crossword puzzles, wordplay, and silly names. She was gracious, resilient, caring, and compassionate, and possessed a lifelong childlike wonder.

In addition to Rachel’s daughters Lynne and Debby and sons-in-law Jon Frank and Aaron Yakov-Nagar, survivors include six grandchildren: Michele Nagar of Tel Aviv, Jesse Nagar of Maryland, Yael Nagar (Daniel Chudnow) and great-grandson Lev of Washington, D.C., Daniela Nagar of D.C., Noah Frank (Stephanie Woodford) of Oakland, CA, and Tal Frank of Bellingham, WA. She also leaves many devoted nieces and nephews throughout the world who miss her dearly.

Rachel was predeceased by five siblings: Rose Feuer (Sam), Ann Michaels (Paddy), Sara Levine (Milt), Sol Sacks (Shirley), and Joe Sacks, as well as nieces Carol Feuer Diamond and Bobbie Ogletree, nephew Alan Feuer, and close family friend Manny Schongut.

The family expresses our deepest gratitude to the dedicated staff at Rhoda Goldman Plaza; Care for Seniors caregivers Elvira Yadao, Elsa Yelma, Lourdes (Lulu) Roxas, Maria Chmielewski, and Surinder Kaur; and Pathways Hospice. Special thanks to Rabbi Me’irah Iliinsky for tender pastoral care, and to Shira Shore, volunteer with Jewish Family and Children’s Services (JFCS), for her customized singing sessions.

Funeral was held on July 17 in Monticello and Glen Wild, New York, with Rabbi Lawrence Zierler officiating.

Alfred Herbert Sporer

May 28, 1929–July 30, 2024

On Tuesday, July 30, 2024, Alfred Herbert Sporer, 95, longtime resident of San Jose, California, passed away with his wife and family by his side. Al was born in the Bronx on May 28, 1929, to Clara and Sol Sporer, recent immigrants from Hungary. He graduated from CCNY Phi Beta Kappa and received his Ph.D. in chemistry from UCLA, where he studied chromatography under Dr. Kenneth Trueblood. He married Ruth Aronow in 1955. After accepting a job in the research lab at IBM, they moved to San Jose in 1957. Al worked for IBM his entire career, and was part of several important innovations in their research division.

Al was invested in San Jose’s growth. He was especially devoted to the Jewish community, and to his synagogue, Congregation Sinai. He was deeply involved with his family, and especially devoted to his four grandchildren and great-granddaughter.

Al is survived by his beloved wife, Ruth, of almost 69 years, his two daughters, Amy (Daniel) Schiff and Julie (Stuart) Krigel; his four grandchildren, Rachel Schiff, Frank (Talia) Schiff, Benjamin Krigel and Raphael Krigel, and his great-granddaughter Maya Schiff.

In addition to his immediate family, he will be deeply missed by his niece Laura Stuchinsky (John McManus) and his great-niece Daniela Stuchinsky. He is also lovingly remembered by his sister-in-law, Maureen Ellenberg, his nephews Steve Ellenberg (Susan), Gary Ellenberg (Kris z”l) and great-nephew Zachary Ellenberg (Ruth), his great-nieces Molly, Naava, Lola, Eden Ellenberg, and large extended family and friends. Alfred was predeceased by his sister, Connee Stuchinsky.

Services and Shiva have been held. Donations may be made to Congregation Sinai in San Jose or to any charity if your choice. The support of friends and family during this difficult time has been deeply appreciated.

Robin (Wagenfeld) Teitelbaum

Nov. 24, 1929–July 5, 2024

Born in Brooklyn, East New York, to Tilly and Isadore Wagenfeld, immigrants from Galicia, Poland, Robin grew up with her brother, Morty, in an apartment above the family candy store on New Lots Avenue in Brooklyn, East New York. She demonstrated her talent for singing and dancing at a very early age, winning her first paying job on Radio WEVD at age 10. While still a child, and encouraged by her mother, Robin began a career in the Yiddish theater. With her natural, easy sense of humor, she often played in comedies.

She continued her acting career on Broadway where she played in “Wish You Were Here.” She also replaced Lee Grant in the role of the shoplifter in the Broadway production of “Detective Story.” Along the way she worked with then unknowns such as Jack Cassidy, Joel Grey, and Anne Meara (before and after she married Jerry Stiller). They remained life-long friends.
It was during a run of Hellman’s “The Little Foxes” in Palm Springs that she was introduced to the young, handsome, blue-eyed Rabbi David Teitelbaum. They were married on March 24, 1957, and settled in Redwood City, where Rabbi Teitelbaum served for 38 years at Congregation Beth Jacob. They were married 64 years.

As rebbetzin, she directed Temple Beth Jacob children’s plays, organized kiddushes, established social groups for senior citizens at Beth Jacob in Redwood City, at the JCC in Belmont, and at Peninsula Temple Sholom in Burlingame. Robin also helped found the first havurot at Beth Jacob. She took great pride in her many successful efforts as a “shadchan” (matchmaker). But commitment to community never came at the expense of family. Robin adored her husband, sons, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and played a central, loving role in their lives.

Robin is greatly missed by her sons, Joshua (Jacqueline) of Ra’anana, Israel, and Adam (Shari) of San Francisco, her grandchildren, Dena Avigail, Rivital (Yonatan) and Ayalah (Ariel), Abbey (Daniel) and Noah, and her great-grandchildren, Lucie Hallel, Nuriel Shalom, Naomi Robin, and Ely David, as well as by her brother Morty Wagenfeld of Indiana. Many thanks to her community at the Moldaw and her devoted caregivers Lupy, Vai, Dorie and Ana. Donations in her memory may be made to The Teitelbaum Jewish Education Fund at Congregation Beth Jacob in Redwood City.