Olive Koren, a member of Congregation Rodef Sholom in San Rafael and a camper at the Osher Marin JCC’s Camp Kehillah, died in a horrific April 18 car accident in Marin County that killed four teen girls and injured two others. Olive was 14.
“I’ve known Olive since she was a young girl and, as everyone knows, to know her is to love her,” Rabbi Elana Rosen-Brown of Rodef Sholom said in a statement to J. “We are devastated to lose her.”
“She was exuberant, vivacious, clever, fun-loving.… I could go on and on,” the rabbi continued. “I’ve heard the same adjectives from friends and family the entire week who all describe the smile that could light up a room and ease anyone’s pain.”
Rosen-Brown said Olive was an active member in the synagogue’s teen programs, including its weekly Midrasha, and attended the group’s annual retreat.
A GoFundMe campaign started by family friends described her as “a bright light in everyone’s life,” noting that “she always had a smile” and “a wonderful appetite for food and for life.”
“She was kind, she was beautiful, she was smart and sassy, and a faithful friend. She loved her family, friends and pets. She was also loved by so many around her. Her time was way too short here,” the page reads.
Olive and five of her friends were driving on San Geronimo Valley Drive in Woodacre around 7:30 p.m. when their Volkswagen Tiguan crashed into a tree. Olive, along with Sienna Katz, 15, Ada Kepley, 15, and Josalynn “Josy” Osborn, 16, died. Elsa Laremont Stranczek, 16, and Marley Barclay, 14, were the only survivors.
Marley, who attended the Marin JCC camp with Koren, was hospitalized at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in Oakland for a partially collapsed lung, internal injuries, face and neck injuries. She was released on Tuesday. Elsa remains in critical condition.
Marley’s mother, Jessica Glantz-Mira, said on April 21 that her daughter recounted how they were going around a blind turn when another car veered into their lane, causing the seven-seater SUV they were riding in to swerve and hit the tree. The vehicle then caught on fire as witnesses rushed to pull the girls out.
All of the teens attended Archie Williams (formerly Drake) High School in San Anselmo. Tamalpais Union High School District Superintendent Tara Taupier described the tragedy as an overwhelming loss for the school and surrounding community in a message to families.
Marin JCC Camp Kehillah posted on Facebook: “These young individuals are not only cherished members of our camp — they are bright lights in our community. Their energy, kindness, and laughter have shaped Camp Kehillah in countless ways and touched the lives of so many — friends, counselors, and staff alike. As we mourn, we also remember the joy they brought to our summers — their voices in song, their smiles during Shabbat, the way they built friendships that lasted far beyond camp. Their spirit is forever woven into the fabric of Camp Kehillah.”
“Hearing about a tragic accident is sad. Knowing that two of the girls were part of our community brings it closer,” Lynne Young of Corte Madera commented on the post.
“We desperately miss Olive’s smile now as our community mourns her death as well as the deaths of her beloved friends Sienna, Josalynn and Ava, and as we pray for healing for Marley and Elsa,” said Rosen-Brown. “She is a deeply beloved community member and we are all heartbroken.”
Olive is survived by her mother, Amy, grandparents Gail and Bruce Koren and sisters Aubriana and Angelina.