Obituaries are supported by a generous grant from Sinai Memorial Chapel.
Ursula Friedeberg
May 18, 1942–April 28, 2024
Ursula Friedeberg (nee Jacob) passed away on Sunday, April 28, 2024. Ursula was the daughter of Heinz and Eva Jacob (nee Krebs) and is survived by her husband of 60 years, Rene Friedeberg. She is also survived by her daughter, Laura (Cindy Townsend), son, Daniel (Mindy), and three grandchildren.
Ursula was born on May 18, 1942, in the Hongkou District of Japanese-occupied Shanghai, China, to parents who had fled Breslau, Germany, during the Nazi occupation. She immigrated to San Francisco with her parents in 1947. Though she did not yet speak English, she quickly became independent, riding the cable car to and from kindergarten. In 1950, the Jacobs moved to the Sunset District where Ursula attended Francis Scott Key School, Giannini Middle School, and Washington High School. After high school graduation, she began her nursing degree at San Francisco State University. She met Rene at a JCC dance, and they married in 1963. She received her nursing degree and worked at Children’s Hospital in San Francisco, as well as San Francisco General. Ursula and Rene moved to the East Bay, where the family expanded. Their daughter, Laura, was born, and almost exactly two years later, their son, Dan, was born. Ursula worked as a public health nurse, helping to aid her community. She was recognized by Alameda County for her work as Director of the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome programming, while overseeing the support groups.
The Friedebergs were members of Temple Beth Torah in Fremont, where Ursula was an active member of the sisterhood and their chavurah. Ursula joined ORT and enjoyed participating in Jewish holidays and traditions.
In 2005, Ursula and Rene relocated to The Villages in San Jose. Ursula quickly joined Hadassah and avidly participated in a variety of gaming groups including Mahjongg, Canasta, and more.
A working mom, she always took time out of her day to make food for and spend time with her family. Her pride and joy was her family, and especially her three grandchildren, Drew, Halle, and Brody Friedeberg.
Ursula enjoyed swimming, needlework, gardening, Mahjongg, Canasta, her Jewish community, walking her dogs, and spending time with family, including her brother Steve Jacob, sisters-in-law Roberta Friedeberg and Anna Friedeberg, nieces, cousins, and extended family.
Tremendous thanks go to her caregivers, especially Anna Cabang.
Ursula will be remembered with much love and missed terribly.
Anita Kramer
May 27, 1931–April 9, 2024
On April 9, 2024, Anita Kramer passed away at the age of 92.
Anita was born in Cincinnati, lived in San Antonio for much of her young and teenage years and attended Southern Methodist University and Trinity College in Texas, married and then moved to Columbus and Fort Benning, Georgia, for a few years as a military wife before moving to Oakland, Redwood City, and San Carlos and finally moving to San Mateo. She called California home.
She was survived by her husband of 70 years, William Kramer, sons Scott and Terry, grandchildren Kelly, Beau, Sara and Zachary and great-grandchild Cooper.
More than anything else, her family meant everything to her. She was their greatest cheerleader.
Anita’s moral compass, sense of duty and compassion towards the less fortunate was manifest in her work as a social worker and teacher of middle school students with learning disabilities in the San Mateo City School District for over 30 years.
Anita loved playing bridge and gathering master points in tournament play. She enjoyed playing golf and tennis at Peninsula Golf and Country Club and skiing at Bear Valley. She enjoyed ballet and opera in San Francisco.
May her memory be a blessing.
Sinai Memorial | (415) 921-3636
Jerome (Jerry) Hyman
May 18, 1938–April 24, 2024
Jerome (Jerry) Hyman died suddenly and peacefully on April 24, 2024, in Daly City, CA.
Jerry was born on May 18, 1938, in Oakland, CA, to Joseph and Shirley Hyman. After graduating from Oakland High School, Jerry attended college at the University of California in Berkeley, majoring in math and physics. He was a talented drummer and a member of the Cal marching band, performing with the band at the World’s Fair in Brussels, Belgium, in 1958.
After graduating college, Jerry began a decades-long career in the nascent field of computers and information technology, starting at Varian Associates and UC San Francisco Medical Center. He then began a 38-year tenure at Matson Navigation Company in San Francisco, rising to the position of Chief Information Officer. At Matson, Jerry oversaw and led the automation of Matson’s cargo shipping business. In addition to his work at Matson, Jerry ran his own technology consulting business, helping automate and bring new technologies to various clients in the business and non-profit sectors, including the liberty ship S.S. Jeremiah O’Brien, Sinai Memorial Chapel, and the Jewish Home for the Aged.
The heart of Jerry’s life was his deep and abiding love for his wife, Charlotte. They met in 1964, at Congregation Beth Sholom, and tied the knot in 1965, in San Francisco. From that day forward, they were inseparable, building a beautiful life together. They were blessed with three children, Michael (Audrey Hyman), Jeffrey (Hillary Weingast), and Michelle, whom they raised in Daly City. Over the years, they also welcomed several beloved dogs into their home. Jerry was a proud grandfather to Sydney, Joshua, Sierra, and Alex Hyman.
Jerry’s commitment to his family and career was mirrored in his dedication to the local Jewish community. In the 1980s, he served as a Board Member, Officer, and President of Congregation Beth Sholom in San Francisco.
Later, when he and Charlotte became active members of Congregation Ner Tamid in San Francisco, he continued his service as a Board Member and Treasurer for many years. His contributions to the community were a testament to his selflessness and his desire to make a positive impact.
Jerry is survived by his wife, children, and grandchildren; his brother, Adrian Hyman; and his beloved yellow lab, Mollie.
The family requests donations be made in Jerry’s honor to Congregation Ner Tamid, 1250 Quintara St., San Francisco, CA 94116.
A funeral was held at Eternal Home Cemetery in Colma, CA.
Sinai Memorial | (415) 921-3636
Henry Klein
Jan. 30, 1939–Feb. 22, 2024
Henry was born in 1939 in Berlin. His Jewish parents, Sidonie and Lemel Klein were trying to immigrate in light of the November, 1938 Kristalnacht event. Lemel had recently expanded his textile business to include tailors to make men’s suits. His business was closed down, yet Nazi soldiers came in the back door to have suits made.
While Lemel was in Hamburg looking for tickets on a ship to someplace in the world for his family and some relatives, a Gestapo officer came to the Klein home to tell Sidonie that Lemel had an appointment at the Gestapo office coming up.
Henry’s family had to flee, leaving their home and business behind. They had to go to the one place where no visa was required: Shanghai, China.
Henry caught polio at 9 or 10 months old in Shanghai, and his mother caught amoebic dysentery—they suffered from these diseases their whole lives. Henry’s legs were affected and he was not able to learn to walk.
The Japanese attacked and occupied Shanghai. They forced the European immigrants, mostly Jewish, into a ghetto called Hong Kew. Henry was wheeled around in a baby stroller. A Chinese lady was hired to carry Henry to the British Charity School in the ghetto, where Henry learned English. Unlike most of the refugees Lemel was able to earn a living by buying and selling cloth from his ghetto home. He sold cloth to Chinese people and Japanese military men without speaking either language.
Lemel was able to save money for Henry’s trip to the U.S., to go to the polio treatment center built by President Franklin Roosevelt in Warm Springs, Georgia. Henry was cared for by another passenger on the ship to New York. His father’s cousin picked him up and took him to Warm Springs, where he lived for six months. He had surgery on one leg that was longer than the other, then was fitted with crutches and braces, and Voila! Henry was on his feet and very able to walk, run, and climb stairs. He learned to swim by the power of his arms. He said he felt like he was born when he was upright.
Unfortunately Henry’s relative in New York did not want to take care of him and sent Henry to an orphanage in St. Louis, Missouri where he got no visitors for three years and did not hear from his parents. His father’s cousin accepted money from Lemel, not informing him that Henry was not in his home, but in an orphanage. Henry had childhood depression; he would not eat and did not grow enough. (Many years later, in the 1990’s, Henry’s cousin, the son of the relative who was supposed to be Henry’s host in the U.S. in the 1940’s came to visit Henry in San Francisco and apologized for his father’s behavior.)
On Henry’s 11th birthday in 1950 he was on an airplane to Lod airport in Israel, where his parents had resettled. When Henry met his parents at the airport he could not remember the German language. He told them to “keep talking” and after one week, he could remember.
Henry went to school in Tel Aviv, learned Hebrew, had friends. His father opened a textile shop and again sold cloth. Henry came to San Francisco in 1960 and found a job at Davis Realty, where he learned to be a real estate agent and later, a licensed realtor. He was able to open his own business, called Bridge Realty.
In his efforts to restore and renovate Victorian houses, Henry learned all the details of construction. He acquired and renovated some San Francisco houses, renting them, and later preparing them for sale.
Henry has artistically restored six San Francisco houses and four more are in the works.
With an eye towards retirement and his life goal of achieving philanthropy for Israel and Jewish Organizations,
Henry has been selling his homes.
In the last months of his life he expressed sorrow over the war in Gaza. Henry was reminded of Prime Minister Golda Meir’s words: “Peace will come when the Arabs will love their children more than they hate us.”
Henry is succeeded by his brother Jack and his wife, Gabrielle.