Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on August 6, 2022

Obituaries are supported by a generous grant fromSinai Memorial Chapel.Denise Amiel AbecassisFeb. 3, 1939July 9, 2022Denise Amiel Abecassis

Denise Amiel Abecassis (Dina bat Rachel) passed away on July 9, 2022 at age 83, surrounded and held by her family and friends.

Denise was born and raised in Mazagan, Morocco, in 1939, by her parents Abraham and Clara Amiel, and alongside her three siblings, Mesod Amiel, Solange Abecassis (nee Amiel, and Jacques Amiel. In 1967, Denise married the intelligent and dashing Simon Abecassis, and became stepmother to his two sons, Jacques Abecassis and Claude Abecassis. Shortly after, the family moved to San Francisco, California. In 1968, Simon and Denise had their first child, Kathy Abecassis Bitton.

From a young age, Denise demonstrated a deep passion and keen mastery for sewing and design. In Morocco, she often sewed her own clothes and unique custom pieces for her friends and family. Upon arriving in San Francisco, Denise extended her mastery to the community around her, often taking on complex pieces for local sewing shops and establishing herself as a businesswoman. In addition to this work, Denise spent nearly five decades in the fine jewelry business, working with her brother Jacques and her brother-in-law Samuel Abecassis at Sams Fine Gold. Walking into their store, it would be impossible to miss the sophisticated woman sitting behind the counter dark hair that was always neatly swept back, charcoal that emphasized deep brown eyes and rosy lips that gave way to a soft smile. Denises magnetic charm evenly matched her outgoing personality and business style. Whip-smart, communicative and funny, she took pride in the customers she serviced and the friendships that her work blossomed into.

For over 50 years, Denise donated her time, cooking and during the occasional holiday Moroccan ululations to her local synagogue, Anshey Sfard. Congregation Anshey Sfard proved to be a home for Denise and her family, welcoming generations of her family upon arrival in the U.S. and serving as the familys sole place of worship to this day.

While her position as a jeweler, a volunteer and a mother kept Denise more than busy, she still found the time to raise and love three generations of her family. Known as Meme to her grandchildren, and Tata Denise by her scores of nieces and nephews, she demonstrated the full breadth of being a grandmother and aunt she was fierce, sassy and generous. Everyone knew that she was not to be crossed in synagogue, nor was she unashamed to trick little ones into bringing her sweets or the older ones to take her shopping. But at the end of the day, she always made sure that everyone was fed, and then fed again, and that she could plant a soft kiss on the inside of their ear, that sent an echoing ring reminding them of her love.

She was our matriarch.

Denise will be greatly missed by her daughter Kathy and her husband Jacques Bitton, as well as her three grandchildren, Francesca Bitton, Gabriella Bitton and Stefania Bitton, whom she spent every Shabbat and weekend with. Denises memory will always be cherished by her sister and brother, Solange and Jacques, and her many nieces and nephews, including Danielle Abecassis, Clara Abecassis, David Abecassis, Eric Amiel, Valerie Amiel, Rafael Amiel, Marco Amiel, Simon Amiel, Joelle Vinakur (nee Amiel), Ester Ofir (nee Amiel), Katia Hershkovich (nee Amiel) and Claire Amiel.

Memorial services were held on July 12, 2022.

Sinai Memorial(415) 921-3636

Marjorie Kay Feder (Margie) passed away peacefully from complications of Alzheimers and pneumonia just before her 88th birthday. She was born in San Francisco, daughter of Adele Harris and Sidney Kay. Her brother Alan Kay predeceased her. Margie graduated from Lowell High School, went on to UC Berkeley and lived in the AEPhi house. She then met her first husband, Claude Rosenberg, a pension fund manager and philanthropist, and married in 1953 after her freshman year.

She is survived by her daughter Linda Rosenberg Ach (Andy) and son Douglas Rosenberg and five granddaughters: Amanda Ach, Sara Ach, Liza Ach, Julia Rosenberg and Lauren Rosenberg.

Margie loved life, had a warm smile, welcomed everyone and was kind to all. She always had a positive attitude and moved forward. She loved tennis, skiing, golf, piano, opera, dancing and bridge and adored her granddaughters the most. Margie spent lots of time with each granddaughter at home and on various trips and with the family. She was elegant and beautiful.

After her marriage to Claude, she went back to school to finish her Bachelor of Arts degree and then went on to be a successful Real Estate broker in San Francisco.

She then married Cliff Farmer and helped raise his six kids while they were married: Zanita, Melissa, Ricky, Jincie, Elizabeth (passed) and Jeffrey. She maintained a close relationship with the kids after their divorce. She then married Jack Feder, whom she had known in high school. They had a wonderful marriage and spent lots of time in Silverado until his death in 2008.

She then married Bill Feis, a retired lawyer from Los Angeles whom she met on a blind date. They had a fun-loving time in San Francisco and Palm Desert these last 13 years.

And special thanks to Melania and Flor who were with her 24/7 with loving care and friendship.

Janice Katz, a retired special education teacher and revered member of the Jewish and Bay Area communities for decades, passed away at home on July 30, 2022 after a five-month battle with cancer. She was 86.

A resident of San Mateo County for more than 50 years, Janice considered Peninsula Temple Sholom her second home. Among her many contributions to the Sholom community, she prepared and delivered welcome baskets for new members; served as a religious school committee member; and for 15 years co-chaired the Gemilut Chasadim committee, which brought support and comfort to those facing personal challenges. In 2015, Sholom Women honored her with its Woman of Valor award. She also co-chaired the North Peninsula Yom HaShoah committee for three years.

Born in El Paso, Texas, to Lithuanian immigrants who loved their new country, Janice was the youngest of two daughters. Living on the U.S./Mexico border, she learned to speak fluent Spanish and later served for 11 years as a Spanish interpreter and volunteer coordinator for Samaritan House, a free medical clinic in San Mateo that serves patients who cant afford care.

Together with the love of her life, her late husband Dr. Irving Katz, she collected art and appreciated symphony, opera, and theater. She made vibrant, creative flower arrangements for all occasions, often with blooms Irving grew in their garden. Irving liked to refer to Janice as the Jewish Mother Teresa.

Janice is survived by her loving son Andrew and adoring daughters Leslie (Jonathan) and Rachel (Andy). She is also survived by her brothers-in-law Bernard Katz and Bruce Katz and sister-in-law Shirley Nussbaum. Nieces, nephews, cousins and countless friends of all ages cherished her thoughtful, generous heart and turned to her for advice and wisdom. Her calendar was filled with hundreds of reminders for birthdays (both human and pet), as well as anniversaries, graduations and yahrzeits, and she made calls and sent cards for every occasion.

The family asks that those who wish to send a donation consider Peninsula Temple Sholom; Samaritan House; or Home and Hope, which aids the homeless.

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Bernard Monetta on July 30, 2022, at the age of 95. He led a wonderful balanced life of love, family, professional career along with travel and leisure. Bernie was born in Toledo, Ohio, to William and Kate Monetta. The family soon moved to Vallejo, Calif., where he became an Eagle Scout and attended Vallejo High School. He often noted that his high school years, spent with seven close-knit guys who were inseparable, were some of the best of times.

Bernie was called into the U.S. Army in WWII and was stationed at Hickam Air Force Base in Honolulu, where he repaired B-17 bombers. Following the war, he used the GI Bill to study optometry and graduated from Pacific University College of Optometry in 1952. He opened his own practice, Dr. Monetta Optometry, in the Stonestown Shopping Center in 1954. He practiced for over 30 years and the practice continues today with his son, Robert, on Ocean Avenue.

Escaping the fog in San Francisco, Bernie met the love of his life, Nadine, on a summer day in Marin County. They were married in the Gold Room at the Fairmont Hotel, where they also celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. They had a storybook marriage lasting almost 62 years. They traveled the world, but their hearts were truly left in San Francisco. They were members of Lake Merced Country Club and of Monterey Country Club while spending time in their Palm Desert home.

Bernies two sons, David and Robert, were the joys of his life. His daughters-in-law, Lisa and Natalie, were the daughters he always wanted. His grandchildren Alexander, Kayla, Zachary, Jacqueline and Dominic kept him young at heart. Although Bernie was an only child, his closeness to his late brothers-in-law, Louis and George Everett, and Leonard Hurwitt, as well as his late sister-in-laws Yvonne Hurwitt and Peggy Everett was unparalleled. He was a loving uncle to Charles Everett, Suzy and Steve Stemerman, Laura and Rich Everett, Sharon and Alan Levins, Nancy and Matt Browar, and Joan and Mitch Berger.

Bernie was the last of his familys generation in an unusually close extended family who will be remembered with warmth and loving devotion.

A funeral will be held at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5, 2022 at Salem Memorial Park in Colma, and a celebration of life reception will follow at 3 p.m. at the Olympic Club, 599 Skyline Blvd., San Francisco, CA 94132. All family and friends are welcome. In lieu of flowers, donations in Bernies memory can be made to the American Heart Association.

Sinai Memorial(415) 921-3636

We are sad to announce the passing of our mom and nana, Lynne Schaer, after a brief battle with Covid.

The daughter of S. David and Hannah Marcovitz, Lynne was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA. She was a proud graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, earning a degree in education, which led to becoming an elementary school teacher. Lynne went on to marry Dr. Leonard R. Schaer of Buffalo, N.Y. in 1956, and they remained married until his passing in 2015.

Lynne and Len moved from Buffalo to El Cerrito, CA in 1964 and then settled in Walnut Creek, CA in 1965, where they raised their three sons, Steve, Alan and Larry. In addition to being a full-time mom, Lynne was an avid gardener with many beautiful rose bushes in her backyard, enjoyed cooking, including trying out new recipes for many cuisines, led tours at the Bedford Gallery at the Lesher Center for the Arts and supported charitable organizations that focused on helping people with extra needs. She and Len enjoyed attending the theater, concerts and museums along with traveling to many countries around the world.

Lynne was preceded in death by her husband, Len, and her son, Steve. She is survived by her son Alan, and his wife, Cindy, of San Ramon, along with their two daughters, Danielle and Talia. She is also survived by her son Larry, and his wife, Julie, along with their daughter, Kat, of Apex, North Carolina.

A funeral was held on July 6, 2022, at Gan Shalom Cemetery in Briones, CA, during which we shared stories of Moms love of the arts, her gentle nature, and the extra effort she made to teach her sons skills and talents that will last them a lifetime.

Donations in Lynnes memory may be made to: Congregation Bnai Shalom in Walnut Creek, Hadassah, Dogs for Better Lives in Central Point, Oregon, or to the charity of your choice.

Sinai Memorial(925) 962-3636

Dr. Sam Thal came to San Francisco, the city he loved, in 1955 after receiving his M.D. degree from the University of Washington School of Medicine and doing a residency in internal medicine at the Mayo Clinic. He worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs in the East Bay and was on the UCSF Clinical Faculty for 47 years, retiring as Clinical Professor of Medicine.

He was a longtime donor and/or volunteer for the American Conservatory Theater library, Merola Opera Program, San Francisco Ballet Horizons Foundation, the Castro Senior Center, the Gay and Lesbian Historical Society, and the Bay Area Physicians for Human Rights (BAPHR). He served on the BAPHR Board of Directors for over 30 years and was also secretary, historian and editor of their newsletter. In addition, he was a member of New Leaf (closed in 2010), Gay and Lesbian Medical Association, Commonwealth Club, American Legion Alexander Hamilton Post 448, Prime Timers, and other medical, cultural and historical organizations. He was a founding member of Congregation Shaar Zahav, San Francisco.

He died July 25, 2022 at The Sequoias San Francisco. A private memorial service was held at the Hills of Eternity Memorial Park. Donations in his memory may be made to any of the organizations listed above.

Sinai Memorial(415) 921-3636

Our beloved Father and Grandfather passed away peacefully on July 26. We will always remember his quiet, happy and jolly outlook and positive energy. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Aline, brother-in-law of Alfred (Freddie) and sister-in-law Sara Lehine.

Michael is survived by his loving son, Daniel, daughter-in-law Jeannine; his cherished granddaughter, Hailey; Uncle to Richard (Laurie) Lehine; and Great-Uncle to Ian and Paige Lehine. Michael will be missed but will remain in our hearts forever. At Michaels request, please make memorial contributions to the American Cancer Society.

Sinai Memorial(415) 921-3636

Norma Weiss, a longtime Los Altos resident, passed away on July 13. She was born in New York City in 1926 to immigrant parents and she graduated from Hunter College in 1947 with a major in psychology and a minor in philosophy and sociology. With her husband, Jerry, along with her young family, they followed his parents west to Los Angeles in 1957 and then moved north in 1963 to Sunnyvale and to Los Altos in 1973.

She taught special education in the Sunnyvale School District from 1968-1981 and during that time, at the age of 50, she also completed a masters degree in education from the University of San Francisco in 1975. While teaching in Sunnyvale, she was also a member of the Curriculum Council from 1977-1983, and a member of the Community Advisory Committee for Special Education from 1979-1982.

In 1985, after retirement from the school district, she received an instructor credential for the California Community Colleges in special education and in 1990 she received a similar credential for language arts and literature.

With these credentials, she became an instructor in the Lifelong Learning Program at Foothill College, where she taught Introduction to Literature and other classes. She loved reading and also led book and film groups and taught various classes at the JCC, and at senior centers such as Lytton Gardens in Palo Alto.

Norma was always curious and active, and loved learning, helping and doing. She did not sit still, she kept a beautiful home and loved to cook and entertain. After retirement, in addition to the classes she taught, she played bridge every week, did needlepoint and knitting, and was active in Hadassah and sisterhood. She had many friends whom she loved and she had a great sense of humor, bringing a smile everywhere she went.

Along with her husband, she was one of the founders of Congregation Kol Emeth, where they remained members after some 60 years. Together, they created a warm and comfortable home for their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and were excellent role models. She is survived by her three children, Deborah, David and Elisa (Rabbi YY Rubenstein), two grandchildren, Nicole and Jason (Sharona), and three incredible great-grandchildren, Ariella, Shir and Daniel.

May her memory be a blessing for everyone that knew her.

Sinai Memorial(650) 369-3636

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Deaths announcements for the week of Aug. 5, 2022 J. - The Jewish News of Northern California

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