Obituaries
KERRY PAUL ROITENBERG
June 29, 1954-April 3, 2017
Kerry Roitenberg left us on Monday April 3, 2017 at the age of 62.
He is survived by his father Shom Roitenberg; his sister Janis; his brother and sister in-law Evan and Audra; and his nieces Lindsay and Jillian. Kerry was predeceased by his mother Sheila and his grandparents Rose and Jack Rittberg and Rose and Isaac Roitenberg. Kerry also leaves behind many cousins and friends, notably B and Jeff.
Kerry was born in 1954 and was the eldest of three. He attended Talmud Torah, Joseph Wolinsky Collegiate and Garden City Collegiate. Kerry was a gifted student and brilliant all around. He was an accomplished bridge player who played in many tournaments as a teen. He excelled at school and was a member of Reach for the Top teams in high school. He’d always wanted to practice law. Unfortunately, fate intervened.
Kerry was quite a musical talent. He joined Cantor Brownstone’s choir at a very early age and eventually was tapped to lead some synagogue services, even before his Bar Mitzvah. On the occasion of his Bar Mitzvah, he had to leave his own party early to attend the dress rehearsal for the show he was doing at Rainbow Stage.
His interests, however, went beyond school and music. Kerry loved sports. Kerry was a lifelong fan of the BC Lions, as they both came to being in 1954. Kerry was also a huge fan of the big bad Bruins in hockey. Underneath the wall hanging depicting a history of Bobby Orr’s uniforms, Kerry slept with a Boston Bruins blanket on his bed for as long as anyone can remember. It was Kerry’s love of sports that gave birth to his nickname: Koach. Kerry was a true coach: leading by example, teaching by doing, and he exemplified NEVER giving up.
In 1974, at the age of 20, Kerry underwent brain surgery at the Mayo Clinic. Following that surgery, but before he was left wheelchair bound, Kerry completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at the U of W. Three years post-surgery, having suffered a few seizures over that time, Kerry was left paralyzed and with some cognitive impairment from one final seizure in 1977. Since 1979, he had been a resident of Luther Home. That is where much of the legend of Kerry Roitenberg begins.
While others may have become sullen or sorrowful after being confined to a wheelchair, Kerry treated life with a sense of humour and positivity. He moved in to Luther Home at the age of 24 and left it last week as its unofficial mayor. Residents and staff gravitated towards him. It became evident that the staff and residents became part of Kerry’s family, and he, their’s. Kerry was at home there, not in ‘a home’, and he was with people who genuinely cared for him, not just as professional care givers. Such was Kerry. Such are the people at Luther Home.
Kerry was fun, whether it was playing a game of cribbage or chess, joking around, or confounding people with his own language of riddles and trivia. To speak with Kerry, especially when he was feeling playful or mischievous, was to have your mental acuity tested as he would use pop-culture references and trivial Hollywood stars of old, as reference points to express himself and tell a story. Kerry never lost his competitive spirit. In a game of cribbage, even establishing a one point lead was cause for a smiling Kerry to taunt with a cry of “SOMEBODY’S LOSING”. And he was insufferable when his Lions beat the “Blue Bumblers” as he called them.
Kerry participated in everything at Luther Home including sitting on the Residents Council. No current resident or staff member goes back to a time “pre-Kerry”, as he’d been there longer than all. The morning of Kerry’s passing, as he peacefully lay in his bed, there was a steady stream of staff and friends to Kerry’s room at Luther Home to say goodbye.
The way Kerry lived his life, the humour and compassion that he displayed in spite of the cards he was dealt, was a gift. He never let his limitations dictate a definition of who he was or who he wanted to be. He created happiness for himself on a daily basis. There were limits as to what he could do or express, but there were no limits as to what he could feel. There were no limits as to how much he could love, or be loved in return.
Funeral services were held on April 5, 2017 at Shaarey Zedek Synagogue, officiated by Rabbi Alan Green. Pallbearers were Ian Cramer, Dr. Sheldon Glow, Jeff Hirsh, Stuart Slayen, Daniel Yusim and Norman Yusim. Honorary pallbearers were Randy Cramer and Arthur “B” Hirsh. Art, a million “thank yous” are not enough.
Kerry’s family would like to thank Dr. Heather Domke for her care and compassion over the years. The family wishes to particularly thank the staff at Luther Home. Words can’t do justice to our gratitude for how Kerry was cared for and the quality of life he was afforded for nearly 38 years. To those inclined to donate in Kerry’s memory, please consider donating to the Luther Home Solarium Project.
Kerry, Koach, Uncle Kerry, we love you and will hold you in our hearts forever.
Obituaries
DR. CLIFFORD LEVI
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Clifford Levi – beloved husband, father, and physician. Cliff passed away on September 15, 2024, after a hard-fought battle with leukemia. Cliff was born in Winnipeg on May 28, 1951. He was the youngest of three siblings. He attended Grant Park High School, graduated from the University of Manitoba Faculty of Medicine in 1975, and completed his Residency in Diagnostic Radiology in 1979. In 1980, he joined the department of Ultrasound at the Health Sciences Centre. Cliff had an outstanding career in medicine. He practiced for over 44 years as a Radiologist specializing in Ultrasound. He began working in the field while it was in its infancy, and contributed greatly to its development. He contributed over 30 papers to peer-reviewed journals and 27 chapters in leading imaging textbooks. He was loved and respected by his colleagues, and viewed the Ultrasound department as his second family. He served as the department’s Section Head for 22 years. Cliff leaves behind his wife of 45 years, Carol. He was a dedicated father and will be missed dearly by his children, Kim and Jeremy. Despite his busy schedule and long work hours, he was always present when his family needed him. He would do anything for those around him. He had a strong moral compass, and was known for his exceptional kindness, quick wit, and wonderful sense of humour. He was an avid stargazer, golfer, and guitarist. Services were held on September 18, 2024 at the Chesed Shel Emes. Dr. Marvin Slutchuk, Cliff’s physician and friend, led a beautiful service that highlighted Cliff’s character and impact on those around him. The family would like to recognize the team at CancerCare Manitoba, especially Dr. James Johnston, for the exceptional quality of care Cliff received throughout his treatment. We also wish to express our thanks to Dr. Ted Lyons, Cliff’s friend and coworker of 46 years. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to CancerCare Manitoba or the charity of your choice.
Obituaries
RABBI CARLA ELYNN FREEDMAN
Rabbi Carla Freedman will go down in history as a trailblazer. Not only was she the first Canadian woman to be ordained as a rabbi, she was also the first rabbi in history to become a grandmother. With great sorrow, Rabbi Carla’s family announces that the trail reached its end when, after a short, but devastating illness, she passed away on Monday, September 23, 2024, just five weeks shy of her 80th birthday. Carla Elynn Freedman was a leader from the moment she was born. While studying at West Kildonan Collegiate in her hometown, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, she took on her first elected leadership role, serving as President of B’nai Brith Girls, District 6. In this role, she honed her storytelling skills, winning an international championship by recounting the heroics of Hannah Senesh. She also discovered what would become a deep, lifelong love of Judaism. In 1965, shortly after the birth of her first daughter, Deborah, she became one of the earliest members of Temple Shalom, Winnipeg’s first Reform synagogue. She celebrated the birth of her second daughter, Rena, in trailblazing fashion, with the Temple’s first baby naming ceremony. After earning a B.A. in English and a master’s in educational psychology from the University of Manitoba, Carla worked as a counsellor in private practice and as a management training specialist with the federal Department of Transportation. She celebrated her 40th birthday by leaving Winnipeg to pursue her passion for Reform Judaism full time. She enrolled in Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, Ohio, graduating with a master’s degree in Hebrew Letters in 1989. She was ordained the following year, becoming the first Canadian-born woman rabbi in the process. While in rabbinical school, Carla met the love of her life, Jeanne Shanin. Carla and Jeanne spent 39 joyous years together, moving throughout the U.S. as Carla took on congregational pulpits at Beth Israel Congregation in Plattsburgh, New York, Jewish Family Congregation in South Salem, New York, and since 2013, at Beth Israel Congregation in Sun City Center, Florida. In 1992, while serving in Plattsburgh, Carla achieved her most treasured accomplishment when, upon the birth of her grandson, Jesse, she became the first rabbi in history to become a grandmother. She repeated the feat two years later, with the birth of her granddaughter, Brianna. While she had a lifelong aversion to the color green, she had a world-class green thumb and an unmatched gift for keeping her hundreds of plants healthy. She found immense joy in simple pleasures: spy novels, Israeli music, anchovies, black licorice, popcorn, Rachel Maddow, Monk, and anything from the British Isles. But by far her greatest joys were serving her congregations and spending time with her family. Rabbi Carla is survived by her soulmate, Jeanne of Riverview, Florida; her daughters, Deborah Melman-Clement (Tim) of Kingston, Ontario and Rena Rubin-Hines (Michael) of Toronto; her grandchildren, Jesse Rubin of Calgary and Brianna Rubin of Toronto; her sister, Phyllis Yaffe of Toronto; and her niece, Sarah Yaffe (Jay, Lewis, and Reya) of Toronto. She was predeceased by her parents, Lou and Yetta Freedman, and by her beloved pets, Mo and Harley. The family would like to thank all those who cared for Carla with such skill and compassion. Funeral services were held Wednesday, September 25 at Beth Israel the Jewish Congregation of Sun City Center, 1115 E Del Webb Blvd., Sun City Center, Florida, 33573, USA. Shiva Minyan with open mic tributes will follow. To view the recordings, contact cowebmaster1@jcscc.org. Shiva will also be held in Toronto from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Sunday and Monday, September 29 and 30 at 70 Rosehill Ave., #208. Please feel free to honour Rabbi Carla’s memory with a gift to Beth Israel Congregation’s newly created Rabbi Carla Freedman Memorial Fund for the purpose of bringing to the congregation live music, speakers, and scholars in residence; or the charity of your choice.
Obituaries
MIRIAM MANDEL (nee LAZARECK)
The family of Miriam Mandel sadly announce her passing on September 24, 2024. As a beloved Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother and Sister, we will deeply miss her. Her generous and kind heart, her fun and positive nature, and she always thought of others before herself. Miriam leaves her son David, daughter Emma Lee; grandchildren, Adalena, Devorah and Yehudah; her three great-grandchildren, Dina, James and Vesna; her brothers, Melvin (Karyn), Jack (Zina) and Arnold (Libby) and nephews and nieces. She will be missed by all who knew her and remembered by all.
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