Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on April 20, 2024

My dear friend Jerri Livingston died peacefully in her sleep at home on April 3 at the age of 72. She and I had a been entwined in one anothers lives for 59 years. Once, when I asked Jerri what mattered to her, she said, Family and Judaism were the most important. But those two tenets had many, many facets.

Family to Jerri was not only her immediate relatives who were blood related, but also her friends, acquaintances and even strangers She was so involved as a volunteer for many causes like the Susan B. Komen organization fighting breast cancer. Her family of friends through the Interfaith Partnership was also part of Jerris family. Her world as a board member of Women of Reform Judaism was her family. The colleagues with whom she taught at Congregation Shaare Emeth Sunday School for 29 years were also part of Jerris family.

I have often referred to Jerri as being the glue connecting many different people, organizations and groups. Whether you thought of Jerri as a thread in a large tapestry of community, or glue sticking people together, Jerri was a connector.

When I think of Jerri, she had many sides but one special one was her always remembering. She remembered birthdays, babys births and knitted many handmade baby blankets for the tiny grandchildren born to her multitude of friends. Jerri remembered Yahrzeits, bnai mitzvahs and any holiday at all if she could bring joy to a friend.

People depended on Jerri in many ways some for learning Hebrew, some for learning how to make her famous Hello Dolly cookies or delicious lemon bars. Some just knew her as a good listener who would hold your hand or share a hug. I knew her as my story critic and proofreader. Jerri had so many friends because as the saying goes, she was a friend to all.

Although Jerri will be missed by many for many reasons, I will miss her loud, boisterous laugh. I will miss sharing seders at her house and I will miss her and her family coming to our house for Thanksgiving and many parties.

Jerri always prided herself that she was my only friend who had a collection of photo albums of my grandchildren because she loved them. In fact, in her darkest time when fighting through her own pain and illness, Jerri still remembered my family. My teenage grandson tragically died three years ago. On March 4, while Jerri was fighting for her life, I received a text message: Thinking about Noahs birthday today. She cared and that is what made Jerri, Jerri.

Jerri contributed her time and energy to Shaare Emeth as a teacher, helping the next generation to continue and learn Jewish traditions. With that same thought in mind, she and her husband Bill and her sister and brother-in-law, Jim and Jane Grossman, recently created a Jewish Youth Endowment fund to continue their strong Jewish beliefs allowing funding to continue learning and Jewish traditions for many future generations.

About six months ago, I told Jerri that I was thinking about various friends and trying to associate them with one word. Jerri, I said, The word I chose for you is remember. Because you always remember things that bring meaning and love to people. She paused for a minute and said, I like the word remember.

I will miss a sister through love, a friend through decades and someone who has been a life always present in our family. Her name and abundant love for others will be remembered because Jerri never forgot those who were a part of her life.

Read the original post:

A tribute to Jerri Livingston - St. Louis Jewish Light

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