Our Deepest Sympathies:
* Stephen R. Schultz, 67, Studio City, CA –
October 12, 2014
Passed away at the age of 67. Predeceased by his parents, Bernice & Lewis Schultz; brother-in-law, Tato Bechara. Survived by his wife, Eileen; daughters, Cory (Jake) Raiton & Linda Schultz; step daughter, Olga Monagas; grandchildren, Elliot & Katherine; brother, Ken (Joyce) Schultz; sister, Cathy (Jack) Dinaburg; brother-in-law, Dennis (Sally) Bechara; sister-in-law, Sylvia Bechara; & many nieces and nephews.
Stephen was a champion of the deaf community, and was an alum of NTID.
Source: brightonmemorialchapel.com/Obituaries/Detail.aspx?id=5419
* Helen (Chaia) Jean Weissman Lovitch, 90, September 2, 2014
Beloved TBS Charter Member, Helen Lovitch, passed peacefully after a short illness, on Sunday, September 2nd. Friends and family filled the chapel at Eden Memorial to say a final farewell and celebrate her life of 90 years. She was truly a woman of tremendous grace and humility, with quiet strength and delightful humor.
Helen was born, in the Bronx, to David (Duvid) & Beatrice (Riffka) Weissman, joining two older brothers, Bernie and George. Her parents worked very hard, as all small business owners do, running a cleaners/laundry business. But still Beatrice found the time to instill a deep love of music to her children teaching them all how to play the piano. She met her future husband, Morton, through a mutual friend at the young age of 16. After graduating from James Monroe High School, they were married in 1942 when Helen was 18. Soon after, Morton was called to the military to serve in World War II. Thankfully he came home safely and they were able to get on with their lives and start their family. Ira was born first and three and a half years later Fred
arrived.
Helen’s brother, Bernie, and his wife, Gert, and their children moved to Southern California and the family wanted to leave New York and join them. So in the fall of 1955, Morton found a CPA position and Helen, Morton, the boys and the Weissmans all relocated to the San Fernando Valley where this large farming area was experiencing a rapid and huge building boom, changing its agricultural fields to a suburban community. It was truly good fortune, since Fred was born with a hearing impairment, that this area of Los Angeles became a hub for the Deaf community beginning just five years later in the 1960’s.
Mort and Helen wanted to provide the best Jewish education for Fred while accommodating his needs, so they joined the Deaf, Jewish community in the valley in their efforts to establish a Deaf synagogue. They became Charter Members and helped form Temple Beth Solomon of the Deaf. The family legacy continued with Fred and his wife, Debijo, joining TBS after they were married. Debijo joined three other women who wanted to have a Bat Mitzvah, so they studied under Rabbi Henkin and after a year or so all celebrated before the congregation as they were called to the Torah. The family tradition continued with the Lovitch daughters, Marlo and Rebecca, attending TBS
